We recently connected with Brittany Rahn and have shared our conversation below.

Brittany, appreciate you joining us today. What did your parents do right and how has that impacted you in your life and career?

I did not grow up with healthy role models. Both my parents were addicted to substances and dealt with mental health issues, and I was emotionally and physically neglected from a young age. They exposed me to situations no kid should ever be involved in, and I remained resentful of them for a very long time. If you know anything about addiction, there are two outcomes: recovery or death. Unfortunately, my father died of an overdose when I was 16, while my mother ultimately entered recovery. Both these situations taught me vastly different things: that pain is an inevitable part of life and that we can overcome it despite that. These lessons are what my parents did right, whether they meant to teach me or not. And without these lessons, I would not be where I am today.

Today, I am the owner and founder of Middle Path Psychotherapy, LLC, in Linwood, NJ. Middle Path Psychotherapy’s mission is to provide mental health treatment to individuals facing mental health struggles and/or addiction by fostering an inclusive environment that caters to the unique needs of each individual who walks through the door.

The term “Middle Path” is adapted from a Buddhist principle: the balance between self-indulgence and self-discipline. The term is also adapted from a skill in Dialectical Behavior Therapy— a therapy I often use with individuals who face addictions, suicidal ideations, and self-harming behaviors.

My practice is born from the painful experiences I faced growing up. I always knew I wanted to help people, but did not know why. I now realize it’s because I wanted to help my parents as a child, but couldn’t. Today, I get to help people in a way I never knew was possible. I do not give people answers to their problems as many people think therapists do; instead, I sit with them through the pain, the tears, the happiness, the successes, the failures. I get the privilege of watching them change their lives for the better, which heals me.

Brittany, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I am a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) and licensed clinical alcohol and drug counselor (LCADC) in the state of NJ). I am also a doctoral student at Rutgers University to become a doctor of social work.

I began working in the field of social work in 2018. I graduated in the height of the pandemic and knew I had to immediately get into the workforce to help as much as I could. I began my career working in court-mandated substance abuse treatment, where I learned a lot about generational and community trauma, specifically related to racism.

Once I fulfilled my clinical hours, I went to work in private practice therapy, working with individuals with various mental health concerns, including but not limited to addiction, depression, anxiety, OCD, trauma, and personality disorders.

I quickly decided working for others was not my thing. I had too many ideas and passion to work under someone else’s vision. That is when I took a leap of faith and opened Middle Path Psychotherapy, LLC.

My main speciality is assisting clients with processing complex trauma and addressing the various ways those past experiences may show up in their daily life causing distress (i.e. relationship troubles, maladaptive thoughts/behaviors, limiting self-beliefs.)

I am trained in various therapy modalities— most notably, trauma-focused therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) and Exposure Response Prevention (ERP). I also take a humanistic approach to therapy in that I believe everyone is capable of meeting their full potential in life and have all the skills within them to do so.

I see all ages from 5 and beyond, however mostly work with young adults.

I have my own mental health struggles so I know what it’s like to be in the clients’ shoes. I have my own therapist that I work with so I can be as present as possible for my clients. My mental health struggles give me true empathy toward my clients.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

I struggle with mental health issues of my own due to the trauma I experienced as a child. My junior year of college, I decided to leave my apartment with all my friends to get mental health help. It was not easy, but it was the best choice I have ever made. Without getting help by going into a mental health program, I would never have found my passion, which is helping others overcome their own mental health struggles. In the program, I learned coping skills and was able to eventually graduate college. I decided to get my Masters in Social Work because I wanted to be like the people who were there for me at my darkest time: a therapist.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

I once thought being a therapist meant knowing all the answers. I thought that I had to have solutions for every problem every client has ever faced. By working with court-mandated clients at the beginning of my career, I realized there were many solutions I just did not have. What do you say to someone who just lost their friend to gun violence? How do you cheer up someone who has to go to jail overnight and leave their families for missing a day of court? It took a lot of humility to realize I do not have all the answers and actually the client knows more than me about their own issues. My job is it sit in the discomfort with clients and these heavy issues. I will never have all the answers, but I can meet someone where they are and join them in the painful experiences of life.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @middlepathpsychotherapy
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brittany-rahn-538b46234/
• Other: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/brittany-d-rahn-linwood-nj/1133999

Image Credits

Ray Nunzi
(photos of me in pink pants)

Allie Wynands
(office photos and photo of me in brown jacket)