Brek Heikkinen, LCPC-C
she, they
I came to psychotherapy after nearly two decades working across advertising, organizational consulting, community and employee engagement, change management, and leadership, including running a health and wellness company. While the settings and responsibilities varied, much of that work centered on understanding people: what motivates us, how we relate to one another, what shapes our behavior, and why change can be so difficult, even when we want it.
Over time, my interests drew me from working primarily with organizations, communities, and broader systems toward the more personal and intimate work of psychotherapy. It wasn't so much a departure from my previous career as a shift in focus, bringing a longstanding interest in human behavior and relationships into a different kind of setting.
That background continues to inform my clinical work. Having worked across different cultures, industries, and professional environments, I bring an appreciation for the ways our identities, relationships, responsibilities, and circumstances shape how we experience ourselves and the world.
My Clinical Work
My clinical experience includes working with people facing a wide range of emotional and psychological challenges, from anxiety, depression, and relational difficulties to trauma, substance use, grief, and significant life disruptions. This includes work in Partial Hospitalization (PHP) and Intensive Outpatient (IOP) programs.
I enjoy working with people across a wide range of backgrounds and experiences. Some arrive with a clear understanding of what they're struggling with; others feel overwhelmed, disconnected, or uncertain where to begin. I'm comfortable with complexity, contradiction, and the reality that people don't always understand their own feelings or behavior.
In the therapy room, I'm engaged, curious, and collaborative. I listen carefully, ask questions, share observations, and value the moments when something unexpected emerges in conversation. I appreciate humor, honesty, and the capacity to be real with one another, including when things feel uncomfortable or uncertain.
I don't see therapy as a process of fitting people into predetermined explanations or telling them who they should become. I'm interested in understanding who someone is, how they've come to experience the world as they do, and what might help them live with greater freedom and connection.
ABOUT THE NAMEPsykoterapia (pronounced "see-koh-teh-RAH-pee-ah") is the Finnish word for psychotherapy.
The name reflects my Finnish heritage and the influence of living and working across different cultures. I was drawn to it for its personal significance, but also because it reflects the curiosity, openness, and appreciation for different perspectives that I bring to my work.
Space speaks to the kind of environment I hope to create: one where people can feel free to explore, question, discover, and be themselves, without pressure to have everything figured out.