Dr. Brenneis is a Licensed Professional Counselor, a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and a certified Master Addiction Counselor. During his seventeen years in the field he has developed specializations in the treatment of addictions, compulsive behavior disorders, gender and sexuality issues, and in the relationship between mental health and spirituality. He has also been a university professor and a Protestant minister. He lives in Arlington with his family and enjoys physical fitness and community theater.

“I am an interactive therapist who uses the therapeutic relationship as the entry point for exploring the thoughts, feelings, and habits that have become difficult for the client. I believe that people are natural learners who have become who they are through what they have learned from experience, and that psychotherapy is a focused and intentional way of continuing to learn about life, self, and relationship in ways that help a person move toward more effective and satisfying ways of living. I am optimistic, as I believe that as long as we are talking there is always hope for improvement.

My preferred methods of practicing have to do with entering into the perspective of the client and then using what I learn to invite the client to greater self awareness and conscious choices about what sort of life he or she wants. I think my strengths are empathy and humor.

I have worked, and enjoy working, with clients from a wide range of backgrounds, perspectives, and sexual/gender orientations. In addition, I am an Episcopal priest, so I understand and support a client’s spiritual or religious experience and am comfortable in allowing it to be a part of therapy.”