Brady

My name is Jonathan Brady, but you can call me Brady. My story of becoming a therapist started in the 6th grade at Westfield Elementary School when I, with childish abandon, told my class that I wanted to become a shrink, to prove that our teacher really was crazy. She really wasn’t; our class was a handful. However, the fledgling idea to pursue a study of psychology began there, as a lighthearted joke, and it is one that I look back on and I consistently laugh about it.

I left my small hometown of Porterville, California to attend college in New York City, only to finish my studies in San Francisco. I approached my studies with intensity that, fortunately, many of my teachers helped calm down. I learned a difficult lesson: in order for me to be compassionate and helpful to others I needed to be gentler, to others and to myself.

To see people grow, to see relationships deepen, to see a person make choices they didn’t know they had, to see a person be kinder to their loved ones, to see someone realize in the moment that they do love their life, is such an honor. That I love that feeling, and that I recognize it, is the most important thing to know about me, and it is something that I strive to share.

While learning that lesson, I devoured a great many books, reread countless poems, spent too many sleepless nights engaged in philosophical discourse, struggled to meditate, wrote about popularity, chanted for a few days, was completely silent for a few other days, and learned to love dancing. I gathered those experiences while I studied Sigmund Freud, Carl Rogers, Martin Buber, Virginia Satir, James Hillman, and Rollo May, who have helped me carve out a language on how to be with others. However, it was in being with others, in being a therapist and in practicing, that I found myself growing unexpectedly and becoming deeply committed to the lives and wellbeing of others.

However fumbling, I continuously try to share more of myself and be as transparent as possible about what I’ve learned along the way. To that end, you can see where my thoughts are currently dwelling on my Twitter, join in public conversation on my Facebook and Google+ pages, see some art and poetry that inspires me on myTumblr, see some of my own photography that I’ll likely use for my blog on Instagram, and every once in a while see me attempt to not simply write my words, but speak them, on my YouTube channel.

If there is a place to end this section about me, then it is this: I want others to know that they are not alone in their struggles.

References

My fellow colleagues, clinicians, and scholars have their own perspective on my work, and how I am with others. Their words, and their perspectives of me, are my most prized credentials.

I have had the pleasure of meeting Jonathan Brady shortly after he moved to Long Beach, CA. He sat for an interview with me which lasted for about two hours. Initially I noticed an amazing ability to disarm and create a safe and comfortable environment. This unique gift translates to his work. He makes it safe for his clients and allows a pathway to connect. Additionally, his years spent in community mental health, have given him the competency and training that is important for any clinician. Mr. Brady has the ability to connect to the community of men in a disarming way. He understands their hearts, their lives, and assists them in building intimate relationships. He also has a great capacity in helping to empower women. Brady is a consistent model of stability to his clients. His willingness to sit with uncertainty, his calm during an emotional storm, and his uncanny listening skills are all unique “gifts” that make for a successful liaison between clients and clinician. Yes I would recommend Brady as a gifted clinician. He often uses the metaphor of Dante’s Inferno to discuss therapy as the fearful descent into the depths of one’s being. As a guide, as a Virgil, I think he will get you where you need to go. Ethel Daniels, MFC Long Beach Center for Psychotherapy
I write this letter to strongly and wholeheartedly recommend Jonathan Brady for an academic or clinical position. I have known Jonathan Brady for 6 years. He was an advisor of the leadership organization I was involved with at the University of San Francisco, a colleague in countless organizations during our time there, and I was on his Dissertation Committee before he completed his Ph.D. at the California Institute of Integral Studies. In these all of these capacities, I feel confident in commenting on the contributions Dr. Brady can make personally and professionally. I have valued the opportunity to work with him and to also know him on a personal basis, as Dr. Brady immediately proved to be one of the most industrious, hard-working, dedicated, enthusiastic, intelligent, engaging, socially conscious and community building colleagues I have ever encountered. Dr. Brady’s formidable intellect and extraordinary ambition are evident in his academic achievements- namely in receiving his Ph.D. at the age of 28. While many students would be overwhelmed by the daunting task of completing this challenging course of study, Dr. Brady nevertheless excelled, completing his dissertation on time while also maintaining other academic and professional commitments. I was honored to be a member of his Dissertation Review Committee, as I was exposed to his commitment to rigorous research, polished analysis, and his ability to make a profound and powerful contribution in the field. His broad understanding of psychology, sociology, eastern theory, and his ability to convey these schools of thought with such clarity to diverse audiences really impressed me. His ambitious theoretical approach to inclusivity and social justice within his scholarship through incorporating multiple points of view and critically examining oppression really made his thought provoking dissertation a work that will truly affect social change.In addition to his brilliance inside the classroom, Dr. Brady has shown the same tremendous skill, hard work, and dedication in every endeavor he has taken on. In addition to his academic accomplishments, Dr. Brady has shown awe-inspiring drive and dedication outside of the classroom serving as the Assistant Hall Director and Founder of the National Residence Hall Honorary program at the University of San Francisco. I had the pleasure to work in partnership with Dr. Brady in these positions, and was humbled by his leadership skills, community building ability, and capacity to bring a new understanding to the word “inclusivity” to the already diverse campus. Dr. Brady’s experiences and qualifications do not stop there, however. His fierce passion for teaching and encouraging the intellectual goals of others was not only exemplified in the organizations he was in, but felt campus wide. To show his command and aptitude in teaching Dr. Brady, hired and trained a staff of 150 students, 8 graduate students, and 10 senior staff at USF. But Mr. Brady had leadership positions in innumerable organizations, jobs, and projects during his academic tenure, both at the University of San Francisco and California Institute of Integral Studies. In each of these capacities, he possessed an extraordinary ability to work positively and constructively to inspire positive change in other people. His sensitivity allowed him to cherish the development of each of the 92 students he counseled and case managed; he personally invested, extended support in a multitude of ways, and fostered a community of respect on each high school campus he worked. I believe Dr. Brady is well equipped to be a successful and a rewarding influence through research, teaching, or through his therapeutic skills.He has an admirably strong work ethic, is consistently well prepared, and has the ability to absorb information, integrate it, and apply it in a variety of settings. He is both a quick learner and a talented communicator, adept at applying his knowledge to the task at hand and communicating it to a variety of audiences and individuals. In addition to his formidable intellect, he has an admirable dedication to developing the people he works with and passionately creating community in any sphere. I strongly believe that Dr. Brady will prove an invaluable asset personally and professionally. Jonathan Brady is truly an extraordinary person. He is professional, organized, ambitious, and captivating. On a personal level, Brady is warm, earnest, loyal, and has a wonderful and mischievous sense of humor. I can strongly recommend Dr. Brady for a position on your campus, and I would be happy to provide further information upon request. He is a phenomenal leader and an even better person. Sincerely, Janice Jentz, J.D. CFO- Alliance For Change
I’ve been putting off writing a letter of recommendation for Jonathan Brady for quite some time now, as it’s a terribly daunting task. How do you encapsulate someone as dynamic as Brady in a two-dimensional letter? You don’t. Instead, you offer little glimpses of Brady, anecdotes of the many gifts he’s already given to the world, and hopefully some semblance of a Big Picture will come to be. Disaffected youth often shudder at the mention of a therapist. Many of them have already been shuffled around from one professional to another, and the idea of telling their story, yet again, to another outsider is hellish. This is where Brady comes in: he disarms these young people with his impeccable instincts, humor, and genuine interest in their lives and well-being. During the years I worked with Brady at Balboa High School in San Francisco (I am a teacher, Brady was our AB3632 therapist), I was constantly amazed at how he could relate to our shared students, who were of a totally opposite demographic. On top of providing these young folks with a confidante, top-notch therapy, and a respite from the daily school environment, Brady did something even more important: he helped to show them that you don’t have to have a shared background to connect to a person and help them grow. Brady’s commitment is unparalleled. You can imagine how busy Brady was when he was finishing his Ph.D. and working full-time as an adolescent therapist. Nevertheless, he continued to consult with new teachers on how to best serve students with emotional disabilities, came to evening performances and readings that the students had worked all year on, and was always willing to meet with a struggling student, even if it wasn’t during his allotted Balboa time. As a teacher, I took great comfort in knowing that I always had an ally, a sounding board, and a colleague who could provide me with great insight when I was immersed in overwhelming situations with high-needs students. One particular day, Brady and I were having lunch together when I told him that I was teaching LGBTQ awareness in class. I was anxious about it, given all the homophobic remarks I’d fielded over the course of the year. Students would call each other “gay,” compliment each other with the disclaimer “no homo!,” and use slanderous, anti-gay slurs when referring to anyone they disliked. Many of them had expressed to me that they’d learned these ideas from their parents. I knew that homophobia, sexism, and misogyny was a subject that I needed to take on (I teach social justices classes), but I wasn’t totally sure of my approach. Without a blink of the eye, Brady volunteered to come into my class that day and answer any questions the students might have about what it means to be gay. He took a seat at the front of the classroom, and in the most nonthreatening and earnest way, told his story of coming out as a gay man. He did what I (as a straight woman) couldn’t have done: he laid out his personal testimony and encouraged them to express whatever they were thinking. Remarkably, the students began to self-regulate. Brady shared with them the struggles he faced telling his disapproving parents that he was gay, his personal investment in California’s Proposition 8, and had a meaningful dialogue with them about the effects of hatefulness (and by contrast, the effects of acceptance). It was one of the most eye-opening classes of the year. Perhaps most importantly, Brady understands code-switching. He instinctively knows when to be lofty and academic, and when it’s conducive to explain concepts to students in a language they best understand. It’s a gift. I attended Brady’s dissertation defense at the California Institute of Integral Studies, and marveled at the breadth of academic and well-researched knowledge he shared on popularity and psychology. Even more impressive was the unpretentious and charismatic approach he took to sharing this information; he engaged the crowd and made us feel a part of the discussion. Brady is a one-of-a-kind teacher and therapist. To say that any community would benefit from his participation is a grand understatement. As a teacher, I understand that in order to provide the most equitable, effective class of education, a steady collaboration among adult professionals is requisite. Brady is the most generous, inquisitive, helpful collaborator I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with. I hope that you, too, come to know what it’s like to have Jonathan Brady as a colleague, as it is such a genuine pleasure. Sincerely, Claire Kiefer ROOTS Teacher, Balboa High School

Philosophy

Through my collegiate career, I have studied embodied philosophy, discourses on social justice, and feminist theory; in addition to researching humanistic, cognitive behavioral, transpersonal, and empirical and esoteric schools of psychology. My studies have given me a depth as well as a breadth of knowledge for gaining insight and clarity regarding life experiences and how to help others. As a clinician, I utilize my philosophical approach as the ground for my psychological work. Clinically, I have a humanistic approach to therapy that stresses the inherent value and worth of every person. How we come to understand our sense of self worth can be elaborated with sociological, anthropological, and various academic lenses, but at the end of the day, your experience of your life is what I am interested in. I do not believe that people have single or isolated problems. There are often many factors at work in any problem, and it is my job, as a psychologist and as a practicing psychotherapist, to use my understanding of psychology and theory to best address your psychological and personal needs.  My studies and training have given me the ability to be with you and support you in all of your complexity, and to help you live the life you want.

2010     Doctor of Philosophy in East West Psychology, California Institute of Integral Studies, San Francisco, CA. Concentration: Psychology and spirituality. Dissertation: The idea of popular – a flirtatiously theoretical tour of belonging. This study explores multiple ideas, across theoretical perspectives, which revolve around the feeling of belonging and the impact of modern technology on the felt sense of belonging and popularity.
2006     Masters of Arts in Counseling Psychology, University of San Francisco, San Francisco, CA. Concentration: Marriage and Family Therapy.

2004     Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, Sonoma State University, Rohnert Park, CA. Concentration: Psychology. Minor: Women’s and Gender Studies

 

WORK EXPERIENCE:

Private Practice, 5855 East Naples Plaza, #213, Long Beach, CA, 90803; January 2014-Present

  • Successfully organized, designed, and opened a private practice serving prior clinical relationships while beginning new relationships.
  • Migrated and rebuilt professional website (bradyesque.com) utilizing WordPress® CSS coding.
  • Implemented a HIPAA compliant digital practice procedures moving towards a paperless business model.

Psychotherapist, Long Beach Center for Psychotherapy

600 East Ocean Blvd, 400B, Long Beach, CA, 90802; 562-987-3535; November 2011-2013

  • Sustained ongoing psychotherapeutic relationships with individuals and couples. Clinical areas of focus include sexual expression, hardened core beliefs, teens who are stressed, women who feel under-appreciated, men who have a hard time understanding their feelings, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender persons, and couples with intimacy issues.
  • Advertised to clientele through a web-based marketing campaign. Designed and built a website (bradyesque.com) utilizing Joomla® CSS coding and integrated a public Facebook® page (facebook.com/bradyesque), Twitter® feed (@Bradyesque), and Instagram® photo sharing into a regularly updated blog about therapy and psychology/philosophy related topics.

Child Therapist, Bayview Hunters Point Foundation for Mental Health, School Based Partnership AB3632 Unit

5815 3rd Street, San Francisco, CA, 94124; 415-822-7500; September 2007-June 2010; Supervisor: Dr. Betty Crowder

  • Offered school based mental health services with the San Francisco Unified School District and Department of Mental Health School-Based Partnership Program. Services were provided to the Special Day Class for students with AB3632 in their Individualized Educational Plan, and to other special education students with medical necessity; classrooms were at A.P. Gianni Middle School, Balboa High School, and Phillip & Sala Burton High School.
  • Services included individual psychotherapy, family therapy, behavioral plan development, group therapy (topics: social skills, aggression, bullying, gender, sexuality, coming out, spirituality, substance abuse), and case management. Documentation of all services was according to HIPAA and MediCal standards.
  • Consulted with teachers, paraprofessionals, staff, and parents regarding the mental health needs and appropriate interventions for emotionally disturbed youth, both inside the classroom and within the general school population.  Consultation included pertinent referrals for medication support, housing, employment, and substance abuse services. Collateral services for client’s also included home visits, linkage referrals, and attending IEP meetings to advocate for mental health needs.

Marriage and Family Therapist Registered Intern, Haight Ashbury Psychological Services

2166 Hayes St #308, San Francisco, CA, 94117; 415-221-4211; July 2006-July 2007; Supervisor: Dr. Lisa Frankfort

  • Provided short-term and long-term psychotherapy and counseling for adult clients and couples (opposite sex and same sex) while utilizing a variety of behavioral, cognitive, depth-oriented, psychodynamic, relational, and emotionally focused interventions to promote growth and change.
  • Participated in an ongoing case conference that formulated therapeutic cases across various theoretical orientations, while utilizing inclusive interventions.  Supported fellow clinicians on their cases by providing case formulation, and proposing interventions and problem solving roadblocks in treatment. Trained entering therapists on clinic policies, procedures, referral resources, and clinic documentation.

Residential Counselor (Swing, Day, and Overnight) for San Jose Place, Baker Places

637 San Jose Avenue, San Francisco, CA, 94110; 415-282-3789; June 2006-April 2007; Supervisor Gonti Newman

  • Engaged in milieu residential counseling with homeless adults with mental health, substance abuse, and oftentimes HIV/AIDS related issues for the purpose of facilitating social rehabilitation and sobriety.
  • Educated individual and group clients on mental health symptom management skills and relapse prevention tools through psycho-education and behavioral interventions. Coordinated and linked clients with therapists, case managers, psychiatrists, and primary care physicians.

Marriage and Family Therapist Practicum Trainee, Haight Ashbury Free Clinics Inc.

425 Divisadero St #201, San Francisco, CA, 94117; 415-487-5634; August 2005-May 2006; Supervisor Carolee Brady

  • Provided therapy for individuals in need of professional assistance with substance abuse and dependence, as well as co-occurring sex addiction, depression, anxiety, and life transitions.
  • Facilitated a weekly men’s group in early recovery, focusing on issues of relapse prevention, anger management, relationships, sober activities, and interpersonal and intrapersonal processing.
  • Actively maintained clinical paperwork on clients, which includes documentation of all client services according to HIPAA and CFR 42 policies.

Assistant Hall Director, University of San Francisco

2130 Fulton Street, San Francisco, CA, 94117; 415-422-6824; July 2004-October 2005; Supervisor Lee Swain

  • Co-Supervised a staff of 15 resident advisors in Gilson Hall for 350 first-year students, oversaw the development and implementation of community building programs, and enforced of community and university policies.
  • Supervised a 24-hour front desk staff of 30 Desk Clerks and 1 Desk Manager for the purpose of maintaining the security of the building. Dutifully provided 24-hour emergency crisis response management on the Senior Staff level.
  • Advised student organizations including Gilson Hall Council, Resident Hall Association, and the National Residence Hall Honorary.

Camp Counselor, Camp Lavender Hill,

PO Box 5164, Santa Rosa, CA 95817; 916-622-5793; June – July 2002, June – July 2003; Owner Vicki Vescio

  • Actively maintained a summer camp for children of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender parents, in the summer of 2002 and 2003, through facilitating social and recreational activities.
  • Oversaw the camp Olympic Games, relay races, arts and crafts activities, camp fire activities, and instructed yoga and Pilates classes. Created and implemented an energetic schedule of new activities each day for the campers, based on their own developmental needs.

 

TEACHING EXPERIENCE:

Guest Presenter, California College of the Arts, Oakland, CA

  • Sex in a fishbowl: building healthy and responsible adult relationships while in community (2010)
  • Behind closed doors (crisis management training) addressing parties, sexual assault, & violence (2010)
  • The ground of fear: a Buddhist and psychoanalytic examination of attachment, scarcity, and phobias (2008)
  • Getting to know yourself cosmologically: a discussion on astrology, temperament, and sexuality (2008)
  • Boundaries and building community (training): learning to love your community and be popular (2008)

University of San Francisco, San Francisco, CA

  • Taught a single 2 hour class on Personality Disorders in Individual and Family Psychopathology in a graduate level class during the spring 2005 semester.
  • Taught a single 2 hour class on Transpersonal Psychology with an emphasis on Psychosynthesis in Theory and Practice of Counseling Psychology in a graduate level class during the fall 2004 semester.

Sonoma State University, Rohnert Park, CA

  • Abnormal Psychology Teaching Assistant for the spring 2004 semester.  Provided individual and group study sessions and mentoring for abnormal psychology students.  Graded papers and exams including case presentations.
  • Leadership Co-Instructor for the spring 2004 semester.  Co-created and co-instructed a university class on leadership.  Originated a syllabus, lesson plans and worked with the students to help foster a new generation of leaders at Sonoma State University.
  • Ballroom Instructor for the spring 2002, fall 2002, and spring 2003 semesters.  Created a 15-week syllabus of beginning ballroom dance with American, International, and Latin techniques.
  • Instructed as substitute ballet teacher and led class, which included elements of classical and contemporary ballet during spring 2003.