- Client-centered approach
- Focus on coping skills
- Mississippi-based LPC
About Bret
Bret Patterson is a licensed professional counselor (LPC) practicing in Mississippi. He draws on four years of counseling experience and a long background in emergency medical work to help people manage stress, anxiety, grief, anger, depression, and addictions. He aims to treat clients with respect, sensitivity, and compassion during difficult moments.
Before counseling, Bret spent 25 years as a paramedic and clinical educator. That experience shaped his focus on practical coping and calm problem-solving when situations feel overwhelming. He uses straightforward language and adapts conversations to each person’s needs.
Bret combines client-centered listening with structured approaches when useful. He may draw on cognitive behavioral tools to address unhelpful thinking and dialectical behavior ideas to teach emotional regulation. Mindfulness practices and relationship-focused methods like the Gottman Method also appear in his work when they fit a person’s goals.
He often helps people facing major life changes, career strain, caregiver stress, chronic illness, relationship challenges, and trauma or abuse. Additional concerns he supports include codependency, communication problems, abandonment issues, and coping after separation or divorce.
Bret describes therapy as a collaborative process. He will tailor conversations and a treatment plan to what the client wants to change. To begin, he asks people to take a first step and reach out so they can schedule sessions according to availability.
Before counseling, Bret spent 25 years as a paramedic and clinical educator. That experience shaped his focus on practical coping and calm problem-solving when situations feel overwhelming. He uses straightforward language and adapts conversations to each person’s needs.
Bret combines client-centered listening with structured approaches when useful. He may draw on cognitive behavioral tools to address unhelpful thinking and dialectical behavior ideas to teach emotional regulation. Mindfulness practices and relationship-focused methods like the Gottman Method also appear in his work when they fit a person’s goals.
He often helps people facing major life changes, career strain, caregiver stress, chronic illness, relationship challenges, and trauma or abuse. Additional concerns he supports include codependency, communication problems, abandonment issues, and coping after separation or divorce.
Bret describes therapy as a collaborative process. He will tailor conversations and a treatment plan to what the client wants to change. To begin, he asks people to take a first step and reach out so they can schedule sessions according to availability.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
AddictionsLGBTFamily conflictsTrauma and abuseIntimacy-related issuesParenting issuesSelf esteemCareer difficultiesBipolar disorderCoping with life changesCompassion fatigue
Additional focus areas
AbandonmentAvoidant personalityCancerCaregiver issues and stressChronic pain, illness, and disabilityCo-morbidityCodependencyCommitment issuesCommunication problemsControl issuesCoping with natural or human-caused disasterDependent personalityDisruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD)DissociationDivorce and separationDrug and alcohol addictionEmptinessFamily of origin issuesFamily problemsFatherhood issuesFirst responder issuesForgivenessGuilt and shameHIV / AIDSHospice and end-of-life counselingImpulsivityInfidelityIsolation / lonelinessLife purposeMen's issuesMidlife crisisVeteran and Armed Forces IssuesMood disordersMulticultural concernsNarcissismPanic disorder and panic attacksPersonality disordersPost-traumatic stressProcess addiction (porn, exercise, gambling)Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)Self-harmSelf-loveSexual dysfunctionSexualitySocial anxiety and phobiaSomatizationWorkplace issuesYoung adult issues
Therapeutic approaches
Client-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)Gottman MethodMindfulness TherapyPsychodynamic TherapySolution-Focused TherapyTrauma-Focused Therapy
Experience
4+ years
Credentials
Mississippi
Languages
English
Approaches that guide online work and goals
Client-centered therapy focuses on listening and building a trusting connection so clients can set their own goals and feel understood; it is useful for stress, grief, and relationship concerns. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) looks at the connection between thoughts, feelings, and behavior and offers practical techniques to change patterns that contribute to anxiety, depression, or anger. Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) emphasizes skills for managing strong emotions, improving distress tolerance, and handling relationship conflicts.Choosing the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will talk with each person about goals, preferences, and what has or hasn’t helped in the past. Together they will try methods that match those needs and adjust the plan as progress is made.
Confirm the session options before booking because specific online formats are not listed here. Online therapy can make it easier to fit appointments into busy days, shorten travel time, allow for brief check-ins, and make it simpler to practice skills between meetings. Licensed professionals can guide homework, breathing and mindfulness exercises, and communication practice that fit a person's routine without promising a particular delivery method.
Frequently asked questions
What concerns does Bret commonly address?
He works with stress, anxiety, grief, anger, depression, addictions, relationship and intimacy issues, parenting and caregiver stress, trauma and related challenges.
How would you describe his therapeutic style?
Bret uses a respectful, down-to-earth approach that blends listening with practical tools. He tailors sessions to each person's needs and focuses on concrete coping skills.
What relevant experience does he bring?
He has four years as a professional counselor and previously worked 25 years as a paramedic and clinical educator, which informs his calm, practical work style.
Where is he licensed and practicing?
He is licensed in Mississippi as an LPC and provides services based in that state.
Which languages are supported for sessions?
Sessions are offered in English.
Does he work with international clients?
He does not accept international clients at this time.
How is cost handled for sessions?
Cost varies by location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
What are the first steps to begin therapy?
Use the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule sessions according to the therapist's availability.