Brooks Witter, MA, LPC
Licensed Professional Counselor
Boulder CO
Whereas experiences of deep insight – whether occasioned through spiritual practice, contemplation, intensive therapy, spontaneous revelation or psychedelic expansion – can open the mind up to previously unbelievable possibilities, in my view, the lasting measure of any experience’s value lay in the degree to which it informs the way and direction an individual walks their path of life.
If you are considering or have engaged psychedelic experience as a part of your journey, my prayer for you would be that the experiences you gain deeply inform your wisdom and skillfulness as a human being. I use the word prayer intentionally in this context, as the psychedelic experience can occasion a sense of being deeply connected to something much bigger than oneself. Whether you experience that connection to be with the natural elements, transpersonal values, God, gods, your higher Self, ancestors, or simply a deeper sense of Being; prayer can be a useful framework for establishing an openness and receptivity to the values and intentions you wish to strengthen as a part of this journey.
My work to help people prepare for and integrate psychedelic experience centers on strengthening a living connection with the values that one holds as sacred. Whether you are spiritual or an atheist, your progress on this path will be marked, in large measure, by the degree to which you can clarify and take action based on the guiding values and principles that you wish to cultivate in this one, precious life.
First and foremost I am a human being committed to helping alleviate suffering in self, others and the world which we share. My undergraduate work was in Religious Studies and Psychology, where I explored deeply the intersection of profound spiritual experiences and the healing power those transformative events often impart.
In graduate school, I sought to integrate my study and practice in Buddhism with my desire to be of benefit to others in a healing capacity. I received my MA in Contemplative Psychotherapy from Naropa University in 2005, and have been working in the field of counseling psychology since then. In addition to my study and practical application of Buddhism, my work has been deeply informed by Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT – pronounced as the word, “act”), where mindfulness, acceptance and personal values serve as core processes for liberation of suffering. What I greatly appreciate about ACT is that it is grounded in deeply vetted empirical science of human behavior while maintaining a wondrous appreciation and curiosity about the human condition and our capacity for kindness, pro-sociality and genius.
I work with late adolescents, adults, couples and parents to help people connect more deeply with what truly matters and develop a relationship with themselves and the world which we inhabit that is ultimately more compassionate, patient, effective and wise.