Meet Brooke Clavesilla

Today we’d like to introduce you to Brooke Clavesilla.

Hi Brooke, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
For as long as I can remember, I was innately pulled by a vision to create a balanced and meaningful life while leaving an imprint on the world. I knew, as a teenager, that I would not choose a career based on how much money I would make or what others might deem prestigious. Rather, I wanted to do something that felt true to my heart. After taking classes in Psychology and Sociology in high school, I was intrigued by human behavior and knew I wanted more. This led me to an academic career in the social sciences during my time in college. To my surprise, I began to learn a lot about myself and my relationship to an unjust world – the beginning of my personal and political awakening.

While completing my B.S. in Human Services, I found myself drawn to working with survivors of domestic violence, bias-based violence prevention, and social justice work. I spent a few years working at a domestic violence emergency shelter and at a local school district implementing a teen dating violence prevention campaign. I fell in love with the work and wanted to learn more about creating change on a large scale. Because of this, I decided to pursue a Master of Social Work degree. Getting the experience I wanted, I was convinced that I would land my dream job and live happily ever after. Little did I know, things would not go as planned.

I landed what I thought was my dream job doing some more prevention work, only to discover the inner workings of the non-profit industrial complex and to be reminded of a hustle culture that wasn’t for me. I started to experience a lot of anxiety – so much so that I left work early one day, submitted my resignation letter, and never returned. This was totally out of character for me, though I knew in my heart it was the best decision. Having no clue what I would do next, I felt completely lost. I ended up applying for any job in order to pay the bills and to take some time to think about my next move. I eventually found another non-profit job, but this time doing more clinical work for families in the foster care and probation systems. While I loved the families I served and was reconnected with my natural abilities as a therapist, I was miserable working for my employer and was feeling discouraged by the red tape that prevented our communities from thriving. The work culture was out of alignment with what I wanted for myself and who I wanted to be as a social worker. Deciding to work towards getting my clinical license to become a therapist, I spent more time at this job than I expected. This time allowed me to do some deep soul searching.

At this point, I lost my sense of purpose and felt like something was missing. I lost myself. I was over-working and performing, not only at work but in my relationships. Feeling stuck, I started therapy to finally work through some of the things I had been through. I grew up with teenage parents. My mother was loving and provided for me. At the same time, she was very timid and didn’t know how to advocate for me or herself. I didn’t trust her to help me when I needed it. My father was mostly absent and inconsistent, as he struggled with substance use. I spent a lot of time with my grandparents. Their relationship was co-dependent due to my grandfather’s unpredictable moods and alcohol addiction. My grandmother did what she could to appease my grandfather to avoid conflict; she taught me how to tend to his emotional needs to keep the peace in our home. For most of my life, I believed that none of this impacted me and I was okay.

Clearly, I wasn’t.

Growing up this way, I learned to tend to others before myself, to deny my own reality and emotions, and earn love and affection by always being “good.” This showed through how I punished myself for having feelings, self-abandoned in my romantic relationships, found my worthiness through my achievements, and suffered through crippling perfectionism. I was exhausted and very resentful. All of these things were keeping me from moving forward. With no fault of my family, these unconscious patterns had been passed down in our lineage for generations. I knew it had to stop with me, so I committed to my healing, not just for myself but for the women who became for and will come after me.

Therapy, yoga, and meditation really carried me through this time in my life. I spent so much time worrying, analyzing, and resisting that I forgot how to be with my body. These modes of healing taught me how to use my breath to come back to myself and be with my inner world without judgement. Instead, I learned to meet myself with acceptance. After spending years of being incredibly hard on myself, I was finally learning to integrate the spiritual teachings of self-love and acceptance in my life. I’m still learning. What a gift.

The combination of therapy and yoga were such a game changer in my healing, I decided to become a certified yoga instructor shortly upon becoming a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in June of 2019. Nearing the end of 2020, I hired a transformational life coach to reconnect with my cultural roots and turn my pain into purpose. Since then, I left the job I was miserable at, started a new job (one that was much more aligned with my values) and now, I have my own psychotherapy practice. My intention at my practice is to hold space for women and people of color to heal from their traumas and remember the core of who they are. As for me, personally, I’m focused on creating a balanced life and doing all things that make me feel whole and joyful.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I wish I could say it has been, but as you can see, it hasn’t. My greatest struggle has been overcoming myself. I’ve mostly viewed myself and others as powerful and completely capable. I am of the belief that we can have anything beyond what we can envision for ourselves. Despite believing this, I can limit myself at times. There have been many moments when fear of judgement, self-doubt, and old stories of unworthiness and inadequacy have come up and held me back. Honestly, they still come up. Everytime I’m in the process of leveling up – the fear, the doubt, the stories – it feels like they get louder. I’m just getting better at accepting that they’re there while giving myself some love and telling myself a new story.

Another challenge for me has been embracing the process – in life and as an entrepreneur. Sometimes I get so fixated on what I’m trying to accomplish, I forget to savor each moment of the process, which can really make life and work feel less enjoyable. I’m learning to slow down, be in the moment, and move with the ebbs and flows of life. It’s helped a lot, especially when things don’t go as planned.

Hard stuff, but it’s worth it.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
At my practice, I focus on helping women and people of color reclaim their power and embody their authenticity, so they can create the lives they want. I help folks with trauma symptoms, anxiety, grief and life transitions, self-esteem, work-related stress/burn-out, and life purpose stuff. My work is usually with college students, high-achievers, and people in helping or creative professions, who are highly empathic, insightful, creative, ambitious, and are ready to embark on their journey towards transformation and healing.

What sets me apart from other therapists is my approach to therapy in addition to being an embodiment of my authentic self – in and out of the therapy room and in my branding. While I view talk therapy as effective (given my personal and professional experience), I find that integrating mind-body-soul practices in the therapy room only enhance the experience. This is why I got my 200-hour yoga teacher certification. I’ve used yoga as a tool to support clients to feel more grounded in their bodies and integrate what they’re learning in therapy. For instance, for clients who have difficulty being with uncomfortable thoughts, feelings or bodily sensations, yoga can help them practice being with the discomfort without getting fixated on it while also practicing self-acceptance. Additionally, I’m culturally and spiritually conscious in my work. This means I honor and recognize how culture and spiritual practices have shaped my clients’ experiences and play a role in their healing. We also address systems of oppression that contribute to the mental health challenges they experience.

Lastly, I take pride in showing up authentically and sensually. I believe that as I continue to “do the work” and grow into the most authentic version of myself, it gives others permission to do the same. In my personal opinion, there’s nothing more refreshing than being around someone who is comfortable in their own skin. Sensuality is also something you might take notice of in my brand. Self-pleasure wasn’t encouraged in my family. I learned through observation that everyone else comes first, and at the end of the day, there’s nothing left for you. It’s important to me that my clients know that connecting to ourselves and doing the things that bring us joy and pleasure are of utmost importance and can influence the way we show up for ourselves and others. So, I remind my clients to tune in, listen to their bodies, and give it what it needs – whether it’s getting kissed by the sun or feeling the breeze of the air, listening to music, moving your body, lighting a candle, mindfully savoring a delicious meal or taking a sensual photo. All things I do by the way.

Right now, I offer individual psychotherapy at my business. Individual psychotherapy sessions are 50-minute 1:1 sessions. I hold a safe and non-judgemental space and work with my clients to identify areas in their life where they want support. Together, we explore what’s getting in the way of them living the life they want and identify what they need in order to get there.

In the future, I hope to offer life coaching and hold space to build community amongst women. Stay tuned!

What do you like and dislike about the city?
This is a really difficult question. There’s so much to love about Long Beach, but if I have to choose one thing, I would say the sense of community I feel here. If it weren’t for my internship while I was attending Cal State Long Beach, I don’t think I would’ve known this. I did some housing justice and voter engagement work, and I got to see how the people of Long Beach show up for each other. There’s something about the way people here love and care for one another that just brings me to tears and makes my heart full. It’s an energy that is unmatched.

What I like least is the displacement of people of color and low income folks due to gentrification. Long Beach is known for its diversity and culture (another thing I love about the city). I think it’s important that we honor and preserve it.

Pricing:

• Individual Psychotherapy – $180/hour (sliding scale is available)

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: www.brookeclavesilla.com
• Instagram: @brookeclavesilla

Image Credits:
Dany Srey-Snow and Monique Clavesilla