Misty D. Bruce, LPC

About Misty

Misty wanted to get back to seeing clients every day after working for several years in a management and supervisory role.

She often uses play therapy using a sand tray filled with toy animals to engage her clients.

“Sometimes kids don’t have the words to say they’re sad or mad,” says Misty. “I can ask them to pick out a creature that represents them, and we can talk about the size of the animal, the type of animal, and whether it’s more friendly or more aggressive. This helps them to work through their feelings in a way that they can understand.”

She also involves parents, talking to them about their child’s interactions, and sometimes providing family therapy as part of the treatment plan. According to Misty, there is no set timeline for how long a child may be in counseling.

“It really depends on what they need,” said Misty. “I may see a child weekly, or every other week. In a situation where a child has experienced severe trauma, it could be a year or longer.”

Like many of her colleagues, Misty emphasizes that it’s okay to seek help through counseling.

“I wish the stigma associated with counseling would go away,” says Misty. “Everyone can benefit from learning coping skills—it’s not because you are weak.”