Matt Brennan DSW, LCSW
Social Worker. Clinical Psychotherapist.
Welcome! Seeking therapy is always an expression of courage, hope, and a belief that you matter. Therapy can be wonderfully life-changing. It can also be sometimes daunting and confusing to know where to start and how to choose. Whether you are here because you are hurting, curious to know yourself better, or excited to grow towards a goal, you are welcome here. Here you can find resources, ideas, and a bit about me and how I work. If you get a good gut feeling we might be a fit for therapy, please contact me for an initial conversation.
My Approach
In therapy we work together to create a space for your safety, healing, discovery, and possibility. This is a space made to take a pause from the doing-world and catch up to yourself. Here you can make time to connect to your inner life and explore your relationship to it. We can focus more on how you're feeling and what you want. We can begin to make more sense of your hurts and your hopes. The magic of therapy is the feeling of deeper aliveness that comes with gaining a stronger sense of who you are, how you got there, and where you want to go next--- the feeling that you're actually, really living your one and only precious life.
Therapy asks you to bring your courage, hope, and hard work to the collaboration. Every therapist brings their training and philosophy to it as well. I'm a social worker, which in part means I take special care to remember that when people are struggling it is so often because they had to do their best to make it through a tough world without a map. It also means I believe the therapy project includes honoring the unique person that is you, while helping you learn to fit better and more effectively into the world. I'm also a clinical psychotherapist. I've received extensive clinical training and supervision in multiple evidence-based cognitive-behavioral and psychodynamic therapies. I have helped people successfully in psychiatric, outpatient, school, and community settings, and I'm confident in my ability to help you with your life. Contact me to talk more.
Services & Expertise
Services
Individual, Family, & Group Therapy
Skills Coaching: Depression, Anxiety, & Emotion Regulation
Peer Consultation
Insurances Accepted:
Magellan Yale (staff & student)
Out of Network options available
Skills & Expertise
Like many therapists, I am well-trained and experienced in helping you with anxiety, depression, grief, communication, and problem-solving. Below are a list of specific skills and expertise.
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Paternal Mental Health. PMH is the focus of my doctoral work. I offer support and skills for men who are considering a child, have a pregnant partner, or have recently welcomed a new child.
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Trauma Recovery. I work from an integrated perspective: relational, contextual, and skill-building.
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Attachment-based Psychotherapy. I'm a certified Circle of Security facilitator, and am trained in Mentalization Based Treatment (MBT).
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CBT, Mindfulness-Based CBT, & DBT skills training. I've led multiple skills groups and trainings at Yale University.
Recent Work
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Trauma Recovery: Are you looking for help sorting out a trauma history and moving towards recovery and a more satisfying life? I'm a skilled, trauma-competent professional specializing in longer-term complex trauma.
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College Students/Medical Residents: Are you struggling to navigate the unique stresses and demands of university life and academic training? I work with undergrads, grad students, and medical residents on developmental issues, navigating their academic path, and stress management.
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Men's Issues: If you're a male reading this and unsure about therapy, let's talk! I'm skilled at helping other men connect to therapy, connect to their emotions, communicate more effectively, and navigate role & identity.
Ideas on the theory and practice of psychotherapy are at the Thoughts on Therapy page. Contact details are here.
FAQs
How do I start, and what can I expect from our first session? Our work together begins with a brief, free, initial phone call to talk about your needs, what you're looking for in therapy, and mutual availability. Once we agree to schedule a first session, I will email you access to my client portal and ask you to review and fill out some consent and information forms. The first session consists primarily of answering your questions, getting to know more about you, and beginning to clarify your needs and goals. Please use my Contact Page to schedule an initial conversation.
What happens after the first session? The first few sessions are similarly a time of more unstructured exploration: a chance to think, feel, and unburden yourself; an opportunity to further clarify the direction you want to take; and a way to confirm we are a good fit. Most clients choose to meet at least once a week, and meet for at least 4-6 months.
Can I use my insurance? I accept Magellan insurances (Yale student/staff). Many insurances will reimburse services "out of network," meaning you can request your insurance company to pay you back for session fees. I am happy to provide invoices/statements for this purpose. Out of network clients will also receive a Good Faith Estimate of service costs.
What forms of payment can I use? All fees and copays are due at the start of each session. I accept major credit cards and HSA/FSA cards, cash, checks, and Venmo.
What is the cancellation policy? Your appointment time has been set aside for you and cannot be used by others. I ask for cancellation at least 24 hours before the session, and reserve the right to charge for sessions missed/canceled with less than 24 hours of notice.
About Me
I (he/him/his) took my first degrees (BA and MA) in History, a beautiful discipline that very much informs my work as a therapist. I then spent a decade coordinating and managing various clinical projects for Yale University and the Veterans Health Affairs system while undertaking my own therapy journey.
My social work career began with an MSW at Southern Connecticut State University, which included a Graduate Research Fellowship project to design and deliver a trauma-informed intervention for a local school system. I also have a doctorate (DSW) in clinical social work from the University of Alabama. My education also includes 2 years of postgraduate training at Yale's School of Medicine, a year of additional psychodynamic training through Yale's Mental Health & Counseling office, and a 2-year certificate in Trauma Studies from the Manhattan Institute for Psychoanalysis. Licensed in CT (LCSW).
When I'm doing my best therapeutic work, I'm helping clients connect to their soul and learn how to express it in the world. When I'm living my own life well, it's in the peace and joy of quiet nature, a good book, and my loved ones.
Contact
I offer therapy sessions in-person, or online and/or by phone. Please reach out by phone or email if you're interested in working together. Let me know a bit about how you are feeling, your needs, and best times to reach you.
I look forward to hearing from you!
Matt Brennan LCSW
Inner Growth Counseling, LLC
1844 Whitney Ave
Hamden, CT
Ph: 475.441.4327