Elizabeth Bracey, MA, LPC

Elizabeth Bracey, MA, LPC Elizabeth Bracey, MA, LPC
Therapist | School Counselor | Author of Mount Evelynn Erupts

Healthy child and adolescent development is the foundation for lifelong resilience and well-being. As both a Licensed Professional Counselor and school counselor, I specialize in working with children, teens, and young adults through life’s pivotal transitions — from early childhood to adolescence and beyond. My approach blends person-centered play therapy, art-based interventions, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), solution-focused techniques, and mindfulness practices. I believe in “out-of-the-box” therapy — creative, individualized methods that allow young people to express themselves freely, discover their strengths, and build healthy coping skills for emotional and social challenges. By fostering a supportive and empathetic environment, my goal is to help clients shift negative thought patterns into positive ones, encouraging growth, confidence, and self-understanding. "To my mind, empathy is in itself a healing agent... If a person is understood, he or she belongs."
— Carl Rogers

a little birthday wisdom to share with you 🎈✨how & what you say matters.if your nervous system is loud, theirs will be l...
02/22/2026

a little birthday wisdom to share with you 🎈✨

how & what you say matters.

if your nervous system is loud, theirs will be louder.

“i noticed you waited your turn. that shows patience.”
zoom in on the positive. highlight it. praise it.

specific, consistent, genuine communication builds inner wealth & identity.

eye contact. calm tone. one sentence. then redirect.

lower your voice instead of raising it. calm is contagious.

this doesn’t mean boundaries don’t exist. maintain boundaries with a direct, immediate consequence. it doesn’t need to be punishment, but it does need to be clear that when rules are broken, there is a response.

above all, teach respect. remain in the driver’s seat. do not open the door to a power struggle. 🪜

Yes, 1989.Yes, it’s older than me😄Somehow, timeless.This is hands-down one of the most used books on the shelf for me.Fr...
02/18/2026

Yes, 1989.

Yes, it’s older than me😄

Somehow, timeless.

This is hands-down one of the most used books on the shelf for me.

From simple journaling to art exercises—dialogues, letter-writing, & drawing—this book helps clients explore emotions, build self-esteem, strengthen focus, and access creativity in a way that feels safe, non-threatening, and empowering.

happy heart month 💌
02/04/2026

happy heart month 💌

⚠️ Work In Progress Hurtful words don’t disappear — they stack in the brain and body, shaping self-talk, confidence, and...
02/04/2026

⚠️ Work In Progress

Hurtful words don’t disappear — they stack in the brain and body, shaping self-talk, confidence, and emotional responses over time.

This split-body art intervention helps externalize those words, visualize their impact, and intentionally rewrite the narrative. By separating what is said from what is true, clients can begin to reclaim control over their internal voice and strengthen assertive (not aggressive) responses to others’ opinions.

We begin with a brief check-in and shared language: What does assertive mean? What does it mean to rewrite a narrative? From there, the session is led by art rather than instruction — allowing paint, markers, pencil, music, and a calm sensory environment (dim lights, campfire lantern) to support expression, regulation, and meaning-making on paper.

02/03/2026

pov: happy heart month 💌

we 🫶

Full disclosure: I’m a warm-weather girl—and by warm, I mean Arizona-in-July, sun-goddess energy. New Jersey winters can...
02/02/2026

Full disclosure: I’m a warm-weather girl—and by warm, I mean Arizona-in-July, sun-goddess energy. New Jersey winters can really take a toll. As a runner and an outdoorsy person, getting outside is one of the biggest supports for my mental health, and winter makes that challenging.

This year, we’ve still been getting outside—snow and all (for as long as a two-year-old will tolerate it). And while it’s not the same as sunshine and open trails, here’s what I’ve learned as someone who used to completely avoid winter: even ten minutes of fresh air can make a meaningful difference.

We can’t control whether the groundhog sees his shadow (honestly, neither can he). But we can work with the conditions we’re in. That’s where coping skills come in—small, intentional supports that help us regulate, stay connected, and keep moving forward.

The second half of winter can be a long haul for mental health. This is your reminder to pull out the toolbox, lower the bar where needed, and keep going—shadow or not.

Will the groundhog see his shadow? The answer tells us whether spring might come early or whether we’re in for more wint...
02/01/2026

Will the groundhog see his shadow? The answer tells us whether spring might come early or whether we’re in for more winter after a season that’s already been long and demanding. For many, this winter has required sustained emotional effort. Regardless of what the forecast says, progress often means continuing forward even when relief feels uncertain.

February also brings a focus on love and relationships. From a psychological perspective, love is less about grand gestures and more about consistent, regulated connection. Kindness, emotional safety, predictability, and repair are the foundations of healthy relationships—especially for children. When those elements are present, the nervous system feels safer, learning improves, and resilience increases.

As we move from the Year of the Snake into the Year of the Horse, there’s a shift in energy—from shedding and adaptation to forward motion. Not rushed. Not forced. Just steady, intentional movement after a period of release.

This month, we focus on brave hearts, steady steps, and compassion—for ourselves, for our kids, and for the systems that support them.

This isn’t political. As therapists, parents, and educators, our role is not to push personal views—but to show up with ...
01/31/2026

This isn’t political. As therapists, parents, and educators, our role is not to push personal views—but to show up with support, neutrality, and unconditional positive regard. When professional roles and personal beliefs blur, it can unintentionally create bias and distance. Our work is about helping humans. All humans.

The world itself is not inherently scary—and we don’t need to frame it that way for children. What is scary is the level of unfiltered exposure children are receiving through social media, news, reels, commercials, and online content. Violence, fear, and chaos grab attention—and they’re everywhere, often without warnings or sensitivity.

Developing brains aren’t meant to process this level of intensity. This kind of exposure doesn’t build resilience—it desensitizes, overwhelms, and shapes how children perceive the world before they’re ready.

The good news? We actually have more control than we think. We can be intentional about what children are exposed to and when. This isn’t about shielding them from reality—it’s about honoring developmental readiness. There will be a time for hard conversations, critical thinking, and forming their own views. That time doesn’t have to be when they’re little.

If the world feels scary to children, we need to ask ourselves what we are showing them. 🌎

Every person you let into your life builds a room inside your world.Some decorate it with care.Some rearrange things.Som...
01/28/2026

Every person you let into your life builds a room inside your world.
Some decorate it with care.
Some rearrange things.
Some leave mid-renovation — tools everywhere, lights flickering, walls exposed.

Even when they’re gone, the room remains.
Quietly shaping how you love, trust, attach, and show up.

This is why this exercise is so powerful.

Art gives shape to what words can’t hold yet.
A room wrapped in caution tape and muddy handprints.
Boards falling, a ceiling light hanging, holes in the walls, a broken window.
A table flipped, a rug pulled out from under you.
A child’s room filled with warmth and fairytales.
A sibling room — messy, repairable, ready for growth.

When we see the layout, we gain choice.
What stays.
What gets removed.
What gets boarded up.

Still your house.
Always was.

The release • The work • The healing

This simple circle is one of the most powerful tools we practice—for kids and for adults alike.When our minds are stuck ...
01/26/2026

This simple circle is one of the most powerful tools we practice—for kids and for adults alike.

When our minds are stuck replaying the past, racing ahead to the future, worrying about illness, the world around us, shifting routines, snow days, or things that feel wildly out of our hands… it helps to pause and ask:

What is actually inside my circle of control right now—in this moment?

This activity teaches the skill of stop and think. To slow down, notice where our energy is going, and gently redirect it back to what we can influence: our response, our effort, our words, our mindset, and how we care for ourselves.

The things that live outside our circle—other people’s actions, the weather, sickness, the past, the future—can pull enormous amounts of energy from us. And when we repeatedly try to control what cannot be controlled, anxiety, OCD, rumination, and emotional overwhelm often intensify. Control and mental health are deeply connected.

This is why learning to release what’s outside the circle matters just as much as strengthening what’s inside it.

Energy is a limited resource. When we spend it chasing what we can’t change, there’s less left for building our inner world—resilience, regulation, confidence, and self-trust.

Some things simply cannot be changed.
But how we show up within our circle?

Research shows that movement, purposeful tasks, and creative play support children’s mental health by regulating the ner...
01/25/2026

Research shows that movement, purposeful tasks, and creative play support children’s mental health by regulating the nervous system, increasing dopamine and serotonin (mood-boosting neurotransmitters), and reducing stress hormones.

Activities that involve helping, decision-making, and follow-through strengthen executive functioning and build autonomy, confidence, pride, and responsibility. Sensory play and creativity support emotional regulation, while outdoor light exposure and physical activity help combat seasonal affective symptoms and improve sleep and energy levels.

For anyone feeling the winter blues: we’re officially past the darkest half of the year;
Each day brings more light—and small, intentional activities can make a big difference.

When colds show up, worries can too 🤧Has anyone else’s family had the 3,700 versions of the cold–flu–stomach bug combo? ...
01/16/2026

When colds show up, worries can too 🤧
Has anyone else’s family had the 3,700 versions of the cold–flu–stomach bug combo? Because… we’ve had ALL of it over here.

Post-holiday back to daycare, school, routines — and yes, all the germs.

For some littles, fears around illness, germs, or throwing up can grow much bigger than what’s typical. It’s not about being dramatic or difficult — it’s anxiety working (a bit too hard on its New Year’s Resolution) to keep them safe.

These worries can show up as:
• Avoidance
• Big meltdowns
• Constant questions
• Handwashing, checking, or fear of eating/ social situations

Swipe for more ➡️

Address

1360 US 22 W
Hackettstown, NJ
08833

Telephone

+19085091373

Website

https://www.psychologytoday.com/profile/724695

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