Elizabeth Bracey, MA, LPC

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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

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 🫶

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.

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.

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. 🌎

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

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?

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.

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 ➡️

01/12/2026

Special shout-out to and for highlighting mental health as part of the Body Worlds 101 exhibit 🧠

One powerful message for kids and parents alike: our bodies work as a team. No system works alone & our mental health depends on all of them working together.

• Your brain is the leader, but it listens to the whole body
• Your stomach helps make chemicals that affect mood and focus
• Your heart and lungs help your brain know when it’s time to be calm or energized
• Your muscles and movement send “feel-good” signals that support confidence and emotional balance

Nutrition, sleep, physical health, and movement don’t just support the body — they directly shape attention, emotions, stress response, and overall mental wellness. When one system is struggling, others feel it too.

This exhibit does an incredible job showing that mental health is not just in the head — it’s the result of all our body systems working together to support the brain.

Thank you for making whole-body health visible, understandable, and empowering for families.

01/07/2026

A first grader asked me this week if I made a New Year’s resolution.

I told him, honestly, that I didn’t. I’m not really a resolutions person. They often feel too rigid, hard to stick to, and when I don’t meet them, I end up feeling disappointed.

He paused, looked at me, and said, “Miss Beth, I feel that way too.”

And honestly? That felt incredibly validating.

So instead, we talked about goal setting—short-term and long-term, realistic goals that actually feel achievable. Goals across different areas of life: social, emotional, academic, personal, spiritual.

As a runner and a therapist, my most cliché line still holds true: it’s a marathon, not a sprint.

January doesn’t have to be all-or-nothing. It doesn’t have to be about overextending yourself, chasing unrealistic expectations, or burning out before you even find your footing.

Take steps.
Be realistic.
Be kind to yourself.
Set boundaries.
Be human.

Let there be setbacks. Let there be ups and downs. Because burnout doesn’t lead to growth—it leads to shutting down.

Ease in. You’re halfway through week one.
Recalibrate.
Rest.

You don’t owe January a performance.

01/05/2026

What you’re seeing is biological and developmental —
it’s science, not defiance.

After winter break, children’s brains and nervous systems need time to recalibrate. Most kids adjust within 1–3 weeks when routines are clear, consistent, and predictable.

As hard as it can feel in the moment, it’s important not to give in to the urge to stay home. Avoidance may bring short-term relief, but it teaches the brain that discomfort is dangerous — and that’s how the worry monster grows.

Consistency builds confidence.
Routine restores safety.
Repetition creates regulation.

Keep showing up with reassurance, structure, and grace — and trust the process!

Address

1360 US 22 W
Hackettstown, NJ
08833

Telephone

+19085091373

Website

https://store.bookbaby.com/book/mountevelynnerupts

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