My Background:
Hi! My name is Bria Servoss (she/her). I’m a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), Certified Sex Therapy Informed Professional (CSTIP), and Mental Health Consultant (MHC) in Madison, WI who hails from the woods, lakes, & rivers of “up-north” and city streets of Chicago, IL. I have my Bachelor’s in Psychology (honors; minor in Women’s & Gender Studies) from Roosevelt University in Chicago and my Master’s in Counseling from University of Wisconsin - Whitewater.
I live near a marsh of wild things with my blended family of mostly-domesticated humans & animals. I love playing & listening to music, exploring the mystical & natural world and that which is strange & curious, finding connections & freedoms that do not seem obvious at face-value, and discovering new things about all the stuff I love.
You can hear a bit of me here during a chat I was invited to have with Jeremy Schumacher, fellow therapist and host of the podcast Your Therapist Needs Therapy (September 2024).
I specialize in:
•couples & open relationships (polyamory, ethical non-monogamy)
•perimenopausal life shifts
•life during/after divorce or large break-up
•women’s & LBGTQ+ issues
•shame & sexuality
•emotional & psychological abuse recovery
•step-parenting struggles
•late-diagnosis ADHD
•trauma
I am sex-positive, ENM-knowledgable & educated, sex worker-allied/aware, & BDSM/kink-aware.
I STAND WITH IMMIGRANTS, BIPOC, and the LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY.
My approach.
My style as a clinician is conversational & direct, existential & feminist, and a bit tarot-inspired & Jungian. I find that my strengths as a therapist exist in linking various parts of your experience to who you are now, and within the larger picture of your life. I work with you to develop realistic ways to move towards healing - whatever “healing” means to you - and I consider this work a calling and an honor.
Like everyone, I’m constantly educated simply through living - a humbling process which is certainly not simple, but has offered me insight and (thankfully) some wisdom. I have activist/ally roots, starting from a young age, and value the empowerment which comes from empowering others. I bring all of this to my shared sessions with you. That said, I also have a sense of humor. There is an alchemy that occurs when we find the light in the darkness - life requires levity.
Techniques
Some techniques I use are based in existential-humanistic therapy, feminist therapy, Imago Dialogue, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), mindfulness, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT), Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), and the Socratic Method.
A few things:
• Therapy isn’t about “fixing” yourself or “getting over” trauma. It’s about learning how to heal around your trauma, empower yourself, develop healthy coping skills, discover meaning, and practice acceptance & compassion.
• If you are thinking of moving from monogamy into ethical non-monogamy (ENM) with your partner, you must start with conversations - many, many conversations over time - before going on a first date with someone else, inviting a new partner into bed with you, or being like “We have a really strong relationship/marriage/whatever - we will figure it out as we go along and be fine.” Hey, maybe you will, but while I hate to be a harbinger of negativity, it is far more likely you’ll alter your partnership as you know it, and there is no going back, I promise. Moving back to a space of trust, accountability and respect is a lot harder after you’ve moved the relationship goal posts without intention and respectful negotiation.
• Therapy isn’t necessarily forever, but it is a nice opportunity. I don’t believe clients must stay working with a therapist their whole lives. I also don’t believe that “everyone needs a therapist.” I do, however, believe that everyone should try therapy at some point in their lives - when a different lens, expertise, or specific kind of psychological/emotional work is needed. And it is work: seeking your “self” when you feel lost isn’t for those who would rather not know. It is for the brave, willing, and curious.
Credential Certifications
•Currently working towards becoming certified as a Women’s Mental Health Specialist (Autumn 2026)!
•Certified Sex Therapy Informed Professional (CSTIP) (July 2024, July 2026)
•Level 1 Training in Gottman Method Couples Therapy (August 2024)
•Cognitive Processing Therapy Certification (CPT) (August 2021)