Today we’d like to introduce you to Brittanie Zwart.
Hi Brittanie, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
This is always a good question, isn’t it? I could give you the chronological facts—like, I came into social work through psych classes in college and working with kids with high behavioral needs—but what people usually want to know is the real story. The behind-the-scenes version of how someone ends up doing this kind of work.
For me, it goes way back. I started having panic attacks and pretty severe anxiety when I was in elementary school. It impacted everything…my learning, my friendships, my confidence, how I saw myself. I went to my first counselor when I was 11. And like most 11-year-olds, I didn’t want to be there and barely talked. But I still remember her La-Z-Boy recliner and how she tried to help me talk back to my anxious thoughts. Thanks, Jackie. I didn’t realize it then, but later on I would become the Jackie in other kids’ lives.
Fast forward to college, I hit a point where everything felt overwhelming. I was dealing with big personal and academic pressure, plus I was student government president, so I felt like I had to keep it all together on the outside. That’s when I went back to therapy, this time with Ellen at the campus counseling center. She was a lifeline and not just for me. She was vital for so many and we all probably have the same sentiments about her. I could just be in that space with her, say what I really felt, and not worry about how it sounded. I was held and safe. That experience stuck with me.
It took me a long time to connect that those younger parts of me, the parts that needed support, were what drew me to this work in the first place. I’ve always been intuitive and curious, and I think that helped me tune into people easily, even as a kid. But back then, I didn’t know how to set boundaries or protect my energy and discern how to use my voice, which probably made everything feel a lot more overwhelming.
I worked with kids for about a ten years, and over time I realized how much I loved working with families and parents too. Around the time I became a parent myself, I started shifting toward adult work, and now that’s where I focus most of my time. Helping women untangle the stories they carry about worth, boundaries, relationships, identity. This work feels so meaningful to me. It’s something I couldn’t have planned, but I’m really grateful for the path it took.
As a kid I used to help my mom sort diaper donations at her nonprofit job, and if you had told me I’d end up running my own therapy practice someday, I would’ve rolled my eyes. I actually used to say I’d never be a therapist because “sitting in an office all day sounded boring.” And now I laugh, because this work is anything but boring. Every hour is different. Every story is different. And honestly, I love it.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I wouldn’t call it a smooth road, more of a winding one with lots of turns I didn’t always see coming. Every job transition I’ve made has felt like a surprise at the time. I was recruited out of a therapy job with kids that I absolutely loved, into a big, intense role in a school district that was amazing in its own way. From there, I was recruited again. This time to be a program director at a recovery home for women healing from sexual exploitation and substance use. And eventually, I made the leap into private practice.
Each move felt pivotal. I learned so much, not just about the work, but about myself. Every role helped me shed old layers that needed to go in order for me to grow. It’s wild to think about where I started and where I am now.
Of course, every job had its challenges. Sometimes it was the politics of the workplace, because, you know, that’s just real life. And sometimes it was the emotional intensity of the work itself. Sitting with people in their deepest pain is no small thing. But I think of it like a pendulum—when you’re present for deep heartache, you also get to witness deep healing. That contrast makes the joy and connection even more powerful.
Over the years, there have been so many moments across 15 years where I’ve been sitting with a client and felt this deep knowing: This is exactly where I’m supposed to be. Saying what needs to be said. Holding what needs to be held. Those moments feel like soul alignment.
Every now and then, I hear from clients I worked with years ago, kids who are now adults, who reach out to share updates or come back to therapy and say, “I know you knew something was happening when I was 15, and I couldn’t talk about it then—but I’m ready now.” And that’s such a full-circle moment. I can’t imagine doing anything else that feels more aligned with who I am and what I have to give.
That said, it’s hard. It’s heartfelt work, which means it’s also heavy. It can be stressful, even scary at times (I’ve had a few of those moments!), and it can be completely draining if I don’t honor my own limits. My capacity has definitely shifted over the years, and that’s something therapists have to be really mindful of. It’s not just about whether we can “do the job,” but about whether we can meet all the demands life places on us as whole humans. This work will take everything you’re willing to give—and honestly, it deserves our full attention—but we also have to be intentional about what we can sustainably give.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about BGZ Therapy, LLC?
I would love to tell you about my practice! It’s just me, one person, one laptop, lots of good therapy. I work virtually with adults in Missouri and Illinois, and I specialize in women who have it all together but also don’t.
Most of my clients are high-functioning, overextended women. They’re often moms, helpers, therapists, nurses. They’re anxious, perfectionistic, people-pleasing, and constantly putting everyone else’s needs before their own. A lot of them have ADHD or wonder if they do. Almost all of them have anxiety. By the time they reach out, they’re exhausted, disconnected from their bodies and emotions, stuck in a cycle of overthinking, and unsure of how to finally prioritize themselves.
My work is about giving them permission. Permission to slow down, to take up space, to say no, to feel. I offer short-term, practical support for relief and containment when life feels overwhelming, and I also go deep with clients to explore the old patterns, beliefs, and life experiences that have shaped how they show up in the world. I help them shift from just surviving the week to actually building a life that feels more sustainable and fulfilling—where they don’t have to escape to feel good.
What I’m most proud of is showing up as my full self and attracting clients who feel safe to do the same. I’m not trying to be for everyone. When I finally started owning that and really leaning into who I am as a therapist, my people found me. We do good work together. They grow, they heal, they leave when they’re ready, and they know they can always come back if they need to. I love that.
I always hesitate to say “I’m not like other therapists,” but honestly… I’m not like other therapists. My website gives you a pretty good idea of what you’re walking into. I’m direct, compassionate, curious, I use humor, and yes, I cuss. A lot. I’m a real person, and my clients get to be real people too. No performance, no pressure. We figure it out together, with a mix of practical tools, deep insight, and room for messy human moments. Most people who make it to my contact page already know we’re a fit. And from there, we get to work.
What would you say have been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
Just one lesson? That’s tough. There are so many I’ve learned and relearned along the way. But one of the biggest is this: I’m not responsible for my clients’ lives, and I can’t carry the pressure of trying to fix everything for them.
I’m just one hour in their week. Sometimes even less. That time can be meaningful, and we can get a lot done, but people take in what they need when they’re ready for it. Not everyone is ready for the deep work right away, and not everyone needs to go there. Sometimes a client comes in for support, makes progress in their daily life, and decides to pause without addressing the deeper patterns. And honestly? That’s okay.
Letting go of the idea that I have to do it all—or that they have to do it all—has been freeing. I’ve also learned that healing can happen outside of therapy. It’s absolutely possible. I just think of therapy like a faster, more direct path. It might feel intense sometimes, but it helps people get where they want to go without wandering through years of trial, error, and unhelpful patterns.
At the end of the day, I’m a witness. A companion. A mirror. They’re the ones making the change. And I get to show up for that, which is pretty incredible.
Pricing:
- $150 an hour
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.brittaniezwart.com
