Institute for Psychological Advancement

Dr. Brewer is a licensed professional counselor in Missouri and a licensed clinical professional counselor in Kansas.  She has earned a PhD in psychology, a Master's degree in professional mental health counseling, and a Master's certificate in healthcare leadership and management.  Dr. Brewer is a national certified counselor, certified clinical trauma professional, and board certified in telemental health.  She is a licensure supervisor for professional counselors in Missouri and a board approved clinical supervisor for professional counselors in Kansas.  She volunteers as a disaster counselor for the Red Cross, as part of the family advocacy network for The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, and with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.  

She has worked in mental health and trauma, and as an educator and trainer since 2000.  She is currently the Director of the Community Counseling & Assessment Services training clinic and an Associate Clinical Professor in the Psychology & Counseling department at the University of Missouri - Kansas City.  She has experience teaching graduate and undergraduate classes online and in classroom settings in counseling, psychology, and healthcare management.  Dr. Brewer has taught many graduate counseling courses including Assessment, Psychopathology, Practicum, Internship, Techniques & Methods, Theories of Counseling, Fundamentals of Treatment for Trauma and Abuse, Suicide Prevention, and Theories & Techniques for Marriage & Family Therapy.

Dr. Brewer also has experience as a counselor in various settings including non-profit, inpatient, outpatient, and private practice.  Her focus as a clinician is providing diagnostic and risk assessments then providing brief solutions-focused interventions to promote client independence and success.  She specializes in trauma-related disorders and symptoms including post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, depression, addictions, grief and loss, dissociation, borderline personality disorder, self-injury, chronic pain/illness, suicidality, sexual assault, and adult survivors of childhood abuse.  She also works with support persons of those with these symptoms and diagnoses to help them process their experience and learn how to best support their friend, family member, or partner.  

Dr. Brewer's orientation to counseling is based on person-centered, attachment, cognitive, and dialectical theories.  She is trained in, and most commonly utilizes, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Motivational Interviewing (MI), Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), Cognitive Therapy (CT), and Exposure Therapies.  Dr. Brewer has completed extensive training in linear neurofeedback and Dynamical Neurofeedback® including earning advanced certification in NeurOptimal® neurofeedback.  She believes that the primary process of counseling involves helping clients utilize the resources and strengths already within themselves to help them recognize how exceptional they are.  She also believes that clients are always doing their best, given their circumstances, but that they also want to change to feel and do better.

She has helped implement a partial hospitalization program for eating disorders and developed and implemented intensive inpatient psychiatric programs for trauma-based disorders.  Dr. Brewer opened a solo private practice in 2011, which quickly became a group practice with 4 locations and over 20 providers.  She sold ownership of that practice in 2018.

Currently, Dr. Brewer manages operations of IPA, facilitates continuing education courses, and provides professional consultation and licensure supervision.