Brigid Bello, MSW
Clinical Social Work Associate
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
I hold a Master’s degree in Social Work from Portland State University. In my work as a therapist, I believe in centering you as the expert of your own experience. I value reciprocal feedback and I make an effort to approach the therapy process as a learner and collaborator. I strive to provide trauma-informed, anti-oppressive care that acknowledges how systems like capitalism, fatphobia, and white supremacy impact our well-being. My goal is to help the individuals that I work with to heal, cope, and thrive in spite of the oppressive conditions that we live under while also actively working to change those conditions at the structural level.
I might be a good fit for you if you’re looking for support with any of the following:
- Disordered Eating / Body Image
- Racial Identity
- Queer Identity
- Cultural Alienation/Isolation
- Neurodivergence
- Relationships
- Burnout
That said, I enjoy working with individuals from all walks of life and have experience supporting folks navigating a broad spectrum of challenges.
Prior to my journey as a mental health practitioner, I completed my undergraduate degree in Theatre Arts which cultivated an appreciation for storytelling, empathy, and the power of personal narratives. I also spent many years working in the tech sector as a people manager and customer success coach. Navigating the white/cishetero-dominated corporate and start-up worlds gave me a deep understanding of the challenges faced by individuals seeking to find their authentic selves and overcome barriers to personal growth and fulfillment.
My work is informed by various theories and modalities, including Black feminist theory, queer theory, liberation psychology, Health at Every Size®, and narrative therapy. I am passionate about body neutrality and fat liberation and am in the process of becoming a Body Trust Certified provider through the Center for Body Trust. As a Black, mixed-race, queer, cisgender woman, and as someone who grew up with most of my material needs met, figuring out how to leverage my various privileged identities while holding space for my marginalized, racialized existence is something that I am always exploring. I very much believe Maya Angelou’s assertion that no one of us can be free until everybody is free, and I approach this work doing what I can to help shift us towards that collective goal.