Brian brings a sense of levity to his work, focusing on collaboration and highlighting inherent strengths. His warmth and friendliness make it easier to process important areas such as identity development, trauma and life's hardships.

Anonymous
  • Emphasis on meeting clients where they are at through a warm, authentic, and caring space
  • Experience working with major life transitions and exploring identity development, especially with emerging adults
  • Passionate about working with clients holding marginalized identities, in particular LGBTQIA+ communities
  • Utilizes a collaborative, strengths-based approach with an emphasis on exploring meaning making in clients’ lives
  • Approaches supporting clients from a trauma-informed lens   
  • Conducts individual and couples counseling sessions 
Brian Howard, M.Ed., LPC
Pronouns: He/Him

Licensed Professional Counselor

“I believe in the power of making connections and supporting you as we all strive to gain deeper insight into ourselves, our past experiences, and how we can grow moving forward.

Brian supports individuals as they navigate the many experiences life throws at us through a friendly and welcoming environment, allowing clients to explore issues like life transitions, identity development, or experienced traumas in a safe and caring space. He strives to work authentically and collaboratively with clients, highlighting their innate strengths. Brian’s work celebrates individuality and the importance of developing a deeper understanding of one’s own self.

One of Brian’s strengths is his ability to see and explore the deeper connections between personal journeys and relationships with others. Working together over time through reflection and introspection helps these connections become more salient as well as providing an opportunity to explore whether they serve a purpose anymore. Pulling from Narrative, Existential, and Mindfulness practices, Brian supports clients in meaning-making processes related to their lives and their relationships with others. Boundaries are important when understanding yourself as well as previous and future interpersonal relationships. While setting boundaries may feel difficult and uncomfortable, Brian’s goal is to provide a non-judgmental and exploratory space to aid clients in this process.

Before joining the Next Step team, Brian worked in the field of education providing support and guidance to high school and college students as they embarked on new voyages of self-discovery. Acknowledging the increased prevalence of anxiety and depression in the students he worked with, Brian returned to school to pursue a degree in Mental Health Counseling at DePaul University. The university’s focus on social justice issues continues to drive Brian’s passion for the field. 

In his free time, Brian loves playing board games, traveling the world, and grounding himself through hiking and camping.

Schedule Appointment