Hi, I’m Dr. Brenda Everett.

I provide individual, one-on-one therapy via in-person and telehealth to children, adolescents, and adults in West Virginia. I am a Licensed professional counselor, nationally certified counselor, educator, and Unbound Counseling, LLC co-owner. I have over 20 years of experience serving diverse populations in the military, the Department of Veterans Affairs, higher education, non-profit agencies, and group and individual practice.

I'm not your typical therapist. 

​I'm real. I'm approachable. And I don't think therapy should be some stale, clinical, non-personable experience. 

I come from a small, rural Appalachian town in WV, where mental health was not a common topic of discussion. This personal journey has shaped my approach to therapy. I want to hear you. I want you to feel seen. I want to provide you a safe space when life feels overwhelming and chaotic.

We can process thoughts, goals, trauma, or just wherever we are. You can expect transparency and humor. I value connectedness and ‘commonizing’ the emotional pain that you may feel that no one sees.

My counseling orientation is based in trauma-informed and evidence-based approaches. I incorporate polyvagal theory, attachment theory, and somatic work into my work, as I believe it provides the most comprehensive model for understanding how trauma impacts both the brain and the body. I also use Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), and narrative therapy approaches. Techniques such as multisensory approaches and art therapy can also be seen in sessions.

More about About my Approach in Polyvagal-Informed Care: Understanding the Nervous System

I’ve spent most of my life in a mobilized state — not because I chose to, but because that’s how my nervous system learned to exist. As a combat veteran, that state of activation became familiar early on. Long before I had language for it, I carried a tension in my body that never fully let up.

It didn’t always look like struggle from the outside, but it showed up everywhere — in how I moved through the world, how I worked, how I reacted, how I endured chronic pain. It wasn’t until much later that I began to understand that this wasn’t just habit. This was survival physiology.

When I came across Polyvagal Theory, something finally clicked. It helped me see that my body wasn’t broken or overreactive — it was doing exactly what it had learned to do to keep me safe. That understanding changed everything. It shifted how I saw myself, and it deeply shaped how I now walk alongside others in the therapy room.

Polyvagal Theory explains that our nervous system moves between three core states:
🟢 Green Zone – grounded, calm, connected
🟡 Yellow Zone – activated, on edge, in fight/flight
🔴 Red Zone – shut down, numb, disconnected

When we’ve spent years — or decades — in yellow or red, it’s not always easy to access safety, even when we logically know we’re okay. And here’s the truth:
You can’t think your way to regulation.
It’s not about logic.
It’s about learning to understand the language of your body — and slowly creating the conditions where safety feels possible.

I don’t believe healing is about achieving a constant state of calm. That’s not real life.
To me, therapy means finding radical welcoming and learning your pathways. It means learning to recognize where you are and knowing how to come back — with compassion, not shame.

This isn’t just a theory I’ve studied — it’s something I’ve lived. And if any of this resonates with you, I’d be honored to support you in your own process of coming home to yourself.

Professional Affiliations

• Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) - West Virginia

• Approved Licensed Professional Supervisor (ALPS) - West Virginia

• Nationally Board-Certified Counselor (NCC)

Education and Training

• Doctor of Philosophy, Counselor Education and Supervision – Duquesne University

• Master of Arts, Counseling – West Virginia University

Please Note: I cannot accept new clients now as my caseload is full, and I do not maintain a waitlist. I will update this page when this changes.