Staff Spotlight: Eli Birck, AMFT

In today’s Staff Spotlight, we’re highlighting therapist, Eli Birck, AMFT! Get to know Eli and what drives her passion for the work that she does as part of our BrightQuest San Diego team.

 

What drew you to this field?

I started my career with the desire to become a teacher. As I went through the educational system, I noticed that there was a direct correlation between people’s success in the classroom and their ability to care for themselves. I found a deficit in the amount of education available to people on the foundations of being a person including healthy relationships and tending to activities of daily living including: finding a safe place to sleep, eating nutritious food, drinking enough water, and being around people we feel safe with. I then changed my career path in a direction that I was able to teach people how important it is to take care of ourselves. As my time in the mental health field grew, I developed a passion for the treatment of complex and severe mental illness through treatment of the whole family system.

 

Why are you passionate about helping people with severe mental illnesses?

Through my experiences, I have witnessed the large amount of misunderstanding that comes with having severe mental illness. As a clinician, I am passionate about providing the most recent research of the manifestation of mental illness for the individual person. I believe wholeheartedly that everyone has strengths, and through my work as a clinician, I hope to inspire a passion for life and being adaptable to everyday stressors, regardless of previous experiences.

 

What modalities do you use when working with clients? Do you have a favorite and why?

The modalities I utilize include motivational interviewing and narrative therapy; I utilize solution-focused approaches. My favorite modality is EMDR as it has helped so many people, including myself, with regulation of their nervous system be present for the moments to come.

 

What do you wish more people knew about your profession?

Therapy is an evidence- based modality, so we aren’t guessing on mental illness. We are utilizing research-based techniques to support people with optimal levels of functioning in their own individual process of healing.

 

What makes you excited to be a part of the BrightQuest family?

I was interested in working at BrightQuest because I have been following the company’s growth for many years and I am impressed with the time and effort that has gone into the development of the program.

I have very strong values as a clinician and BrightQuest’s emphasis on treating complex trauma (including the therapeutic community model and the client centered approach) aligns with my treatment philosophy. I enjoy that BrightQuest treats the whole family system as well.