Meet your counselor, DeQuan Brown (He/Him)

My "Why"

For too long, therapy has felt like another space where you have to perform or filter your truth. I’ve seen the fatigue that comes when Neurodivergent, BIPOC, and LGBTQIA+ individuals avoid seeking support because they don’t want to spend their hour educating their therapist on the nuances of their culture, their language, or their family dynamics.

I’ve heard the stigmas, the whispers that “therapy is for crazy people”, or that we should just “tough it out” because our ancestors did. But I believe our ancestors’ greatest strength wasn't just their individual resilience; it was their collectivism. They understood that we thrive when we heal together.

I founded Diverse and Thriving Counseling to be a sanctuary from the exhausting code-switching the world demands of you. As a Black male therapist in a field where we are significantly underrepresented, I am committed to closing the gap between the therapy room and our community’s lived reality. This commitment extends to holding space for the lived experiences within each of the BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ communities. As a late diagnosed ADHD adult, I understand firsthand the unique challenges of navigating a world designed for neurotypical folks. This experience fueled my desire to create a dedicated space, with your involvement, for embracing how neurodiversity shows up for you, acknowledging your strengths and difficulties, tailoring your environment to you rather than masking, and offer a neuro-affirming space where your brain's unique wiring is understood, not pathologized.

My Approach: Culture, Connection, and Care

My vision began with the Black community and has grown through my work with the LGBTQIA+ communities, broader BIPOC communities, and the experiences of those with intersecting identities. Witnessing the diverse ways each person pains and heals has taught me that there is no “one-size-fits-all” approach to mental health.

In our work together, I center your voice. I prioritize my own ongoing education and consultation within ND, BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ clinical spaces so the weight of “explaining” doesn't fall on you. My goal is to provide a culturally responsive foundation so our time is focused entirely on your healing, not on my orientation to your world.

Specialized Healing with EMDR

Traditional “talk therapy” is valuable, but trauma often lives in the body where words can't reach. The pain, the trauma, the nightmares, the constant state of hyper vigilance and not trusting, or even the multiple failed relationships— the questioning of “am I the problem” or “am I broken”— can all be tiring and hurt so deeply that words alone may not truly express or heal, all the while you may be masking as that “always happy and positive” friend/coworker/partner/parent just to survive. These experiences can feel like anchors keeping you from moving “past this already”, like you may have heard when sharing your pain. This is why I specialize in EMDR therapy. It is an evidence-based way to process systemic stressors and traumatic memories without the need to re-live every detail out loud. It allows us to acknowledge our inherent resources, such as our community-oriented supports and personal resiliency, to move from just surviving to truly thriving.