My Areas of Specialty
Interpersonal Trauma & Cycle-breaking
While I am trained as a generalist in counseling psychology, I have always had a strong interest in the psychology of women and mental health issues that disproportionately affect marginalized populations. More specifically, my niche is in the area of interpersonal trauma including intimate partner violence/domestic violence, sexual trauma, and adult survivors of childhood abuse. I am also passionate about working with cycle-breakers- people who are adamant about changing what they hand down to the next generation - and people who have challenging relationships with their family of origin. My dissertation research explored parent-child relationship quality as a risk factor for dating violence experiences in early adulthood. I have a number of presentations and publications in the area of intimate partner violence. Click the link below to see my full curriculum vitae.
Identity-Affirming Counseling
A key component of my work is engaging in identity-affirming counseling services. As an intersectional feminist, I will ask questions to explore different aspects of your identity so we can better understand how they have shaped your unique experiences in the world. These experiences likely impact how you view yourself and how we discuss your mental health status or diagnoses. Identities may include:​
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Gender Identity & Expression
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Sexual Orientation
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Cultural background
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Race/Ethnicity and Nationality
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Age/Generation
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Religious Affiliation
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Relationship/Marital Status
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Education
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Mental Health Diagnoses
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One important aspect of my identity is being a mother to neurodivergent children. Over more recent years, I have been striving to increase my competence in providing neuro-affirming services and I enjoy helping others who may be dealing with neurodivergence in their parenting journey. I am particularly interested in advocating for availability of & access to neuro-affirming services as well as raising awareness about gender differences in neurodivergent presentations. I am excited to share that my book chapter on Pathological Demand Avoidance is currently under review and will be published in 2026.
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Brandenburg, A.C. (Under Review). Barriers to Educational and Healthcare Services for Children with Pathological Demand Avoidance. In Lepkowsky, C. (Ed.), Systemic Ableism: Critical Perspectives on Disability, Equity, and Access. Nova Science Publishers, Inc.
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Abilities/Disabilities
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Physical Health ​
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Neurodivergence
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Language/Linguistic Abilities
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Fertility/Parenting
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Political Affiliation
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Socioeconomic Class
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Interpersonal Affiliations
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Employment​