ABOUT BRIDGE
Hello! I'm glad you're here. My name is Bridget Kiley (she/her). I commonly go by my nickname, Bridge. My work centers around mental health therapy, body-centered healing, and writing.
Being human can be messy and hard! My work makes room for the full spectrum of human emotions and experiences and is informed by social justice, LGBTQ+ affirming, and Health at Every Size frameworks.
I am licensed as a therapist in Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut and am a Certified IFS therapist. I'm also a Master Reiki practitioner: reiki is a body-centered complement to psychotherapy.
My Why
I have found a lot of support through therapy, bodywork and overall psychoeducational learning. This has happened through relationships, in community, and teachings found in books and practiced on the cushion. I find that community (compassionate, connective relationships), self-compassion (mindfulness + common humanity + self-kindness), and building skills (of all kinds) are ingredients for living a full, wholehearted life so you will see this reflected in my work.
Background
I work with those interested in deepening their connection to themselves and the world around them, this includes a focus on areas of grief and loss, anxiety, depression, trauma, and relationship challenges. My approach to therapy is integrative, and takes on different approaches depending on the needs of the person I am supporting. I have experience working with youth ages 5-18, emerging adults, and those well-established in their adult lives.
I believe everyone is an expert on their own experience. I hope to both offer connection and to share skills and tools I've learned along the way. I am a Certified Internal Family Systems therapist and this is my primary modality.
We all have a lineage and family of origin, as well as early life experiences which inform our path. The Healing Our Core Issues model of developmental and relational trauma is a foundational part of my work and understanding those aspects of those I work with. I am also trained in EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) which is a targeted trauma treatment approach.
In my counseling work, I'm experienced in leading groups and coordinating with multiple levels of providers (including parents, teachers, medical professionals, and outside agencies) to provide comprehensive care. I especially enjoy mindfulness and compassion-based practices and working with those who are in the LGBTQ+ community.
Professional Background
Fulbright Foundation Scholarship U.S. Student Award to Greece
Co-author published in the book
Applied Mindfulness: Approaches in Mental Health for Children and Adolescents
Level I, II and Master Level Reiki training
Trained through Pat Venter at the Kurukulla Center
Mindfulness-Training in Primary Care 8-Week Group Leader
Trained through Cambridge Health Alliance, Center for Mindfulness and Compassion
Level I and Level II Internal Family Systems Therapy
Trained at Cambridge Health Alliance with supervision from Dick Schwartz, Martha Sweezy and Nancy Sowell
Healing Our Core Issues training Trained by
Jan Bergstrom and Rick Butts
Full Spectrum Doula Training, childbirth with Sabia Wade and Doula training
Graduate Thesis:
Embodying Mindfulness: Exploring Implementation of Mindfulness-Based Interventions in K-12 Schools
More about Bridge
My work experience includes Cambridge Health Alliance, a healthcare network serving Boston's metro-north communities in Massachusetts and Arlington Youth Counseling Center (AYCC), a licensed community-based mental health counseling center serving Arlington youth (ages 3-21) and their families
Social justice frameworks and an anti-oppression lens plays a significant role in how I relate to myself and the world around me. I aim to center an anti-oppression lens in my life and work. I have and continue to explore, reflect and grow in relationship to my identities (such as a white, able-bodied and queer person). I reflect on, in an ongoing way, how to skillfully show up in relationship to myself and others, and I value supporting my clients in this reflection as well
I grew up in the United States (New England) and am one of four siblings and had a sister who was stillborn
In my free time, you'll see me with animals and loved ones, going on walks (with my dog and loved ones), experimenting with art, and finding water to swim in
My grandparents are body-centered psychotherapists and have inspired much of my career and healing journey. They embodied for me a lot of what I've come to know and understand about the world of therapy and mindfulness (they were my introduction to practicing mindfulness in the tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh, Order of Interbeing)
