Today we’d like to introduce you to Dr. Brie Arevalo.
Hi Dr. Brie, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
My journey to becoming a psychologist is the greatest area in my life where I have seen God move — and move boldly. It has been an honor to watch my story unfold and to see how God has used my gifts to serve children, teens, and families in need of hope and healing.
This journey began in high school, when I first discovered my passion for supporting individuals with higher needs and recognized the deep importance of community, inclusion, and wraparound care. That early experience opened my eyes to the beauty and complexity of human connection and inspired a lifelong desire to advocate for children and families who need extra support.
Fast forward to my college years, when I joined a research lab exploring sibling relationships in families of individuals with intellectual disabilities. I became immersed in understanding how family systems and communities are shaped by these experiences — and where gaps in care exist. My mentor, the lead researcher and psychologist, saw my passion for learning and encouraged me to apply for the Pediatric Oncology Education Program (POE) at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. There was only one psychology intern position available, and I would be competing against students from Harvard, Yale, and other Ivy League universities.
I remember my professor warning me that my chances were slim. I came from a small Midwestern college and was not a top test-taker; I had heart and eagerness to learn, but not the academic pedigree of some of my peers. I shared with her the biblical story from Matthew 17:20–21: “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” I told her that while the odds might seem impossible, if God wanted me there, He would make a way.
And He did. God opened a door that no one else could— and that experience changed the course of my life.
At St. Jude, I worked alongside clinicians serving children and adolescents facing life-threatening illness. I witnessed the resilience of the human spirit and developed a passion for addressing the emotional, relational, and spiritual needs of those walking through suffering. It was also there that I connected with a former intern and student from Wheaton College who told me about Wheaton’s Christian-integrative Clinical Psychology doctoral program. The program perfectly aligned with my desire to serve underserved families and integrate faith safely and ethically into the therapeutic process.
Once again, I was cautioned that my GRE scores were below the recommended range. But I applied anyway — and through God’s provision, I was accepted.
Graduate school brought its share of mountains, but none were immovable. As I grew in my understanding of child, adolescent, and family mental health, I also became more aware of how many systems fail the very people they’re meant to serve. My passion deepened to meet families where they are— ethically, holistically, and compassionately– offering them a safe place to land and then launch from.
After years of training and clinical practice, I was both humbled by the families I worked with and shaken by the systemic barriers they faced. I also faced my own obstacles, including multiple setbacks on my professional licensure exam. While I’ve always struggled with standardized testing, I’ve known my strengths lie in connection, service, and care. During a difficult season in an unhealthy group practice, and while studying for my exam one last time, God placed a bold new calling on my heart: to start my own practice.
It was something I never imagined doing alone, but God reminded me of every time He had made a way before. Within two weeks, I put in my notice, applied for my PLLC, registered for my licensure exam, and stepped forward in faith. By the end of those two weeks, I passed my exam, my PLLC was approved, and my new journey began.
When a colleague asked me what I truly desired for my practice, I described a place where children, parents, and families could feel fully seen and fully known, where ethical care meets compassionate advocacy, where everyone could walk in and feel safe, and have a safe place to land… and thus, The Landing Place was born.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
As noted above, it has not always been a smooth road. Every barrier offered an opportunity to face my fear of failure, to try again, to learn more about myself, and to reorient my heart to the truth that God is bigger than any fear I hold.
There were many seasons of uncertainty — being in unhealthy work environments, watching my first postdoc fall through, struggling to pass licensure — the list goes on. Each of those seasons taught me that I had a choice: I could sit in discouragement and stay stuck, or I could seek support, learn from the experience, and step forward again.
Ultimately, my profession isn’t about me — it’s a deeper calling that goes far beyond me. I had to learn how to quiet my insecurities and trust in God’s plan, to see myself the way He sees me: strong, competent, and resilient. And as I began to believe that truth, I found the courage to keep going.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about The Landing Place PLLC?
Hey there! I’m Dr. Brie, the founder and owner of The Landing Place, PLLC, and I am so excited to share who we are and what we do.
I am a Licensed Clinical Psychologist with over 15 years of experience, specializing in caregiver-child communication and relationships. As a parent myself, I understand that people are a blend of complexity, uniqueness, beauty, and a little bit of hot mess — and that healing happens in community, not in isolation. My passion is diving into the trenches with each family, uncovering hidden strengths during challenging seasons — and doing so with a little fun along the way!
What we do and specialize in:
At The Landing Place, we provide therapy for children, adolescents, families, and young adults. My specialties include helping families navigate neurodiversity, ADHD, anxiety, mood challenges, peer relationships, and behavioral concerns. I also provide compassionate care for individuals processing grief, loss, childhood trauma, and adoptee identity formation. Faith-integration is offered upon request, always following ethical guidelines and tailored to each family’s values.
Beyond therapy, we provide community trainings, presentations, supervision, and consultation. I love the teaching aspect of this field and am honored to serve the broader community and future providers in this way.
What sets us apart:
What stands out in our work together is my commitment to a systems approach and emphasis on fostering parent-child relationships — this is what I am most proud of in our practice. When a child steps into the room, the system steps in as well. This means that for parents, they are cared for and equipped with practical tools alongside their child or teen. Parents are the experts of their child, and in order to see lasting change within a child’s life and the family system, our work often includes individual parent sessions, individual child sessions, and parent-child and/or family sessions. It’s all about making sure parents’ needs are met first so that the child’s needs can be effectively supported. From there, the whole family is brought together to practice new skills and tailor strategies to fit their unique dynamics.
Another feature that sets our practice apart is the option for Christian-faith integration upon request. Integrating Christianity is always based on ethical guidelines, provided by consent, and follows faith-integrated treatment protocols. For families where faith is important, therapy may include exploring scripture, relationships with God, and personal faith experiences. We also support children, teens, and parents in deconstructing past trauma related to God or the Church, helping them reconstruct new, healthy narratives and relationships with God in alignment with their values, choices, and pace.
Our mission and philosophy:
At The Landing Place, our mission is to empower every child and family to transform challenges into strengths, celebrate mistakes as stepping stones, and illuminate the untold stories that make each individual and family unique. At our core, we build relationships filled with play, laughter, understanding, and resilience, helping families show up fully and boldly try again.
What’s next?
There are some exciting future plans on the horizon that I’m not able to fully reveal just yet — but I can share that we are expanding in the near future, so stay tuned! In the meantime, we will continue offering our current services, while growing, learning, and refining the ways we support children, teens, and families. I’m really looking forward to seeing how the next chapter of The Landing Place unfolds and how we can continue making a meaningful impact in the community.
Pricing:
- Self-pay, private practice: The Landing Place, PLLC is an out-of-network (OON) provider and does not currently accept insurance.
- Superbills available: We provide superbills that clients can submit to their insurance company for potential reimbursement, depending on coverage.
- Encouragement to check with your insurer: We recommend contacting your insurance provider to explore the extent of coverage for out-of-network psychotherapy and testing services.
- Reduced fees available: The Landing Place, PLLC is committed to access to quality mental health care and offers reduced fees upon request.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.thelandingplacecounseling.com/home
- Other: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/brie-arevalo-wake-forest-nc/1238407
