Bryn Martinez Zavras, PhD
{click here for official bio}Growing up as the daughter of a diplomat, I had the privilege of spending time in various parts of the world and immersing myself in meeting new people across numerous cultures, communities, and languages. Through my mother’s work and my adventurous nature, I made sure to take advantage of learning about each location and experiencing all my senses would allow.
Some of my best memories include smelling the ocean air in Greece, walking along a white sand beach in the Philippines, and watching the snow fall in Montreal. Most importantly, it was the people I met who would their fascinating stories and journeys that made the most impact. It is incredibly powerful to hear how people get where they are and the obstacles they have overcome to create meaningful experiences in their lives.
Just as my childhood was full of change, my professional journey has also had several twists and turns. For a long time, I dreamed about being a teacher because of my excitement for learning and supporting others. However, as I spend more time in the classroom, it became apparent to me that even long-standing dreams can change. While I enjoyed teaching, I was not able to foster my curiosity or felt that I could work with others in a more personal way. I feel so enriched and challenged to be a therapist. In making this shift, I discovered a profession that allows me to find new things to learn, while helping others navigate their own life transitions.
As a Filipina woman and identifying as a member of the BIPOC community, I know deeply how much representation matters. I only came to meet other mental health providers that looked like me when I entered graduate school, and even then the stigma for mental health was a huge hurdle.
These experiences have shaped my personal purpose and have solidified the focus of my career on supporting the mental health needs of the BIPOC community. Therefore in my work, it is my goal that clients feel that all aspects of their identity, as well as their wide-ranging experiences, are affirmed and sensitively acknowledged.
Working with individuals facing life changes across nearly all life stages, I’ve seen clients transform even the most difficult struggles into opportunities for greater learning, possibility, and growth. As a therapist, I know that opening up always carries with it the possibility of conflict, pain, and risk. I want clients to feel safe in the process and to allow for authentic emotions and actions to emerge. Only then can we bring about meaningful change.
Meet Bryn
Dr. Zavras received her doctoral degree from the University of Rhode Island. She completed her doctoral internship at Rhode Island School of Design’s Counseling and Psychological Services in Providence, Rhode Island, followed by a post-doctoral fellowship at Providence College’s Personal Counseling Center. She continued to work at Providence College before relocating to Cincinnati. She has been working across various settings in Ohio and providing psychological services to children, adolescents and young adults.
Bryn specializes in helping clients coping with impactful life changes, cultural and identity challenges, shame, and relationship issues. She is also passionate about women’s mental health including navigating pregnancy, motherhood, and career management. She offers her clients a blend of both compassion and practical skills to support their personal development. Dr. Zavras also works from a culturally inclusive lens, sensitive to and affirmative of differences. She practices an open and collaborative approach to encourage self-discovery and fulfilling action.
With an extensive background and experience in school psychology, Dr. Zavras also offers consultation for parents navigating their children’s special education needs, as well as coaching for adolescents and young adults navigating college.
I believe..
- In the magic of listening to others’ stories
- Self-compassion is vital to healing
- Learning, whether from reading or conversations, never has to end
- Hobbies can be nice but are not required
- Everyone deserves a place where they feel true belonging
- We are all worthy of joy
- Listening to one’s intuition cannot be taken for granted
- Humility is underrated
- Change can be messy and painful, but it paves the way for growth
- Each day should contain some form of rest
- Traveling allows for a change of scenery, but can also bring about change in one’s self
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