About Me
Growing up an hour north of New York City in Orange County provided me a wonderful landscape to develop healthy peer relationships, obtain a solid education and enjoy the safety and offerings of a lovely mid-sized suburban community. Despite all of the apparent benefits, however, I struggled to succeed academically, oblivious to my ADHD issues that were never really understood nor communicated my way. Hence, I trudged forward believing that school was a place for “smart kids,” or at the very least, those who knew how to “beat the system.” It didn’t help that I couldn’t sit still for more than 30 minute chunks either; especially when it came to those painful double-blocks that were supposedly designed to be interactive.
It took nearly 10 years removed from high-school for me to recognize that I had ADHD and that it had nothing to do with intelligence. In fact, not only did I come to recognize it as a manageable condition, I learned to celebrate the unique attributes it has afforded me which include being outgoing, humorous, creative, quick-thinking, active, sensitive, and playful in spirit. These were granted to me at birth along with my poor attentional controls and others were developed with the help of wonderful support systems, especially from my parents.
Intuitively I knew that I would be involved in the helping profession in some capacity, as I always had a fondness for people and an appreciation for their difficulties. When I was 20 years old, I worked and lived in a New Jersey Shore group home for intellectually impaired adults. I was immediately thrown into a role beyond my expectations as I was asked to care for the well-being of 8 to 12 adults that counted on me for their meals, hygiene needs, entertainment and yes, even medications. Having that unusual and scary responsibility at an age when my peers were cruising Main Street trying to find the next party to crash was a humbling experience that expedited my empathy for those trying to cope with special needs.
I have been working with adolescents, parents, couples and families in varying capacities since 1996. I have a background in secondary education and have spent several years working in school systems as a teacher, consultant, counselor and therapist. Having worked with all different types of providers, families and individuals has given me the privilege of learning how people from all walks of life journey through time with different points of emphasis yet all sharing the same needs. My approach toward the therapeutic process is active, sensitive, collaborative, cognitive and experiential. I feel it essential to reflect on one’s past to gain perspective without staying stuck there. People often have a way of re-experiencing their pain through many unhelpful “replays” of their history. My methodologies deliberately keep individuals and families moving back into the present in an effort to create new dialogue, new meaning and more immediate and yet lasting change. As a Marital and Family Therapist I also enjoy helping couples move their courtship to a deeper level whereby problems can be viewed as opportunities for growth as opposed to merely more obstacles to overcome.
Currently I am practicing in Southbury, Connecticut where I continue to specialize in working with teenagers and their parents.
Be well and be the change you seek.
Bryon Remo
