Brandy Millward, LCSW, APHSW-C

THERAPEUTIC APPROACH

I believe every person has the capacity for healing and growth when they feel truly seen, heard, and supported. My approach to therapy is grounded in compassion, collaboration, respect, and creating a safe environment where you can explore your experiences without fear of judgment.

Therapy is not about fixing what is “broken.” Instead, it is an opportunity to reconnect with yourself, understand the experiences that have shaped you, and develop new ways of coping, healing, and moving forward. I believe that every person’s story matters, and that healing happens through a therapeutic relationship built on trust, safety, and genuine connection.

My role as a therapist is to walk alongside you as you explore your thoughts, emotions, relationships, and life experiences. Together, we will identify patterns that may be impacting your well-being, strengthen your understanding of yourself, and develop tools that support resilience, confidence, and meaningful change.

I believe in treating the whole person—mind, body, emotions, relationships, and, when meaningful to the client, spirituality. Healing is a process, and therapy provides a space where you can move at your own pace while building the skills needed to create a life that feels more authentic and connected.

Areas of Clinical Focus

Trauma, PTSD & Recovery from Abuse

I specialize in working with individuals who have experienced trauma, including domestic violence, sexual violence, and intimate partner trauma. Experiences of abuse can have lasting effects on how we view ourselves, trust others, regulate emotions, and experience safety in relationships.

Many survivors carry feelings of fear, shame, confusion, self-doubt, or difficulty trusting their own experiences. Therapy provides a supportive space to process what happened, understand the impact of trauma, rebuild self-trust, establish healthy boundaries, and reconnect with your sense of strength and identity.

My goal is to help clients move from surviving to healing by creating a greater sense of safety, empowerment, and hope.

Intimate Partner Trauma & Relationship Healing

Trauma within relationships can create deep emotional wounds that affect trust, communication, attachment, and connection. I work with individuals healing from unhealthy or harmful relationship dynamics, including experiences involving emotional, psychological, physical, or sexual harm.

Together, we will explore relationship patterns, strengthen boundaries, process painful experiences, and support you in creating healthier relationships with yourself and others.

Medical Trauma & Chronic Illness

I have a special interest in supporting individuals navigating medical trauma, chronic illness, and significant health-related challenges. Medical experiences can impact more than physical health—they can affect identity, relationships, emotional well-being, and a person’s sense of safety.

Whether you are adjusting to a diagnosis, coping with ongoing medical challenges, processing a traumatic medical experience, or supporting a loved one through illness, therapy can provide a place to process emotions, build resilience, and develop healthier coping strategies.

Healthcare Professionals, Burnout & Compassion Fatigue

I also enjoy supporting healthcare professionals who experience the unique emotional demands of caring for others. Healthcare workers often carry significant stress, compassion fatigue, burnout, grief, and the emotional impact of witnessing suffering.

Therapy can provide a space to process difficult experiences, reconnect with your own needs, address emotional exhaustion, and develop strategies for maintaining resilience and well-being while continuing to serve others.

Grief, Loss & Life Transitions

Grief is a natural response to loss and change, and it can occur after the death of a loved one, changes in health, relationships, identity, or major life circumstances.

I support individuals experiencing complicated grief, life transitions, and the emotional challenges that accompany significant change. Together, we will create space to honor your experiences while exploring healing, meaning, and hope moving forward.

Women's Mental Health

I work with women navigating the many emotional, relational, and personal challenges that can arise throughout life. Therapy can provide support during times of transition, trauma recovery, relationship changes, identity exploration, grief, anxiety, depression, and periods when life feels overwhelming.

My goal is to create a space where women feel understood, supported, and empowered to reconnect with their own strengths.

Therapeutic Approaches

I incorporate evidence-based approaches tailored to each client’s unique needs, including:

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) – Helps identify and change unhelpful thought patterns while developing practical coping skills.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) – Helps clients navigate difficult emotions while building a life aligned with their values.
Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) – Supports emotional awareness, connection, and healthier relationship patterns.
Attachment-Based Therapy – Explores how early relationships and attachment experiences influence emotions, relationships, and patterns of connection.
Somatic Therapy – Focuses on the mind-body connection, helping clients recognize and regulate the physical effects of stress and trauma.
Internal Family Systems (IFS) – Supports healing by helping clients understand different parts of themselves with compassion and curiosity.
Mindfulness-Based Approaches – Develops present-moment awareness and emotional regulation.
Trauma-Focused Therapy – Supports safe processing of traumatic experiences while promoting healing and empowerment.
Grief Therapy – Helps clients process loss, adapt to change, and find meaning while honoring their individual grief journey.

Populations Served

Adolescents, adults, and couples.

Specialties

Domestic Violence Recovery
Sexual Violence Recovery
Intimate Partner Trauma & PTSD
Trauma Recovery
Medical Trauma
Chronic Illness Support
Healthcare Professionals
Burnout & Compassion Fatigue
Complex & Complicated Grief
Women's Mental Health
Life Transitions
Anxiety
Depression

Availability

Monday, Thursday, and Friday. Daytime and evening appointments available.

Utah License: 5381374-3501 (LCSW)

https://connectionscounselingutah.com/slaff/brandy-millward-lcsw

BACKGROUND

EDUCATION AND WORK HISTORY

I hold a Bachelor of Science degree from Weber State University and a Master of Social Work (MSW) degree from Utah State University. I have been a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) since 2016.

With over 17 years of experience in healthcare settings—including hospitals, trauma units, and palliative care—I have worked extensively with adults and families navigating life-altering or limiting diagnoses. My focus has been on helping individuals adjust to significant medical and emotional changes, empowering them to define and embrace a meaningful quality of life within their circumstances.

My clinical training includes an internship as a Rape Recovery Therapist at the YCC Family Crisis Center in Ogden, Utah. There, I supported survivors of sexual trauma in facing their pain, reclaiming their stories, and rebuilding their lives.

In addition to my clinical work, I have served as an adjunct professor in the Department of Social Work and Gerontology at Weber State University, where I was honored to contribute to the education and growth of future social workers.

AREAS OF EXPERTISE AND INTEREST

My career began in the medical field, where I worked closely with trauma patients and their families as they navigated the aftermath of sudden and life-altering events such as violence, accidents, and critical illness. Over time, I transitioned into palliative care, where I supported individuals and their loved ones through the complex emotional, physical, and spiritual challenges that come with chronic and life-limiting diagnosis. In these roles, I learned the power of presence, choice, and compassion in moments of deep uncertainty and pain.

Alongside this work, I have supported many women recovering from sexual and domestic violence—providing both therapy and practical resources to help them process their experiences, regain a sense of safety, and rebuild their lives with renewed strength and self-trust. I believe trauma does not define a person, and I’m passionate about helping survivors move through the pain toward healing, empowerment, and reconnection with themselves.

I have extensive experience in the areas of chronic and life-limiting illness, grief and loss, medical trauma, and trauma recovery—including work with individuals impacted by relational, developmental, and sexual trauma and intimate partner violence.

In addition to my work with individuals, I also work with high-conflict couples who are navigating the complexities of communication breakdowns, intimacy issues, betrayal trauma, intimate partner violence and breaches of trust. Some couples come to therapy unsure whether to stay together or separate, and I create a space where both partners can reflect honestly, clarify their needs and values, and work toward repair—or peaceful resolution—whatever direction they choose

Contact Today

A LITTLE MORE ABOUT BRANDY...

What's your go-to comfort show or movie? Football

What do you hope people feel walking into your office for the first time? Safety

What’s something clients often don’t realize is actually a sign of progress? That things sometimes get harder before they get better.

Do you have a favorite random fact or piece of trivia you like to share? I was a surfer.

If you could change one myth people believe about therapy, what would it be? That it’s just about complaining- it's not!

What’s one thing that always makes you laugh? My husband.

What would be the title of your autobiography if it had to be funny? Crazy Helping Crazy

What’s something weird or surprising you know way too much about? Tornadoes.

What’s a question you think people should ask themselves more often? Will this hurt someone else?

What’s something you used to avoid but now lean into? The desire to be perfect. I lean in to being good enough.

Dog person, cat person, or… something else? I am in love with my dog Wrigley.

How do you unwind after a long day? Soda and a baseball game.

If you are looking to:

Start enjoying life again
Achieve your goals
And live authentically

…Then let’s chat!

Get in Touch

Location: 2019 W. 1900 S., Suite 130, Syracuse, UT 84075