Today we’d like to introduce you to Bradford Stucki, Ph.D., LMFT
Hi Bradford, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Identifying my career path has seemed more like a game of Plinko, from the Price is Right, than a straight shot. In childhood, I was jazzed about becoming an Air Force pilot, until the Air Force decommissioned the plane I wanted to fly. In high school, I was going to be a physician’s assistant, until I realized that I would have more years of school than fingers on my hand. In college, I thought being an urban planner would be really neat, as I helped city leadership map out cities through zoning and technical knowledge, until I realized how political government work can become. It wasn’t until my senior year in college that I had a conversation with my wife on our newlywed-gifted old 1970’s sagging couch. At that time, I shared my values of helping people through their challenges, and through that conversation, the idea of being a therapist arose. She also floated the idea of becoming a business owner, but I was skeptical. After some research about different graduate schools and their requirements, I enrolled in the necessary courses and performed well. Soon we were off to a masters program in Texas, and then, two years later, a doctorate program in Virginia. Six years, three kids, two years of pandemic, and one dissertation later, we—it really was a team effort—graduated from Virginia Tech and moved to Utah, where in 2022, and contrary to my initial skepticism, I launched my private practice, BridgeHope Family Therapy, in Provo, Utah.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
This trajectory has not been smooth, and I’ve had several struggles. Some of these struggles I have experienced along the way include:
• Playing career Plinko
• Seeing my procrastination and avoidance of studying rob me of opportunities for growth
• Having uncertainty about my future employment and ability to provide for my family
• Discovering infertility while trying to grow our family
• Dancing with comparison, self-doubt, and indecision
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
I walk into the office and see the dark brown, wooden door, with my name stenciled in black against a gold-plated backing. I slide the plaque from “out” to “in.” The day has begun, and the magic awaits.
Each day, I cycle between a diverse number of roles: administrative assistant, accountant, creative, licensed marriage and family therapist, marketer, SEO specialist. While the diversity of the roles I have keeps things interesting, being a licensed marriage and family therapist with a doctorate has been truly rewarding.
Memories float by: Creating space for someone to feel heard; giving hope to those who feel stuck. A time of celebration, hearing someone share their accomplishment of setting a boundary, instead of people pleasing. The opportunity to sit with someone as they share, for the first time, the abuse they went through as a child. The moment of clarity that someone has as they process through their past and find renewed hope and empowerment, leaving the burdens of the past behind them.
I specialize in working with men and women who are experiencing low self-esteem or self-confidence, anxiety, poor boundary setting, childhood trauma, and couples relationship or communication issues. I work with adults and couples in-person in Utah, as well as adults and couples online in Utah, Virginia and Texas to heal their relationships and manage their distress.
When people work with me, they can expect to be guided on their journey, through highlighting alternatives, challenging their beliefs and supporting them in their growth.
Is there a quality that you most attribute to your success?
Curiosity and perseverance
Pricing:
- • Readers can find increased self-confidence, resolution from their trauma, skills to manage their anxiety, or improved communication strategies when they work with me.
- • 50-minute sessions are $165 and readers use their out-of-network benefits and work with me or their Aetna, DMBA, or EMI insurance benefits.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.bridgehopefamilytherapy.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bridgehopefamilytherapy/
