Meet Keegan, Brave Grand Rapids Counselor and DnD Devotee

Indianapolis-native Keegan Ferris joined the BraveGR team in June of 2021. A graduate of Western Michigan University, Keegan brings a passion for developing and healing relationships, be they platonic, romantic, professional, or otherwise interpersonal. “I consider it a privilege to aid my clients through our therapeutic relationship,” he said.  

We sat down with Keegan to dive a little deeper into his story, and what he’s excited to bring to Brave. 

WHAT ARE SOME AREAS THAT INTEREST YOU WITHIN THE WORK YOU DO? 

I have a passion for LGBTQIAP+ advocacy and mental health care. I am committed to using my position as a mental health clinician to advocate for the rights, privileges, and resources for an undervalued and underserved population. Much of my graduate work has focused on multicultural competence and excellence in this area. I am proud to serve alongside many counselors at Brave Grand Rapids who share a similar passion. 

WHAT IS THE MOST REWARDING THING ABOUT WHAT YOU DO? 

I am allowed to enter into another person’s story and help them write or rewrite the narrative. I get to see them win, I get to see them do the hard work of healing, I get to share in their suffering, and that is a privilege I don’t take lightly. That is no small thing. 

WHAT DOES SELF-CARE MEAN TO YOU? HOW DO YOU PRACTICE THIS IN YOUR OWN LIFE? 

Self-care is actively loving yourself. When you love someone, you don’t just give them what they need, you try to help them achieve their own hopes, dreams, and aspirations of being a Dungeons and Dragons, Level 20 Sorcerer (speaking for a friend 😀 ). Effective self-care addresses the whole self, not just your immediate needs. 

If the above answer did not give an adequate hint, I am a huge nerd and I am glad to dive into that head first. I also give my friends and family high priority in my self-care journey. They energize, encourage, and love me constantly. That is a gift that cannot be replicated anywhere else and I will gladly accept it. Music has also been an incredible tool for emotional regulation and creative expression.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO YOU TO BE BRAVE? 

To be Brave means to take a risk. Make no mistake, letting someone new enter into your life is risky. I firmly believe it is one of the best risks a person can take. I believe in the hard work of healing and I believe no true healing can take place without being Brave. 

WHAT HAS BEING A COUNSELOR TAUGHT YOU?

Being a counselor has taught me that my emotions can be utilized to teach me something valuable about myself and those around me in any situation. Emotions are good teachers if we allow them to be. 

WHAT IS THE BEST ADVICE YOU'VE EVER BEEN GIVEN? 

There is no such thing as a person in their prime years. Live life like all of your prime years are in front of you. 

WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO DO OUTSIDE OF YOUR CAREER? 

I am a very loyal Indianapolis Colts and Notre Dame football fan, and I will engage ANYONE in sports banter for ANY amount of time. I love creating music, playing Dungeons and Dragons, playing board games, and playing golf. I love doing all of the aforementioned things with my close friends and family on a weekly basis. 

IF YOU COULD TRAVEL ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD WHERE WOULD IT BE AND WHY? 

Italy. Food, wine, beaches… need I say more?

WHAT IS AN INTERESTING FACT ABOUT YOU? 

I have a paralyzed left vocal fold and had to have a prosthetic put in a number of years ago to help me speak properly. I used to be a really skilled singer and I lost a lot of that ability. Part of my own healing process was dealing with the grief associated with losing most of that vocal skill and talent, as well as losing the identity I formed around that gift. The doctors told me that the odds of this condition happening to me at that age were basically the same as being struck by lightning twice. So, that is simultaneously cool and a huge bummer.  

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO SOMEONE CONSIDERING COUNSELING? 

Commit to the process of counseling. There is no magic word and there is no free 200 dollars for passing Go. I am committed to walking with you through that healing process every step of the way, no matter how difficult the terrain.

To speak with Keegan or one of our other licensed counselors, click the link below.