Our Brand Story & History
BrightLeaf is a holistic, multidisciplinary clinical counseling center in Manchester, New Hampshire focused on one goal: walking with every client along their healing journey. Our evidence-based care aims to promote growth and healing in body, mind, and spirit for clients of all ages.
Since inception in 1979 by Dr. Steve Weaver and Dr. Billy Brown, BrightLeaf has always been committed to delivering comprehensive, compassionate, and spiritually sensitive care. Our center was incorporated as Pastoral Counseling Services, United Church of Christ, Inc. in 1982. The team’s uniquely holistic counseling approach has always considered the spiritual and religious experiences of each client.
Over the years, we recognized the word “Pastoral” in our foundational name created a barrier to some who thought they must be pastors, Christian, or be open to counseling rooted in Christian Scriptures to access our care. The realization that people were not seeking our care as a result led to the rebranding of our center in 2025 to BrightLeaf – a name that better connects with the growth, optimism, and collaborative spirit that embodies our organization.
The BrightLeaf team consists of licensed experts, including psychologists, pastoral psychotherapists, social workers, mental health counselors, and licensed alcohol and drug counselors.
We are dedicated to helping clients address their challenges, from grief, anxiety, and depression to divorce, family matters, and addiction, among many others. Our nonjudgmental, inclusive approach to counseling provides the warmth, safety, and freedom clients need to transform their lives with confidence.
BrightLeaf is a nonprofit counseling center accredited by the Solihten Institute. For decades, we have cultivated trusted partnerships with other organizations in the community, providing critical social service, faith-based, education, and business connections and support to our clients and staff.
We strive to serve clients with affordable, accessible, and quality counseling services while upholding our values of inclusion, respect, and compassion.
Mission:
BrightLeaf, Inc. is an independent, non-profit, non-denominational counseling and consulting center. Our staff includes pastoral counselors, psychologists, child and adolescent therapists, clinical social workers, mental health counselors, and substance use professionals. All licensed staff are certified by the State of New Hampshire in their specific specialty areas and the organization is accredited by the Solihten Institute of Denver, CO.
Core Values:
- We believe that healing involves an integration of the mind, body, and spirit.
- We believe that, for many people, the meaning of life is affirmed through spirituality and we support that within the healing process.
- We welcome diversity and treat everyone with hospitality, respect, compassion, and dignity.
- We support staff members who work together in community.
- We believe that to be open and inclusive, we must pursue partnerships within the community.
- We strive for fiscal responsibility and excellence in business practices.
Eum Saepe Virescit Dispositionem Eros
• We believe that healing involves an integration of the mind, body, and spirit.
• We believe that, for many people, the meaning of life is affirmed through spirituality and we support that within the healing process.
• We welcome diversity and treat everyone with hospitality, respect, compassion, and dignity.
• We support staff members who work together in community.
• We believe that to be open and inclusive, we must pursue partnerships within the community.
• We strive for fiscal responsibility and excellence in business practices.