Alex West, MA

He/Him

Supervised by Dr. Lindsay E. Vaughn

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Psychotherapy 

Somatic Experiential Therapy (SomExSM)

Veterans and First Responders​​​​

Hey, I’m Alex. I was born in South Africa and moved to Kansas City, Kansas when I was 10 years old. After high school, I joined the Navy and spent 20 years as a Navy SEAL, before retiring in 2018.  I have always been drawn toward helping people, and I have a core belief that every individual deserves to live the happiest and healthiest life possible. 

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I took my first step toward supporting the healing journey of others, in 2015, when I started the veteran non-profit One More Wave.  What began as an intention to provide wounded veterans with customized surfing solutions led to so much more.  The impact of being in community with others was quickly apparent, and we subsequently opened community chapters nationwide.  Today, One More Wave facilitates hundreds of surfing meetups every year, where veterans can experience healing together, made possible by their connection to the water and to other humans with shared experience.  In collaboration with the Hazel House Team, I hope to develop more opportunities for veterans, and others, to heal in community, through creative and intentional interventions, delivered skillfully, and through opportunities to simply connect with one another in a comfortable, supported setting.  

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My approach to counseling is person-centered, which means that I aim to offer a warm, non-judgmental, affirming space, where strengths are highlighted, all feelings are welcome, and interventions are tailored to my clients’ goals.  I commonly use techniques from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Motivational Interviewing, Somatic Experiential (SomEx) Therapy, and a variety of meditation, breathwork, and mindfulness practices.

My direct experiences of compound trauma and subsequent healing have led me to believe that it is never too late to heal, no matter what you might have been through.  I would be honored to discover, in collaboration with you, what your healing path might hold. Whether your experiences are very similar to mine, or completely different, the human connection and the safe container of therapy will hold us both through the process.