Connie Alexander
Hello! I’m Connie, a Licensed Professional Counselor in the state of Pennsylvania. I have worked in the field for 20 years in a variety of roles. I am experienced with a wide range of clinical areas, including Autism, ADHD, Anxiety, Trauma, Anxiety, and Depression. You are the expert of your life.
I am experienced with a wide range of clinical areas, including Autism, ADHD, Anxiety, Trauma, Anxiety, and Depression.
Beneath the barriers, you have the capacity to connect with your authentic wants and needs. I can guide you to increase your understanding of your authentic-self and increase your confidence to achieve these goals. I would love the opportunity to work with you, but more importantly, I hope you find a therapist that is a great fit.
First session
During the intake session, we will discuss what areas of further treatment focus will be most beneficial to you. I often start therapy with CBT as groundwork to build a vocabulary and mutual understanding of some of the basic human psychological components. We will sort through rooted and repetitive patterns that may no longer served you. I will also provide copious psychoeducation about potential diagnoses and the foundations of the coping skills so that you feel knowledgable in advocating for your needs. It is my goals to teach a client multiple concrete techniques within the first few sessions that can be use independently whether they decide to continue with therapy. I often follow with a mindfulness approach. Mindfulness can be difficult to define, but it is the state of moving towards awareness and acceptance. We still feel negative emotions, but we are not as disturbed or consumed by them. Often, a client will start to notice the ability to move towards anxiety provoking situations that they previously found unbearable. As confidence grows, so will your ability to continue to face further areas of challenge in your life. Through grounding techniques, we can learn to make our internal world into a place of refuge when we experience anxiety and anger. I will also train you to redirect your attention away from thoughts about specific stressors and to your nervous system, where much of the enduring anxiety management tends to occur.
Strengths
I'm energetic and knowledgeable. I am deeply passionate about helping others navigate their challenges and uncover their true selves. Authenticity is an integral part of every session, as I create a safe space where clients feel heard, understood, and valued. I believe that genuine connections foster healing, and I strive to build trust by being open and relatable. I invest time and effort into understanding their unique experiences and needs. I continually seek professional development to enhance my skills and stay informed about the latest therapeutic practices. This commitment ensures that I provide the best support possible, guiding my clients on their journeys toward growth and self-discovery.
Ideal clients
I enjoy working with a wide range of people but my specialized strengths tend to be with the Neurodivergent population, especially those who have experienced trauma. Many neurodivergent individuals seem to process trauma in ways that don’t always fit into the trauma mold. I enjoy working with a wide range of ages, including adults, children, and teens. I enjoy working with families and individuals.
Treatment methods
Mindfulness-Based Therapy
My connection to mindfulness started as a professional experience that evolved into a personal one. As I was exposed to mindfulness through education and trainings, I found myself being drawn to the techniques, ideas, and the calmness it temporarily gave me. I marveled that a seemingly abstract technique could have so much evidence-based research touting its ability to enhancing positive states, while alleviating many negative states. As I sought more information about mindfulness, the information became repetitive in the professional realm. I turned to the original sources, exploring ideas of Buddhism and its connection to mindfulness and meditation. Mindfulness is now an essential component of my life. While I'm brimming with enthusiasm, my path took time and there are many gentle and easy ways to approach mindfulness without dedicating yourself to mindfulness as a way of life. Before mindfulness, our mind is often where we cultivate and intensify our experiences of anxiety and anger. In the moments that we are not stuck in thoughts of planning, fantasizing, and obsessing, we find the center of ourselves. We can learn how to make our internal world a home where we can seek refuge when we experience anxiety and anger.
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
I often start therapy with CBT as groundwork to build a vocabulary and mutual understanding of some of the basic human psychological components, primarily thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. This process begins to reveal patterns related to self-limiting belief systems. I find that providing structure and education components early on may take some pressure off of a person to spontaneously share in the beginning process. This is often helpful in reducing anxiety for clients that are new to therapy or have had negative past experiences.
Trauma-Focused CBT
Building on general CBT, I have specialized training in Trauma-Focused CBT. The basic principles of CBT are adapted to treat PTSD and other trauma presentations. This form varies in that a person will learn a lot about trauma and coping skills before sharing much detailed information about their experience. Then with guidance in how to use the coping skills, the person will share their trauma story and then process related maladaptive belief systems, often tied to intense self-blame and shame.
Eclectic
Finally, I would describe my style as eclectic because I’m focused on the individual’s response rather than a prescribed process. I have gathered numerous techniques from multiple modalities that I combined with each other to tailor the experience to the person’s needs including Motivational Interviewing, Somatic Therapy, DBT, IFS and more.
Location
Virtual sessions