Alex Ragsdale, MA, AMFT
Associate Therapist
Pronouns: any
Contact info:
Education:
M.A. Couple & Family Therapy, Adler University
Internal Family Systems Level 2 trained
Gottman Method Level 2 trained
Additional training in EMDR and somatic attachment therapy
I work with:
Individual adults
Relationships
Families
Specialties: I specialize in helping clients with relationships with themselves or others, trauma and PTSD healing, anxiety and depression, adapting to life transitions, self-exploration and growth. I am also queer and neurodivergent and specialize in providing affirming, non-pathologizing care for LGBTQIA+ and neurodivergent folks.
Modalities:
Internal Family Systems
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
Intimacy from the Inside Out
Emotionally Focused Therapy
Relational Therapy
Collaborative Therapy
Narrative Therapy
Personal bio:
“Slowly is the fastest way to get to where you want to be.” — André De Shields
We have all developed protective parts and patterns that have supported us through difficult times. Therapy is about befriending and loving those protectors and re-integrating our vulnerable exiled parts so that we can develop self-compassion and be our most authentic selves. Therapy can also be an opportunity for liberation from dominant social narratives that don’t work for us as individuals or in our relationships. Integrating all our parts and divesting from those old narratives is more than just a cognitive unlearning process; it involves vulnerability and embodiment. The ongoing, often
intergenerational trauma of struggling against oppressive narratives exists in our minds and bodies, and I incorporate all aspects of the self that clients wish to bring into therapy.
We heal in relationships, and therapy can offer relational healing wherever you are in your life. Building a therapeutic relationship in which you feel truly seen and heard is the foundation of healing. I believe that we are collaborators in that process, creating an authentic, resilient relationship that supports your ability to delve into your internal world to find insight and growth. You are the expert of your own life, and I match that expertise with unconditional nonjudgment, curiosity, and care. I don’t have all the answers, and I invite you to bring your curiosity and questioning of the “right” ways to heal into therapy with me. I’m here to be in that process with you and figure it out together.
My worldview is also informed by the wisdom of collective care and healing that I’ve learned from grassroots disability and abolitionist movements. Divesting from carceral, ableist systems and forms of care is foundational to my work as a therapist. I practice this outside of my role as a therapist in volunteer restorative justice work and support of incarcerated people. Therapy is one way that we can take care of each other, and my hope is that it complements many others.
During our initial sessions, you can expect… compassionate curiosity about your context, your values, and what brings you to therapy. We will get to know each other and attune to what feels most comfortable and fruitful for our work together. I believe that building this therapeutic relationship is an ongoing process that we will collaborate on throughout our time together. If we are meeting via telehealth, you can also expect my two cats to cross the screen from time to time. :)