Alex Ragsdale, MA, AMFT 

Associate Therapist

Pronouns: any

“Love takes off the masks that we fear we cannot live without and know we cannot live within.” — James Baldwin

We have all developed protective parts and patterns that have supported us through difficult times, and therapy is about befriending and loving those protectors and re-integrating our vulnerable exiled parts so that we can be our true 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 our all 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. My approach is also informed by the wisdom of collective care and healing that I’ve learned from grassroots disability and racial justice movements.

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 insight and growth. You are the expert of your own life, and I match that expertise with unconditional nonjudgment, curiosity, and care. We heal in relationships, and therapy can offer relational healing wherever you are in your life.

I specialize in working from a relational, feminist, and person-centered lens. All relationships are welcome in the therapy space with me – whether they’re romantic, platonic, brand new, long-term, with others, or with parts of yourself. As a queer therapist, I often work with queer and trans folks in my practice. I am also passionate about working with neurodivergent people as individuals or in relationships.

I am a graduate of the Masters in Couple and Family Therapy program at Adler University. My therapeutic approach integrates attachment theory and emotionally focused therapy, collaborative therapy, and Internal Family Systems. I am also trained in the Gottman method for working with relationships, EMDR, and somatic therapy.

If any of this is resonating with you, I’d love to chat more about what it would look like to dive into the therapy process together. Reach out to me at alex@empoweredconnectionscounseling.com with any questions or to get started!

(312) 767-2057 x 1