Alex Stewart

What led you to become a counselor?

Hi, I’m Alex. I’m a therapist at Optimum Joy. I became interested in becoming a counselor because it seemed like that was the role that I was playing for my family and friends a bit. I ended up supporting them and helping them navigate through issues in their lives. And the other reason I feel like that counseling became an interest of mine is because of my own mental health struggles and not having someone to help me through those. Being able to step into that role for others who feel like they maybe can’t find someone that understands them or sees them is really important to me.

What is your favorite thing about being a therapist?

My favorite thing about being a therapist is when the fire finally catches. So I kind of think of therapy as gathering the tools that you need for a fire. So you’re getting wood and you’re getting brush or leaves. And sometimes you have matches or a fire starter. But even if you have something that guarantees you can make a fire, the environment has to be a certain way.

So even when you have matches or a fire starter, the conditions have to be correct. So there can’t be too much wind, there can’t be too much dampness or water in the air for you to start the fire. But then those conditions are perfectly right when the client figures out who they are, or they have this moment where it just feels like they’re coming into their own. And they build that confidence and the spark catches. And so I think that’s probably my favorite thing about being a therapist.

What do you enjoy doing in your free time?

Outside of the office, I like to write in my free time. So I write mostly poetry, but also do some fantasy fiction stuff. And I just enjoy to get the creative juices flying. And I like metaphors and bringing those into the therapy room as well. So they kind of play off of each other.

What brings you joy in the therapy room?

Something that brings me joy in therapy, I think is just connection and being not only honest myself, but witnessing the client have a space where they get to be honest with themselves either about the things that are going on in their life or just self discovery. I think honesty is something that’s really hard to come by in day to day when we’re working and going through the motions. And so slowing down and getting to just really get down to the nitty gritty of self is something that brings me a lot of joy.

Which populations are you most passionate about working with?

I’m open to working with a lot of different populations, but a population that’s really important to me is emerging adults. I really like coming alongside those who are stepping into adulthood for the first time and navigating boundaries and who they are and things like that. I also like working with women, BIPOC communities and queer communities. Working with BIPOC and queer communities is important to me because I identify in those communities. And I think as someone who has struggled to find a clinician to work with that understands my identities, being able to step into that role for others is something that’s really rewarding.

What would you say to someone who is hesitant about counseling?

If someone was hesitant about counseling and wondering if it was for them, I think I’d tell them that counseling is for everybody. You’re always going to get something out of it, even if it’s not what you completely intended to get out of it. I think that it’s a space for exploration and you’ll find out something that you didn’t know before, whether that be about yourself or the situation that you’re in or even somebody else in your life if you’re focusing on them.