I Work With People to Create Change That Lasts

If you’ve spent years thinking about your problems or working on them in therapy and still can’t change them, insight alone isn’t enough.

Alex Cohan, LPC-Associate — Therapist in Dallas, TX

Alex Cohan, MS, LPC Associate, NCC

Supervised by Erin Wysong-Warren, LPC-S, through the Institute for Relational Recovery, Dallas, TX.
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I became a therapist because I experienced first-hand the difference between therapy that just fills an hour and therapy that actually makes change.

When I'm working with you, I’m aware of what it takes for you to be here: the time, the money, and the mental and emotional effort. If you’re willing to do the work, I want to make sure you’re getting out what you're putting in. My goal isn't just to help you understand your problems; it’s to help you move through them and experience lasting, meaningful change.

What we do and how I think about it

I’m an experiential therapist. That means we aren’t just talking about your life; we’re working with what is happening inside you in real time.

Most people come in knowing something isn’t working, even if they don’t have a name for it yet, which is perfectly fine. Your motivation matters more than your clarity. What we’re looking for together is the emotional logic shaped by your past that is still running the show today.

The patterns you’re stuck in are here for a reason. Usually they show up as strategies that at one time were necessary to protect you from something your mind believed would be worse. I’m not interested in just "getting rid" of those parts of you. I want to understand the pattern well enough that we can resolve the underlying reason why it's there in the first place. We work to help what became unhealthy become something more adaptive and integrated with who are you are now.

How I run sessions

I’m always tracking where we’re going and why. If I don’t know why we’re talking about something, I’ll stop and ask. While catching up on your week has its place, therapy is more than just a conversation. I want to make sure we’re spending your time on the things that are actually moving you closer to your goals.

If at any point the work doesn't feel worthwhile to you, I won't take it personally. I’d rather you leave and know you can come back when the time is right than feel like you’re just going through the motions. This is your life and your goals; I’m here to work in service of you.

About me personally

I’m genuinely interested in the science of how the mind works. It’s endlessly fascinating to me that the brain is a physical organ studying itself, and that there is hard science and artistic nuance that work hand-in-hand to create effective therapy.

In addition to my clinical work, I develop AI systems for uses behavioral health settings and work as a wellness consultant for fraternities. I also train in martial arts, work on personal projects, and spend time with my partner and our cat. I came to this field because it sits at the intersection of scientific research, skill, and human connection. That’s what keeps me motivated to keep getting better.

Training & background

Education

MS in Counseling, Southern Methodist University — concentration in trauma studies

BA, University of Texas at Austin — Plan II Honors Program, minor in Kinesiology and Health Education

Formal Training

Coherence Therapy

EMDR

Enmeshment Treatment — Dr. Kenneth M. Adams Model

Also Informed By

Schema Therapy

IFS / Parts Work

Psychodynamic

Constructivism

Credentials

LPC Associate, TX #97785

Nationally Certified Counselor (NCC)

Clinical Experience

Individual therapy for adults with complex, long-standing challenges

Counseling in correctional setting (mental health and rehabilitation)

Group facilitation in IOP, outpatient, and sober living

Adults, adolescents, and families at the SMU Center for Family Counseling

Mental health consulting for fraternities and student organizations

Family-of-origin trauma intensives