Alex Yang
Licensed Professional Counselor in Idaho and a Professional Counselor Associate in Oregon
Alex is a Licensed Professional Counselor in Idaho and a Professional Counselor Associate in Oregon. While she lives in Boise, she can also meet virtually with clients who reside in Oregon. Alex earned her Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees through Corban University in Salem, OR. She received special education in the ethical incorporation of clients’ spirituality, faith, and religion into therapy, whether that be for clients who identify strongly with their faith or those who need to process dilemmas or trauma resulting from their experiences with religion. Prior to BCC, Alex provided therapy at a shelter for women and children experiencing homelessness, substance use disorders, and domestic abuse, at a college counseling center, and in her own private practice. She aspires to become a Certified Sexual Addiction Therapist with the help of the impressive team here at BCC.
In addition to the specialty areas mentioned, Alex also addresses general mental health including: self-improvement and self-discovery, life skills, anxiety, depression, and trauma.
Codependency, Boundary Issues, Workaholism, Compassion Fatigue, New Parents
Whether you’re a caregiver at home, at work, by personality, or all of the above, it can be extremely difficult to find a happy medium between caring for others and respecting yourself. Sometimes it can feel like you have to pick one or the other, and since you’re such a caring person, you rarely pick yourself!
But if you’re reading this, you’ve probably started to realize that this isn’t a sustainable way to live. Perhaps you’ve started to notice not-so-little feelings of resentment toward the people you love, the organization you work with, or your co-parent, wishing they would reciprocate and acknowledge the effort you put in. While you pretend not to need help or to have any feelings, deep down you feel alone and wish someone would take care of you for a change.
Did you know that your tendency to give until it hurts developed for a good reason? In fact, everything you’ve been doing, however frustrating, has helped you survive until this point. But you don’t want to just survive, you want to thrive, and these behaviors no longer fit with the life you envision for yourself.
I can help you explore and understand the original purpose for these behaviors. I will listen, really listen, to your experiences, needs, and feelings. I will help you find that happy medium so you can continue being a rockstar caregiver that ALSO knows when and how to say yes/no, has mutually supportive relationships, and is comfortable and secure being you.
Unwanted Substance, Behavior, or Sexual Issues
Do you ever feel confused and discouraged by your own behavior? Have you ever asked yourself, “Why do I keep doing the exact thing I don’t want to do over and over again?” Has your behavior gotten to the point where the pain of changing is outweighing the pain of staying the same?
Jeff VanVonderen describes “The Shame Cycle” as one of three loops:
The Try Hard Cycle: Engaging in unwanted behavior, feeling guilty and ashamed, trying very hard to change, only to find yourself back in the behavior all over again.
The Give Up Cycle: Engaging in unwanted behavior, feeling guilty and ashamed, but never trying to change because you don’t believe you can.
The Rollercoaster: A back and forth between 1 and 2!
Whatever cycle you find yourself in, the shame you feel is our number one target. Because even though your behavior may be causing problems, the real issue is not the behavior itself, but the thoughts, emotions, experiences, needs, and unprocessed memories driving your behavior. Thus, the way to change needs to go deeper than just trying to change your behavior. With curiosity and compassion, I can help you learn the purpose of your behavior through exploring it in the context of your unique life story. Once you can understand when, how, and why your behavior began, you can begin to heal. Work with me & experience the internal transformation that leads to changed behavior, restored relationships, and abundant life.
Perinatal Issues, Birth Trauma, Infertility, Pregnancy/Infant/Child Loss
Matrescence is a term coined by Dana Raphael to describe the immense changes that a person undergoes when becoming a mother. During the process of becoming pregnant, growing a baby, giving birth, and learning to help a baby eat, sleep, and emotionally regulate, the changes that a person experiences happen on every level: biological, physiological, psychological, social, and beyond. Recently, a study found that brain volume fluctuates during pregnancy and doesn’t return to the previous state even after 2 years postpartum! Not to mention the additional changes and challenges that occur when these processes don’t go as expected, such as in the case of stillbirth, miscarriage, or medical complications for parent and/or baby.
Due to the all-consuming nature of having a new baby, experiencing loss, or struggling with the invisibility of difficulty conceiving, these changes can be so challenging to spot and process alone. Sometimes further complications can sneak up, such as postpartum depression, anxiety, mood disorders, and more.
If you’re finding yourself feeling tossed at sea since becoming pregnant, giving birth, losing a baby, struggling to conceive, having an abortion, or anything similar to these issues, I would be honored to provide a safe space just for you to navigate these waters. Even if everything went according to plan, the changes you’re undergoing are significant enough to sort through and consolidate as you navigate a new way of life. I am more than willing to be flexible, so bring your baby with you, nurse/pump/feed during session, or set up a telehealth appointment from the comfort of your own home.
License and Credentialing Info
Idaho LPC 10446
Oregon R6913
Supervisor Julie Myers
American Counseling Association Member since 2018