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My name is Jonathan West and I am a licensed clinical social worker. During therapy, I believe it is important to take a client-centered approach towards addressing any presenting issues. You know you best and I will be a tour guide in helping to overcome any obstacles.
My approach
I take a client-centered approach where you are in the driver's seat. I see myself as the navigator in being able to get you where you need to go but it is up to you push the accelerator. I utilize a variety of different theories to navigate such as solution-focused, motivational interviewing, CBT, and DBT to name a few.
My focus
I have typically worked with populations such as Native Americans, at-risk youth, senior citizens, and those experiencing grief. I am more than willing to help navigate a variety of different issues including depression, anxiety, trauma, grief/loss, relationship and attachment difficulties, career challenges, religion/spirituality, self-esteem, 12 step recovery, etc. I tend to stay away from short-term, crisis interventions as I recognize that I need time to build trust to be beneficial in crisis situations. I also recognize that couples counseling is not my strong suit.
My communication style
I tend to be fairly light-hearted and easy-going, able to go with the flow. I like to spend 5-10 minutes discussing rapport and trust building topics at the start, then start to discuss the more difficult things. Whatever the situation demands, I am able to mirror the client.
My journey to mental healthcare
I have always enjoyed serving other people. I was able to work with at-risk adolescents in a non-therapeutic position in being able to help reframe their perspectives and allow them to enhance their lives in meaningful ways. That experience pushed me down the path to wanting to learn better ways and means to serve others and make lives and relationships better than they were before therapy. I truly believe that the adversity and difficulties one experiences can be the opportunities to grow stronger, more resilient, and build healthier, happier relationships.
My goals for you
My approach to goal setting is providing each client with the agency to choose what it is they want to work towards. Goals do need to be measurable and achievable in order to show progress and enhance motivation.
My first session with you
Each client should expect to spend time building trust and rapport with each other to ensure that the therapeutic relationship is a good fit. If it is deemed as such by both parties, we will start to go over the primary presenting issues and what each client would like to get out of therapy and what goals they would like to achieve for themselves.
