LGBTQQIP2SAA+
Affirmative
Conscious Counseling Services
Individual Counseling
All services are currently virtual only.
-
Alex uses individual counseling to work with a person to identify personal struggles and goals and create change. Alex values the therapeutic relationship and honors the individual needs of each person. Alex uses a holistic model of therapy, recognizing the person as a whole and incorporating physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual exploration and tools.
-
Individual counseling is appropriate for any adult seeking a supportive environment to explore emotions, relationships, behavior and thought patterns. Individual holistic counseling can act as a catalyst in creating and maintaining healthy change.
-
The concept of Acceptance is woven throughout the counseling experience with Alex. Using principles from Mindfulness, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Rational Emotive Therapy, the Wellness Model of Health, Cognitive Behavior Therapy, Humanistic Therapy, and Impact Therapy, Alex helps to create an individual plan to increase consciousness and create change through Awakening, Connection, and Integration of the inner Self.
-
Mindfulness, meditation, breath-work, written exercises, and guided visualizations are tools that are used to help individuals gain a deeper understanding of themselves and to foster growth through increased self-awareness.
-
Alex values self-care and helps individuals to better understand and create self-care practices in their lives.
-
While Alex understands diagnosis, she does not base the counseling experience on treating a diagnosis. Using the Wellness Model, holistic counseling steps away from the medical model and focuses on healing from, as well as prevention of, dis-ease
Sex Therapy
-
The World Health Organization defines sexual health as “…a state of physical, emotional, mental and social well-being in relation to sexuality; it is not merely the absence of disease, dysfunction or infirmity. Sexual health requires a positive and respectful approach to sexuality and sexual relationships, as well as the possibility of having pleasurable and safe sexual experiences, free of coercion, discrimination and violence. For sexual health to be attained and maintained, the sexual rights of all persons must be respected, protected and fulfilled.” (WHO, 2006a)
-
Alex fully supports, affirms, and celebrates any and all sexual and gender identities: LGBTQQIP2SAA+
-
Sex therapy can include an extremely wide range of sexual health issues, including but not limited to anatomy specific sexual disorders (such as Erectile Dysfunction, Premature Ejaculation, Female Orgasmic Disorder, Dyspareunia, etc.), intimacy issues within a relationship, sexual function and performance concerns, arousal and/or pleasure issues, problems related to desire and/or pain, gender and sexual orientation, etc.
-
Alex may refer to a physician or pelvic floor specialist for an exam, depending on the symptoms. Often, a medical exam is needed to rule out possible causes. Pelvic floor specialists may provide further information, as well as physical tools that could aid in reducing intensity of symptoms.
-
Sex therapy can be applied to an individual or couple. Sometimes, Alex may ask to invite the partner to the therapeutic process.
-
Sex therapy can provide the space to exhale and talk about a basic part of ourselves that we often shy away from. It can also be graphic, explicit and at times, challenging. It may take a willingness to be uncomfortable in order to move forward and reduce overall suffering.
Clinical Hypnosis
-
Alex is trained in clinical hypnosis through the American Society of Clinical Hypnosis.
-
All hypnosis is self-hypnosis. You will be in control the entire time and will not (can not) be forced to see or do anything that you do not want to.
-
During hypnosis, Alex will elicit a trance-like state in order to invite you to work toward goals and/or behavior or thought changes using suggestion. You are not sleeping during trance, rather your inner awareness is intensified, paving the way for subconscious work.
-
Trance can be very similar to meditative states, as well as mindfulness practices. Most of us have experienced a form of hypnosis in our day to day lives. Driving and not remembering how you got from Point A to Point B, becoming completely immersed in an activity, daydreaming, etc.
-
Hypnosis can be used for a wide variety of concerns and can be used to treat any issue you would bring to therapy including physical, emotional, psychological, behavioral, and cognitive concerns. This lists includes, but is not limited to: smoking cessation, worry, habit changes, increased self-esteem, performance enhancement, fears and phobias, eating disorders, sexual functioning, healing, pain management, gain understanding of core beliefs and/or issues, migraines, sleep disturbances, sensitivities, stress, motivation, healthier living, etc.
-
Often, hypnosis can provide results much quicker than traditional psychotherapy, though some issues, including weight loss and trauma, can take longer than 1-3 sessions.
EMDR
​
-
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a therapy practice, grounded in research, for trauma. Alex specializes in trauma and recognizes the impact that these experiences can have on an individual, even years later. EMDR is used to help individuals process traumatic events. This is a non-invasive healing approach to trauma.
-
The website below offers a research overview of studies involving the effectiveness of EMDR in treating trauma.
​
Relationship Counseling
Alex applies many of the same values to relationship counseling as individual counseling, the difference being the relationship is the focus.
Sometimes relationship counseling will solely involve the couple being present for all sessions. Sometimes, Alex invites each person to individual counseling. This can be used to simply help gain perspective of the issues and/or to increase background information of the individuals so that the therapeutic process can be more effective.
Sometimes, Alex may refer one or both individuals to individual counseling. This is not punishment, rather an opportunity to work on oneself, in order to form a healthy unit.
Skill building is often the focus. Fighting in the session will not be tolerated, as this is an ineffective use of time.
Relationship counseling is not necessarily marriage counseling. Sometimes people seek “marriage counseling” and ultimately the focus is on how to end the relationship in the healthiest manner for all involved.
Alex is open to all varieties of relationships, including those considered “alternative.”
Workshops (Local and Virtual)
​​​
-
Designed around self-care, mindfulness-based stress reduction, burn out, conscious living, conscious communication, conscious relationships, sexuality, hypnosis
-
Can be customized for a specific topic
​​
​
Alex Saunders
Alex is devoted to offering conscious creations to feed your Self, awakening you to the light within.
Alex uses counseling to work with each person to identify struggles and goals and create change. Alex values the therapeutic relationship and honors the individual needs of each person. Alex uses a holistic model of therapy, recognizing the person as a whole and incorporating physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual exploration and tools.
For local counseling services, Conscious Counseling Services accepts
​
-
Medicaid
-
Healthy Montana Kids
-
Healthy Montana Kids Plus
-
Blue Cross Blue Shield
-
Aetna, Allegiance
-
Pacific Source
-
United Healthcare
-
First Choice
-
Montana Health Co-Op
​
If you are located outside of Montana (or are seeking hypnosis therapy only), a cash rate will be required. Rates are $150 per 50 minute session. If your insurance is not listed, please contact as there is a possibility we may be able to accept additional healthcare, though we are unable to accept Medicare. Cash or check is also accepted, as well as venmo and paypal. A sliding fee scale may be available. Let's talk about your options.