Hey, you’re not alone in this
I’m Alexa, a therapist specializing in helping high-achieving professionals such as military veterans, first responders, healthcare workers, and therapists who are navigating anxiety, trauma, substance use, and insomnia.
Alexa Grossman, LCSW, LCAC, ERPSCC
Anxiety, Trauma, and Addiction Therapist
I offer in-person therapy in San Diego and online therapy across California, Indiana, & Ohio.
You’re here because pushing through isn’t working anymore.
Together, we’ll uncover what’s driving the stress and create lasting change that sticks.
You’ve done your best to push through, to keep moving even when the worry, anxiety, or sleepless nights don’t let up. And it makes sense, you’ve had to hold it together for everyone else. But those same patterns keep showing up, and it’s exhausting.
Therapy gives you a space to be real, to sort through what’s happening beneath the surface, and to start making changes that actually last.
What It’s Like to Work Together
I work with clients who are looking for more than just a place to vent. They want to understand what’s going on beneath the surface, make meaningful changes, and feel more confident and grounded in who they are.
My style is collaborative, direct, and compassionate. I’ll be honest with you, ask thoughtful questions, and offer tools that help. You don’t have to perform or have it all figured out. Just show up as you are, and we’ll work from there.
In our sessions, you can expect:
A space that’s real, not rigid. We’ll talk about what matters, without judgment or fluff.
Evidence-based approaches. I use EMDR, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), the Gottman Method, and Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP) when appropriate.
A balance of insight and action. We’ll explore the roots of what’s happening and also talk about what to do with that insight.
The people I work best with are insightful, motivated, and ready to go deeper. They’re often healthcare workers, therapists, first responders, military-connected adults, and high responsibility professionals who’ve been carrying a lot for a long time and want to do more than just get through the day.
Whether you’re feeling stuck, disconnected, burned out, or overwhelmed, I’ll meet you there and support you in finding your way forward.
You Deserve a Therapist Who Gets It
I’ve Been There Too
There was a time when I looked like I had it all together on the outside, but inside, it was a different story.
My mind rarely slowed down.
I was constantly juggling self-doubt, anxiety, and patterns I didn’t know how to break.
Like many of my clients, I perfected the art of pushing through, staying busy, and appearing fine while struggling deeply under the surface.
It wasn’t until I started doing my own healing work, through sobriety, therapy, and learning to understand the patterns that were keeping me stuck, that things started to shift.
That journey is a big part of why I do this work now.
As an Army Veteran, a person in recovery from alcohol, a late-diagnosed ADHDer, and a human with my own imperfect brain, I know how vulnerable it can feel to ask for help, and how powerful it can be when the support fits.
I bring that perspective into every session, combining clinical training with lived experience to create a space that’s honest, grounded, and collaborative.
My Approach is…
01
Individualized
My approach isn’t one-size-fits-all. I’m a real person in the room with you; curious, compassionate, and fully engaged in figuring out what actually works for you.
02
Real
The relationship matters. Therapy works best when you feel safe, understood, and supported. We build a trusting relationship intentionally as part of the process, so you don’t just learn tools, you feel real change taking root.
03
Evidence-based, tailored to you
I draw from EMDR, ACT, KAP, CBT-I, and the Gottman Method, and adapt them to your specific goals and values.
Therapy Where You Can Be Real
Clients describe me as compassionate, honest, and easy to be real with. Many of the people I work with are therapists, healthcare workers, first responders, veterans, and other high-responsibility professionals. You don’t have to translate the culture or soften your words with me. I get the world you work in, and I hold what you share with respect and care.
What makes me good at this work is that I know how to help people through the hard moments without making it feel clinical or cold. You can be unfiltered. You can be messy. I’ll be right there with you: Walking alongside you, asking thoughtful questions, gently challenging the stuck spots, and laughing at your sarcasm and dark humor. Therapy with me is a real relationship with someone who is ready to help you work through the hardest parts of your story without judgment or hesitation.
My Guiding Principles
Authenticity
I show up as a real person, not a blank slate, and I want you to feel safe doing the same. We’re both imperfect humans, and therapy works best when we can be honest and genuine with each other.
Humor
Healing can hold both serious work and laughter. We can do both in the same space.
True Healing
We’ll go beyond surface-level fixes to address the patterns, pain, and experiences at the root, so change is real and permanent.
Collaboration
We’re in this together. You bring your lived experience. I bring my training and perspective. We figure it out side by side.
Perspective
I help you see your experiences in new ways, uncover patterns you may not have noticed, and find possibilities for change that weren’t clear before.
Cultural Humility
I honor the diverse backgrounds and identities my clients bring, whether shaped by culture, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, neurodiversity, relationship structure, or lived experience. I approach your story with openness, curiosity, and respect, and I am committed to practicing with cultural humility and an awareness of how systemic factors impact mental health. I am an LGBTQIA+ affirming, neurodiversity-affirming, and polyamory-affirming therapist.
My Background
-
Bachelor of Science in Psychology
Purdue University
Major: Psychology
Minors: Law and Society, Military Science and Leadership (Purdue Army ROTC)
Master of Social Work
Indiana University
Concentration: Mental Health and Addictions
Licensure
Indiana
Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW): 34011499A
Licensed Clinical Addictions Counselor (LCAC): 87900078A
Ohio
Licensed Independent Social Worker (LISW): I.2506517
California
Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW): LCSW132397
-
EMDR
Trained in EMDR – EMDR Consulting
Certification in progress
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) – Dr. Russ Harris
Trauma-Focused ACT
ACT for Grief and Loss
ACT for Depression & Anxiety Disorders
ACT as a Brief Intervention
Military & First Responder Behavioral Health (Star Behavioral Health Providers)
Tier 1: Introduction to Military Culture and Deployment
Tier II: Overview of Military Service-Related Behavioral Health Challenges
Tier III: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I)
Tier S: Military-Connected Couples – An Intervention Model for Treating Infidelity
Tier S: PTSD Assessment Materials
Tier S: Sleep and Substance Use Disorders
Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP)
Trained in KAP – Journey Clinical
Gottman Method Couples Counseling
Level I and Level II
Treating Affairs and Trauma
Motivational Interviewing
Endorsement in Motivational Interviewing – Sandra Eskenazi Mental Health Center
-
NASW – National Association of Social Workers: The largest professional organization for social workers, committed to advancing professional standards, ethics, and advocacy for clients.
EMDRIA – Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing International Association: An international organization dedicated to advancing high standards in EMDR therapy training, practice, and research.
Certifications: In Progress
Emergency Responder and Public Safety Certified Clinician (ERPSCC) – Cordico: Specialized certification for culturally competent mental health care for emergency responders and public safety professionals.
Perinatal Mental Health Certification (PMH-C) – Postpartum Support International: Advanced training in assessing and treating mental health conditions during pregnancy and postpartum.
My Methods
-
A powerful method for processing trauma, anxiety, and distressing experiences.
EMDR helps your brain:
Reprocess memories so they lose their emotional charge
Heal without having to relive every detail
-
A practical, mindfulness-based approach that helps you:
Stop fighting your thoughts and feelings
Focus on what matters most
Build a life aligned with your values, even when challenges show up
-
Combines the therapeutic benefits of ketamine with the support of a trained therapist. KAP can help you:
Access deeper insights
Release stuck patterns
Create emotional shifts that may be hard to reach with talk therapy alone
-
A structured, A structured, evidence-based approach to retrain your brain and body for better sleep. CBT-I helps you:
Identify what’s keeping you awake
Shift unhelpful sleep habits
Restore your ability to fall and stay asleep without relying on medication
-
A research-backed approach to strengthen relationships by:
Improving communication
Rebuilding trust
Deepening emotional connection
We’ll focus on understanding each other better, managing conflict in healthy ways, and creating shared meaning in your relationship.
