ALEXIS BARKER, LMHCA · SPOKANE, WASHINGTON
Therapy for a life that feels true to you, not just one that looks successful.
In person in Spokane, online across Washington. For people doing well on the outside and struggling underneath it.
Free 15 minutes
A call before you commit to anything
Most insurance
Checked for you before your first session
In person or online
In Spokane, or anywhere in Washington
Individuals and couples
Plus groups, for adults and elders
Burnout
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Anxiety
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Grief and loss
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Trauma and PTSD
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Depression
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Couples
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Life transitions
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Self-esteem
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Substance use
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Burnout / Anxiety / Grief and loss / Trauma and PTSD / Depression / Couples / Life transitions / Self-esteem / Substance use /
01 / WHERE MOST PEOPLE START
Does any of this sound familiar?
None of it means something is wrong with you. It usually means something is asking to be looked at.
You are successful on paper and exhausted underneath it.
Something happened years ago that you have never really put down.
You can manage everyone else's feelings but not your own.
You keep having the same argument with someone you love.
Volition means the power to choose. Most people arrive feeling like their life is happening to them.
The work is getting close enough to the pattern that choosing becomes possible again.
02 / WHAT WE WORK ON
Counseling for the things actually keeping you up.
Adults and elders. Individuals, couples and groups. If what you are carrying is not listed, ask anyway.
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Anxiety in high-functioning people often hides inside competence. You get everything done, and pay for it at 2am. We look at what the worry is protecting you from, loosen the grip of perfectionism, and give your nervous system a way to come down that does not depend on everything being finished. Often includes: generalized anxiety, panic, overthinking, work stress, perfectionism and sleep.
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Depression rarely looks like sadness from the outside. More often it is flatness, a shorter fuse, or finding that the things you used to enjoy now feel like chores. We work on what keeps the low mood in place, whether that is a harsh inner critic, isolation or years of putting yourself last, and build small, steady ways back to feeling like yourself. Often includes: depression, low motivation, self-esteem, emotional regulation and shame.
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Some things do not fade on their own schedule. Whether it is a single event, something that happened over years in childhood, or a loss that still catches you off guard, we go at your pace. Safety and stability come first, and nothing gets opened up before you have the tools to hold it. Often includes: PTSD, childhood trauma, grief and loss, and betrayal.
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For couples, we slow the argument down enough to see the pattern underneath it, then practice different ways of approaching the underlying issues. For individuals, we look at the attachment habits and boundaries you bring into every relationship, including the ones at work and with family. Often includes: couples counseling, communication, boundaries, attachment patterns and family conflict.
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A new role, a divorce, an empty house, a retirement. Even changes you chose can leave you unsure who you are on the other side. This is space to grieve what is ending, get clear on what you actually want, and make the next decision on purpose. Often includes: life transitions, career decisions, parenting, retirement and questions of purpose.
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No labels required and no ultimatums. Whether you want to cut back, stop, or understand why a habit has become harder to put down, we work from where you are, using motivational interviewing and practical relapse-prevention planning at a pace that suits you. Often includes: cutting back, recovery support, relapse prevention and habits that no longer serve you.
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Experiencing discrimination, whether based on race, sexuality, gender, disability, or identity is a quiet, ongoing drain on your energy. It forces your system into constant vigilance, checking environments for safety while carrying the weight of systemic microaggressions and marginalization. We create a grounded space to process the pain, anger, and fatigue of navigating biased systems, helping you unburden what isn't yours to carry, reconnect with your intrinsic worth, and rebuild internal safety on your own terms. It often includes systemic oppression, microaggressions, racial trauma, LGBTQ+ identity stress, code-switching fatigue, and minority stress.
03 / HOW IT WORKS
Starting is the hard part. Here is all it takes.
No commitment and no pressure. Just a short conversation to see whether we are a good fit.
STEP ONE
A free 15-minute call
Tell me what is going on, in as much or as little detail as you want. I will be straight with you about whether I am the right fit.
STEP TWO
Your first session
We map what is happening now, what sits underneath it, and what you want to be different six months from now.
STEP THREE
The work itself
Usually weekly or every other week, in person in Spokane or online anywhere in Washington.
04 / MEET YOUR THERAPIST
Hi, I'm Alexis.
Before becoming a counselor, I spent years in the fast-paced world of Corporate America. I know what it is like when the life you built looks right from the outside and feels wrong from the inside.
My job is to help you see the pattern clearly enough that choosing becomes possible again. I am collaborative, practical and direct, and we build tools you can actually use on a Tuesday afternoon, not just talk about in the room.
I am supervised by Kathrane Ignacio (LH00011379).
LMHCA, Washington State · Adults and elders · Individuals, couples and groups · In person and telehealth
05 / HOW WE WORK
Evidence-based methods, shaped around you.
No single model fits everyone, so I draw on several to help you find the tools you need.
ACT · CBT · DBT · Solution-focused · Attachment-based · Motivational interviewing · Narrative · Family systems · Culturally sensitive
Sessions and formats
Individual therapy
Couples counseling
Group sessions
Free 15-minute consultation
INSURANCE
Most major insurance accepted.
Not sure whether your plan is covered? Send me the name and policy number on your card and I will check before you book anything, so you know where you stand from the start.
06 / COMMON QUESTIONS
Before you reach out.
Still unsure about something? Ask it on the free call. There is no wrong question.
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You do not need a diagnosis or a crisis to qualify. If something in your life keeps costing you sleep, energy or closeness with people, that is enough of a reason. The free call exists so you can find out without committing.
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I accept most major insurance plans. Send me your name, name of your insurance and policy number on your card and I will confirm your coverage before your first appointment, so there are no surprises once we start.
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Yes. Sessions are available online anywhere in Washington State, as well as in person at the Spokane office. You will need to be in Washington during online sessions, because that is where I am licensed.
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We spend about an hour getting a clear picture of what brought you in, what you have already tried, and what you want to be different. You do not need to prepare anything or know exactly what to say. By the end, we will have a rough plan for how to work together.
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It depends on what you come in with and what you want from it. Some people come for a focused stretch of a few months, others stay longer. We review progress together regularly, and you are always free to change the pace or stop.
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Yes. I work with individuals, couples and groups, with adults and elders. Couples work focuses on communication and on the patterns underneath the arguments that keep repeating.
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I have two locations that I work out of. Thursday mornings I support North Spokane in the Northpointe Medical building. On Tuesdays and Wednesdays I am in a South Hill office. Both locations offer ample free parking.
Ready when you are. No pressure either way.
Fifteen minutes on the phone, free, no obligation. If I am not the right therapist for you, I will point you towards someone who is.
Please don't include health details here. This form is not monitored for emergencies. If you are in crisis, call or text 988, or call 911 if you are in immediate danger.