Alex is a bilingual licensed clinician with experience working with adolescence, transitional aged youth, and family systems in underserved populations. Prior to joining the Cohen Clinic at VVSD family, Alex was a crisis response clinician serving individuals throughout San Diego County involved in severe mental health circumstances, providing stabilization interventions and/or transporting these individuals to community agencies that provide higher level of care.
As a clinician at Cohen Clinic at VVSD, Alex’s treatment philosophy focuses on systemic and client centered perspectives of military service members and their families in outpatient settings. Utilizing Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Structural Family Therapy, Motivational Interviewing and Trauma Informed Care therapeutic models and techniques in addressing functional deficits and providing clients with the coping skills to live satisfying and healthy lives.
A retired U.S. Navy Mustang of 20 years, Alex hales from Miami, FL and began his service at 32nd Street Naval Station, San Diego onboard the USS John A Moore FFG-19 for five years, conducting three deployments and multiple exercises. His next duty station was at SIMA, Mayport in Jacksonville, FL where he was selected to the enlisted commissioning program and attended the University of North Florida where he doubled majored earning bachelor’s degrees in history and international studies.
Upon graduation, he transferred to Pensacola as a student naval aviator and upon completion of training reported to VP-40 “the fighting marlins” out of NAS Whidbey Island, WA; where he completed two deployments to Iraq and participated in various exercises flying the mighty P-3 Orion. His next duty station was JIATF-West at PACOM, Honolulu, HI, where he served as a training liaison officer for countries in Oceana and Southeast Asia collaborating with host nation officials, U.S embassy agencies, and SOF trainers. For his final tour of duty, he was deployed to Djibouti, Africa and served as international relations manager between U.S. forces and the nations of Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, and Burundi.
Coming full circle, Alex returned to San Diego in 2013, and during his retirement transition discovered a family member was diagnosed with a mental health disorder. This was the catalyst and inspiration to learn more about mental health and change the paradigm of his professions, earning a Master of Arts degree in human behavior from National University followed by a Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy from Alliant International University.
“What resonates with me about the Cohen Clinic is that it’s like coming home, I needed time away from the military fold to understand transitioning back into civilian community. Now that I have a confident clinical skillset, I can serve those that serve in capacities I never thought possible, it is an honor,” Alex said.
In his leisure, Alex enjoys spending time with family and friends, taking on projects in the garage requiring welding, fabrication and using a whole lot of tools. He also enjoys nature, hiking, kayaking, and camping as much as possible.