Alexandra Arbogast
Specializing in Phone and Video Sessions
Vegan Psychotherapist and Life Coaching
My Background and Approach
Alexandra Arbogast, LICSW, LCSW-C, C-IAYT, NBC-HWC
Alexandra Arbogast
My Background
My calling as a therapist and coach began with my own healing journey.
I like to say that I was both blessed and cursed to hit rock bottom at a young age. As a teenager in my last few years of high school, I started suffering from debilitating anxiety, panic attacks, bulimia, depression, and a nicotine addiction. I regularly skipped school and isolated myself in my room in front of the TV. I had zero self-esteem and my mind was plagued by fear and self-hatred. It was no way to live. I had always been a happy, social, and well-adjusted kid. How had I gotten to this point?
The answer to that is complex and actually not that important. What is important though is how I got better. My parents sent me to a therapist who was luckily a great fit. What I learned there was more important than any class I ever took in school. I learned how the mind can either be your best friend or your worst enemy. Through a combination of causes, mine had become my worst enemy. Through working with my therapist and incorporating mindfulness, breath, and self-kindness practices, I was finally learning how to make it a friend.
This realization and the unfolding transformation (while it took time) was so positive and profound that I hungered for more. Over the next few years, I continued to get therapy, established a regular meditation and yoga practice, and adopted a plant-based diet. As I found greater peace of mind, regained my health, and developed confidence in myself, I had more to give back. I got involved in service work and advocating for the rights of oppressed people, animals, and the earth. I realized that self-care is not selfish. When we are at our best, we have more to give.
In my third year of college, I had an epiphany that clarified my vocation and career path. I was in Cuernavaca, Mexico doing service work. One evening, I was meditating on a rooftop balcony underneath an electric blue sky and it came to me like a lightning bolt from heaven. All of the sudden I understood that personal transformation and societal transformation are connected. It is through healing our own minds and hearts and through becoming healthy and happy that we are able to spread kindness and compassion in the world. Lasting social change begins within. I determined then to become a holistic healer and to help people the way I was helped.
Since 2005, I have been blessed to provide healing, coaching, and therapy to thousands of individuals. Much of this has been through full-time positions within hospitals and organizations serving first-responders (military, police, and caregivers) where, since 2010, I have had the amazing opportunity to create, implement and coordinate several holistic wellness and resiliency programs and serve as a mind-body therapist and wellness coach. Helping humanity to heal, transform, and grow is a great honor and primary purpose of my life.
My Approach
My credentials include being a Licensed Clinical Social Worker/Psychotherapist (in Washington D.C. and Maryland), Nationally Certified Health & Wellness Coach, Certified Yoga Therapist, Certified Mindfulness Meditation Teacher, and Certified iRest Yoga Nidra Meditation Teacher. I have completed trainings in many diverse, holistic modalities that inform my work (eg. somatic experiencing, polyvagal theory, etc.). My approach to healing, therapy and coaching is integrative, strengths-based, and mindfulness-based. I draw from both eastern and western psychology in my understanding of the mind and the process of healing and growth.
I offer mindful presence, compassionate support and intuitive, knowledgeable guidance. I am trained and experienced in several evidence-based healing modalities to help you optimize your health and wellbeing. The main ones are listed below:
Polyvagal-Informed Therapy: Based on Polyvagal theory, originated by Dr. Stephen Porges, which provides an understanding of how and why the functioning of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) is at the root of many of our physical and psychological symptoms and how to work with it for healing, growth, and well-being. Learn more here and here.
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy: A therapeutic modality that brings attention to thoughts and explores their connection to emotions and behavioral patterns. Involves techniques to transform limiting thought patterns. Learn more here.
Mindfulness-Based Therapy: An approach to therapy that emphasizes the practice of mindfulness. Mindfulness involves paying attention to one’s present moment embodied experience in a non-judgmental and curious way. Practicing and cultivating mindfulness leads to many positive health outcomes such as improved self-awareness, insight, coping, connection, compassion and wisdom. Learn more here and here
Mind-Body Medicine: Includes a range of holistic modalities that are based in the understanding of the “mind-body connection.” This means that our mind (thoughts and emotions) can positively or negatively impact our physical health and vice versa, that our body (what we do with it and how we treat it through such things as movement, nutrition, breathing, and rest) can positively or negatively impact our mental health. Learn more here.
Positive Psychology: An approach to improving psychological well-being that focuses on connecting with and cultivating positive mind-body states such as joy, gratitude, compassion, and post-traumatic growth. Learn more here.
Yoga Therapy: The adaptation of yoga practices such as postures, breathing techniques, meditation, and relaxation strategies to help with mental and physical health challenges. Learn more here.
Self-Inquiry: The primary method in yoga through which self-realization, the realization of our true nature beyond mind and body, is achieved. Learn more here.
iRest Yoga Nidra: A research-based, transformative practice of deep relaxation and meditative self-inquiry that has been shown to effectively support the healing process through a broad-range of populations. Learn more here.
Somatic Experiencing: A body-oriented approach to the healing of trauma and other stress disorders. Learn more here.
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