My name is Alex Spare (he/him), and I’m a licensed professional counselor in Centennial, CO. I view therapy from a trauma-informed, relational/cultural perspective, which means that I believe external factors often influence thoughts, emotions, and behaviors, and that individuals grow through meaningful connections with others. Isolation, either from the authentic self, other individuals or the dominant culture/s, can be a source of problems but can also become leverage for individual and social change. I view counseling as an authentic, collaborative partnership between people. All individuals are experts in their own lives and possess the ability to move toward awareness, acceptance, and connection. The counselor’s job is to be an authentic and empathetic guide for such work.

I often help people sort through and reprocess complex developmental, psychological and cultural trauma when it contributes to the symptoms they present. I am EMDR trained and working toward EMDRIA certification with an EMDRIA-certified supervisor. I have experienced the effectiveness of EMDR as both a therapist and a client, and I am dedicated to helping people manage traumatic experiences by reprocessing memories that seem “stuck.”

Furthermore, I am a musician and long-time writing teacher. I am interested professionally in how music, experiential learning, and creative writing intersect with my clinical work in ways that both build the therapeutic alliance and help clients gain insight into themselves and their relationships. 

Personally, I’m a married father of 4. My children range in age from 3 to 20, which also gives me plenty of perspective when it comes to young people. I love skiing, backpacking, golf, cooking, reading, playing the guitar, and experiencing as much live music as I can.