Alex Neinast, LCMHC-A, CRC
Therapy for teens and adults in Durham and via telehealth
Welcoming new clients!
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Alex Neinast (she/her) is a licensed clinical mental health counselor and certified rehabilitation counselor (CRC) in North Carolina - one of few therapists in the Triangle area who holds both credentials. She specializes in working with teens and adults navigating life transitions, disability, chronic health conditions, and questions of identity and meaning. Many of her clients are adjusting to a new diagnosis, managing the emotional weight of chronic illness, moving through a major career or life change, or sitting with deeper questions about who they are and how they want to live.
Areas of Support
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Life transitions - career changes, relocation, loss of role or identity
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Disability and chronic health conditions - adjustment, grief, and self-advocacy
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Identity development and self-concept
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Anxiety, emotional uncertainty, and stress
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Substance use concerns and harm reduction
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Spirituality, existential exploration, and meaning-making
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Adults navigating burnout, including career changers and professionals
Approach
Alex's approach is collaborative and integrative, grounded in the belief that you are inherently whole and deserve to live a life of integrity, on your own terms. She draws from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), psychodynamic perspectives, and integrative methods tailored to each client — balancing understanding with practical application. Therapy often focuses on developing insight, strengthening resilience, and building tools that support long-term well-being.
Sessions may include identifying unhelpful thought patterns, clarifying values, strengthening emotional awareness, and building strategies for navigating transitions with greater steadiness and self-trust. Alex’s style is reflective and collaborative, creating space for both exploration and forward movement.
Background
Prior to entering the mental health field, Alex spent a decade working in STEM. She went on to earn her MS from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's Clinical Rehabilitation and Mental Health Counseling program. Alex's own lived experience with disability and existential exploration has meaningfully shaped her clinical perspective and her deep commitment to working with clients navigating similar terrain.
Outside the Office
As a central Texas transplant, Alex loves exploring the mountains and beaches of North Carolina. She lives with her partner and cat in Chapel Hill, where she finds fulfillment in tending to her garden, taking on low-stakes art projects, and reading too many books at once.
