Richard West, LMHC

Richard West is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) based in Washington who focuses on practical help for everyday struggles. He supports people dealing with stress, anxiety, addiction, trauma, anger, depression, and life transitions. He aims to make the first step feel less daunting and more manageable.

He uses a blend of approaches to match what each person needs. Sessions center on clear goals and straightforward strategies. Richard helps clients identify unhelpful patterns, try new skills, and track small changes that add up over time.

Richard emphasizes respect, sensitivity, and compassion in sessions. He listens closely and adapts conversation and plans to each person's situation. That might mean practicing coping skills, working on communication, or looking at painful experiences at a pace that feels doable.

Over nine years of practice, he has worked with many concerns including relationship and intimacy issues, grief, parenting stress, career worries, and complex medical or caregiving challenges. He also addresses attachment, abandonment, blended family dynamics, and chronic illness challenges when they come up.

Sessions are available in English and are offered through a range of online formats. Richard favors a collaborative approach where clients set the agenda and he offers tools and guidance to reach those goals.

How therapy approaches translate to online sessions

Richard commonly draws on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Client-Centered Therapy in his online work. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy focuses on identifying unhelpful thoughts and testing small behavior changes to reduce symptoms like anxiety or depression. Client-Centered Therapy emphasizes listening, empathy, and shaping sessions around what matters most to each person.

Finding the best approach is part of the work together. He will talk with clients about their goals and preferences, then try methods that fit their needs. If something isn’t helping, he adjusts the plan so the sessions stay practical and useful.

Online formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging. Video is useful for face-to-face conversation and skill practice, while phone can be an easier option when bandwidth or camera use is limited. Live chat and text messaging let people check in between sessions or have shorter, focused conversations when that fits a schedule. These options give flexibility for work, caregiving, or health constraints and make it simpler to keep therapy consistent.