Today we’d like to introduce you to Alexa Burdick MA, LPC.
Hi Alexa, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I truly think I have one of the coolest careers as a sex therapist. I wasn’t one of those kids who knew exactly what they wanted to be when they grew up, and my interests ranged from being a DJ to working at a zoo (still a dream if I am being honest!) My husband was in the military for over 10 years, so I have been a military spouse who has navigated moving cross country (a few times), new cities, new jobs and deployments and restarting every so often.
While we were living in Hawaii, I completed my BA in Psychology, and after a few moves I completed my Master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. I’ve worked in community mental health supporting mainly kids and teens who I adored, in addition to families involved in the legal system. I then moved to a group practice and began having the craving to continue learning.
While I was looking through scholarship opportunities for military spouses, I found a Sex Therapist training. I had learned in my clinical work that everyone has thoughts and feelings about sex, however I was never taught how to talk about it as a clinician in a therapeutic sense. I completed the program in addition to supervision and now I am a Certified Sex Therapist. I have a private practice located in Savannah in the Starland district focusing on sexual concerns, pleasure, nuerodivergence and self-esteem.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It has been a long road with some bumps along the way. I was very naive when I thought getting the degree means that I would be doing therapy right out of the gate. It takes about about 3-5 years to become fully licensed after national exams, supervision and clinical hours. Some struggles included very low pay, with a pressure to get your hours. As a newer therapist, I was working with higher- need clients and did not feel supported and did not know how to ask for support which is a systemic issue. I learned how to navigate insurance companies, in addition to marketing, billing, documentation, and overall operations. I am always expanding my therapeutic knowledge and skill set.
To become a Certified Sex therapist, there is also a rigorous time and financial investment. Sex therapy is not a super regulated field, so anyone can say they do ‘sex therapy’ without formal education and training. The program that I completed is recognized through AASECT (American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors and Therapists) and requires science-based training that is ethical and sex positive. I feel competent and confidence discussing sexual concerns that I did not previously.
Also, burnout is real! Last year, I had to drastically change my lifestyle and work-life balance due to my body showing significant distress. Thankfully, I was able to adjust workload, learn that rest is okay (well, I am still learning that but getting better), and have the support system while my body recovered.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Our Space Therapy is ran by my colleague Anna Ball, LPC and myself. Anna specializes in Somatic Experiencing. I specialize in sex therapy, neurodivergence, and stress management. Specializing in sex therapy means I am comfortable (and love) talking about sex- ranging from people who experience pain or performance anxiety to people who are exploring their identity and pleasure. A lot of what I do is provide education and normalize. In most sex-ed classes, pleasure is not discussed or explored at all. If you think about it, if someone is struggling with anxiety or depression, how is that impacting their sexual functioning and health? If someone is grieving, how is pleasure being experienced? Sex can change within relationships, and I am passionate about exploring what it can look like for others. I have worked with teens who are figuring out sex, and older adults who are figuring out pleasure in an older body, and everyone in between!
I really enjoy working with neurospicy adults who are diagnosed later in life. ADHD presents so differently in women (people pleasing, perfectionism, hyper-vigilance) and I love being able to validate people’s experiences. Autism can often look like depression, anxiety, trauma and so it crucial to have a complete understanding of how someone is struggling in a neurotypical world and develop tools that actually help.
I think what sets us apart as a business is our care and attunement to whoever we are working with. So many people don’t know how to slow down and feel their feelings, or have learned that it wasn’t safe to have feelings. I love being able to be a safe person and create a safe environment for my clients to be themselves and be met with curiosity. Many people think a therapist just “listens to people complain all day” but it is not that at all. I have had sessions where we look at car insurance because someone is aging off of their parent’s plan, or we go for a walk to practice mindfulness. I have had sessions where we yell out of the office window to speak it into existence. I have had sessions where we smash a pillow to let out frustration and anger in a healthy way. There is also so much healing in having someone hear and believe you.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
I would like people to know that therapy is not fun, or easy all of the time. There has to be effort, reflection and honesty with yourself outside of the session for therapy to have a difference. Of course, therapy can also be silly and goofy at times, and personally I love seeing pictures of a client’s new dog, or hearing about an awesome experience or seeing a new tattoo. Oftentimes people want their anxiety/distress to go away, when really the goal could be to tolerate and accept the emotion (and wait for new emotions to come). I love being a sex therapist and supporting my incredible clients and hope to for a very long time!
My favorite thing as a therapist is the magic that happens when someone feels their own growth, whether it is saying something out loud for the first time or having a hard conversation, or doing the thing that they have been putting off for 6 months that took 10 minutes. The beautiful thing about therapy is there are so many different approaches. I want people to know I connect with them as a human first, therapist second. I also would like people to know that I am not the therapist for everyone, however I truly believe there is a therapist for everyone. My therapist is nothing like I am, and yet I learn so much about myself in session with them. If it isn’t a vibe with the person, keep looking!
Pricing:
- $175 individual session
- $225 Couple’s session
- $100-$150 sliding scale
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.our-space-therapy.com/
- Other: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/alexa-burdick-savannah-ga/1269599
