Meet Alex Sotelo, CMHCI, at Gold Counseling in Draper, UT

Alex began her academic journey at a community college in her hometown in California, where she explored a range of subjects, including cultural anthropology, psychology, and communications. Throughout this time, one theme remained constant: a deep interest in understanding people, their surroundings, and their experiences. Although she initially felt guided toward a business path, she found herself drawn more toward human connection than corporate structure.

After completing her general education, Alex transferred to the University of Utah with the intention of pursuing accounting. However, it quickly became clear that this direction did not align with her passions or strengths. She shifted her focus and earned a Bachelor of Science in English, a path that allowed her to further develop her appreciation for storytelling, communication, and the complexity of human emotion. 
 
Following graduation, Alex spent about a year reflecting on her next steps, knowing she wanted a career centered around meaningful, one-on-one connections. With encouragement from a close friend, she began to seriously consider becoming a therapist. As she explored the field of counseling, everything began to fall into place. It felt like a natural and authentic fit – one that aligned with both her personal values and her longstanding interest in getting to know others.
 
She went on to pursue a Master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, a decision that confirmed she was on the right path. Today, she is grateful to work with individuals in a way that supports growth, healing, and self-discovery. Her goal is to help each person she works with move toward becoming the best version of themselves in a supportive and collaborative environment.

Alex’s professional path has been shaped by meaningful, hands-on experiences, working with individuals navigating some of life’s most challenging and transformative moments. While attending community college, she began teaching a yoga class centered on building a supportive community for sober-minded individuals. Through this work, she developed a deep understanding of addiction – not only the impact of the disease itself, but also the human experiencing it. This experience solidified her passion for supporting individuals facing addiction, as well as those impacted by a loved one’s substance use.
 
In addition to her work surrounding addiction and recovery, Alex is especially passionate about supporting women through the complexities of life’s transitions and emotional challenges. She strives to create a space where women feel seen, heard, and empowered to explore issues related to relationships, self-worth, anxiety, identity, trauma, and personal growth. Alex approaches therapy with warmth, compassion, and authenticity, believing that healing begins through connection, self-understanding, and the ability to feel safe enough to show up as one’s full self.
 
More recently, Alex has volunteered with foster youth, an experience that has provided profound insight into connecting with children and teens in the foster system. This work has strengthened her ability to build trust, foster meaningful relationships, and offer a steady, supportive presence for young people navigating complex family dynamics. Alex has found particular fulfillment in working with adolescents and young adults who are processing difficult family relationships, loss of self, or seeking greater stability and understanding.
 
She also enjoys working with couples who are experiencing challenges within their relationships. Whether navigating betrayal of trust, feeling disconnected, or considering separation, she is passionate about helping couples explore their options and move forward with clarity and intention. Her goal is to support partners in finding a path that aligns with their values – whether that involves rebuilding the relationship or separating in a healthy, constructive way.
 
Across all areas of her work, Alex is drawn to individuals seeking growth, healing, and a deeper understanding of themselves and their relationships. She strives to create a space where clients feel seen, supported, and empowered as they move forward.

Alex is a graduating student in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, with training in counseling theories, ethics, human development, multicultural counseling, and trauma-informed care. Her clinical experience includes providing supervised individual counseling to clients facing concerns such as anxiety, depression, relationship challenges, and substance use. 
 
She takes a collaborative, client-centered approach, drawing from evidence-based practices to support each individual’s unique goals and experiences. Her training has also emphasized cultural awareness and working with diverse populations. 
 
Alex is particularly interested in supporting individuals impacted by addiction, adolescents and young adults navigating family challenges, and couples working through relationship difficulties. As she enters the counseling field, she is committed to ongoing growth and providing compassionate, ethical care. 

Alex prioritizes her own mental health through consistent daily practices that help her stay grounded, present, and fulfilled. Each morning, she begins her day by journaling to check in with myself, reflect on her thoughts and behaviors, and set a mindful tone for the day. Alex also incorporates movement into her routine through working out and practicing yoga, both of which support not only her physical health but also her mental clarity and emotional balance. 
 
In addition to these structured habits, Alex makes it a point to set aside time for activities she genuinely enjoys, such as knitting. While she values taking care of her physical needs, she also sees the importance of nurturing personal growth and creativity. Making time for learning, hobbies, and moments of enjoyment allows her to stay connected to herself and maintain a sense of balance and fulfillment in her life.

In her free time, Alex enjoys knitting with her local club, experimenting with new baking recipes, and sharing her creations. She loves spending time outdoors walking her dog, watching hockey, football, or basketball, keeping up with reality TV, and exploring local shops and new places in her community, all of which bring balance and joy to her life.

My therapeutic approach is grounded in the belief that much of therapy is about re-remembering who we are beneath the stories we’ve learned to tell ourselves. I draw from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and trauma-focused/narrative approaches to help clients explore the thoughts, emotions, and experiences that shape their sense of self.
 
I believe we are more than the narratives we carry, especially those formed through pain, trauma, or long-standing patterns of thinking. In our work together, I support clients in gently unpacking these stories so they can begin to understand themselves with greater clarity and compassion. I also pay close attention to how experiences are held in the body and nervous system, recognizing that healing often involves creating a sense of safety both emotionally and physically.
 
Ultimately, my goal is to help clients. Reconnect with themselves in a way that allows for greater freedom, meaning, and presence in their lives.