Hello! Hello! My name is Mrs. Alexus Samuel-Lopez, but I go by Lexi. I am a Clinical Mental Health Counseling Intern currently pursuing my Master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Liberty University. I earned my Bachelor’s degree in Behavioral Healthcare from the University of South Florida, with a concentration in Children’s Mental Health and a minor in Applied Behavior Analysis.

I enjoy working with children, adolescents, adults, and families, helping clients navigate emotional, behavioral, relational, and life challenges in a supportive and encouraging environment. I believe therapy should meet each person where they are, while helping them develop greater self-awareness, build confidence, strengthen relationships, and learn healthier ways of coping with life’s challenges.

A significant area of my experience is working with children ages 3–12 and their families. With younger children, I especially enjoy incorporating play therapy and developmentally appropriate approaches to help them express emotions, process difficult experiences, build confidence, and develop healthier ways of coping. Children often communicate through their behavior and play before they have the words to fully explain what they are thinking or feeling. My goal is to create a space where children feel safe, understood, and supported.

I also enjoy working with adolescents and adults through the different challenges and transitions that can arise throughout life. Therapy may focus on concerns such as anxiety, depression, stress, self-esteem, emotional regulation, relationships, family conflict, school or work challenges, life transitions, and developing healthier coping skills. I strive to create a comfortable, nonjudgmental space where clients can talk openly about what they are experiencing, better understand themselves and their patterns, and work toward meaningful change.

My professional background includes working with individuals involved in the child welfare system, as well as those with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), developmental disabilities, behavioral concerns, anxiety, depression, emotional regulation difficulties, and trauma histories. My background in Applied Behavior Analysis also helps me look beyond behavior to better understand what may be contributing to it and identify practical ways to support positive change.

When working with children and adolescents, I strongly believe that supporting parents and families can be an important part of the therapeutic process. In addition to individual therapy, I offer parent education sessions designed to help parents better understand their child or teen’s emotions and behaviors, strengthen parenting strategies, establish healthy and developmentally appropriate boundaries, and feel more confident responding to challenges at home.

I also offer family therapy sessions when bringing family members together may be beneficial. Family sessions can focus on strengthening relationships, improving communication, navigating family transitions, reducing conflict, and helping family members better understand one another. Depending on each family’s needs, treatment may include a combination of individual therapy, parent education and support, and family sessions.

Above all, I want my clients to experience therapy as a place where they can be themselves, feel heard, and recognize their own strengths. Whether I am working with a young child learning to understand big emotions, a teenager navigating growing independence, an adult facing stress or life transitions, or a family working to reconnect, I consider it a privilege to walk alongside my clients as they build resilience, strengthen relationships, and find HOPE.

Outside of counseling, I enjoy kayaking, hiking, spending time outdoors, and being with my family. I am married to a wonderful husband, and together we are raising our two boys, Jaxon and Maddox, along with our fur baby, Rocky.

Specialties:

• Play Therapy (3+)

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

• Anxiety, Stress, Anger, and Emotional Regulation

• Trauma-Informed Care

• Self-Esteem & Confidence

• Life Transitions & Adjustment

• Relationships & Interpersonal Concerns

• Parent Education & Support

• Family Therapy

• Behavioral Concerns

• Autism & Developmental Disabilities

• Depression & Self-Harm

Meet “Mrs. Lexi” 🎙️

Want to get to know Mrs. Lexi a little better? Listen to our Early Career Spotlight, where Dr. Frey sits down with Lexi to talk about her journey into the mental health field, what inspired her, and the heart behind the work she does today.

Listen to Mrs. Lexi’s Early Career Spotlight: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2466524/episodes/19676743