Counselor in San Diego, CA

Alexa Hall, LCSW

Specializing in Chronic Overwhelm, Anxiety, Difficult Life Experiences, and EMDR Therapy

You’re Tired of Living in Survival Mode.

Everything feels overwhelming.

Portrait of a woman with curly hair smiling against a black background.

Alexa Hall, LCSW (CA #131070) | Licensed Clinical Social Worker | Advanced EMDR Training | Member, NASW & CSCSW

As a Counselor in San Diego, I help adults who feel overwhelmed, anxious, and disconnected after trauma learn how to feel grounded and safe again in their bodies and their lives.

Worry is always humming in the background. Your body stays tense. Even when you try to slow down, or exercise, or even just go for a walk, you feel like you're body never releases.

Your mind will not shut off. And you've tried all the meditation, journaling, and deep breathing you can stand.

Sleep is hard. It's either restless, uncomfortable, or interrupted by bad dreams and racing thoughts.

Getting through the day takes everything you have. And the idea of having a self-care routine sounds like more work.

By the time the day is over, there is nothing left for you or the people you care about.

You’ve lived through difficult experiences

Whether that was something sudden or something that lasted for years, your nervous system may still be stuck on high alert. Even when life is relatively calm, your body and brain do not feel safe. You might feel disconnected, on edge, or exhausted from constantly pushing yourself to get through the day.

If this resonates, you are not broken. Your system adapted to push through.

How I Approach Counseling

I’m Alexa Hall, LCSW, a Counselor in San Diego, California.

My work centers on somatic approaches to help you feel safe and regulated in your body. I use effective and proven methods, like Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) and Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT), in sessions to help you get to where you want to be.

Therapy with me is clear and structured.

Safely paced to support real change without forcing you to relive painful experiences. Many clients tell me they feel relieved after the first session, knowing they are not carrying everything alone anymore.

I also offer online therapy throughout California and EMDR intensives for those seeking focused, accelerated healing.

Ways I Can Support You

Feeling stuck or overwhelmed? Learn more about the support that may be right for you.

Difficult Life Experiences

Overwhelm & Anxiety

Military & First Responders

Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy

EMDR Intensive Therapy

Online Therapy in California

Start Working With a Counselor in San Diego Today

You Don’t Have to do this Alone.

Image of two people sitting at a table drinking coffee or tea together. Hands and ceramic mugs are the focal of this image. This image represents the ease and safety one experiences in therapy with Alexa Hall, Counselor in San Diego.

By the time most people call me, they've been pushing through exhaustion and numbness for years, functioning but barely feeling present in their own lives.

Many arrive convinced they're failing at work, relationships, or just life in general, when in reality their nervous system has been working overtime for a long time.

If you're struggling with anxiety or feeling stuck in a life transition, unprocessed trauma is often what's underneath, and that's exactly what I work with.

Therapy is a place to slow down and feel supported. We start where you are, move at your pace, and work together to shift you out of survival mode.

In person and remote options for Counseling in San Diego, CA

 

FAQs about Counseling in San Diego CA

  •  I provide counseling in San Diego, CA at Trailstone Therapy, where I specialize in trauma and anxiety for adults and older adults. I use Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) and Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT), two evidence-based approaches, to help clients move through difficult experiences and build lasting skills for managing anxiety.

  • Yes, I serve clients throughout the San Diego area, including La Mesa, Mission Valley, and El Cajon as well as across California. If you are wondering whether your location works, I am happy to talk through the options when you reach out for a consultation.

  • I am an in-network provider (I accept) the following insurances: Medicare, Aetna, & Aetna EAP.

    My private pay rate is $200 for a 50-minute session. I have a limited number of sliding-scale spots (based on financial need/application-based). I also have extended sessions; inquire directly about rates.

    Please reach out directly for current fee information and to ask about insurance or payment options. I want to make sure you have a clear picture of the practical side before we get started, so I encourage you to bring any questions about cost to our initial consultation.

  • The Trailstone Therapy office is located in a private suite within a quiet professional building in the Mission Valley area, conveniently situated near the I-8 and I-15 freeways.

    Address:
    4025 Camino del Rio South, Suite 320
    San Diego, CA 92108

    Before your first session, I will help you set up your patient portal through a secure, HIPAA-compliant electronic health record system. You will be asked to complete several questionnaires about your history, current concerns, and goals for therapy. Completing these forms beforehand helps us make the most of our time together during the initial appointment.

    I recognize that everyone has different strengths, abilities, learning styles, and comfort levels with technology. If completing online forms is difficult or inaccessible for any reason, please let me know. We can work together to find an alternative approach that feels more supportive and manageable for you.

    The first session is 90 minutes long to allow ample time for us to get to know one another and discuss what brings you to therapy. We will explore the challenges you have been facing, your personal history, and what you hope to gain from our work together. There is no pressure to share more than you feel ready to discuss.

    My goal is for you to leave the session feeling heard, understood, and with a clearer sense of how therapy can support you moving forward. Therapy is a collaborative process, and the first session is an opportunity for both of us to determine whether we are a good fit for working together.

  • I use EMDR, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, a structured, evidence-based therapy specifically designed for trauma. I've completed Advanced EMDR Training and have invested in ongoing expert consultation to deepen my practice, because I care about using approaches that are actually proven to work, not just what sounds good. Beyond EMDR, I have additional training in trauma-informed clinical social work practice, which shapes how I approach every aspect of the work.

    EMDR works by helping the brain reprocess stuck memories, the ones that still feel present even when they're years in the past. Rather than requiring you to talk through everything in detail, it uses bilateral stimulation (eye movements, tapping, or audio tones, depending on what feels right for you) while you hold a memory in mind. Over time, the memory loses its charge. It doesn't disappear, but it stops running your nervous system.

    I follow evidence-based EMDR protocol closely because my clients deserve an approach that is proven to work.

    In addition to advanced training in trauma treatment and EMDR, I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW #131070) in California. You can verify my license status directly through the California Board of Behavioral Sciences.

  • Yes, supporting older adults through age-related transitions is a core part of my work at Trailstone Therapy. Whether you are navigating retirement, health changes, loss, or shifting family roles, I offer a space to process those experiences with someone who takes them seriously.

  • It can, and I work with adults at all stages of that journey. Using CBT, or Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, I help clients understand the patterns driving their anxiety and develop practical tools to interrupt them. Long-standing anxiety is something I am experienced in working with, and real change is possible.

Schedule a free consultation Let's talk about what's bringing you to counseling in San Diego, CA, and whether Trailstone Therapy feels like the right fit for you.