About Dr Alex West

Clinical Director/Senior Consultant/
Board Approved Supervisor

Our Clinical Lead/Senior Consultant, Psychologist and Board Approved Supervisor Dr Alex West has had an extensive career. Starting as a tutor and research assistant at ACU while completing her clinical Masters and PhD, she researched in the area of social psychology and relationships under the tutelage of Professor Barry Fallon.

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Alex took an opportunity to work with Corrections Victoria, working in a specialised area with a forensic population undertaking assessment and treatment, with the aim of rehabilitation of offenders back to the community. This is where Alex found her love of group therapy. Alex jumped at the opportunity to work with Victoria Police in 2008 and found her passion in supporting police and first responders.

Over fourteen years, Alex covered a lot of ground, from managing a large team to respond and provide support to police after critical incidents and high-risk events, providing executive advice as a subject matter expert, to designing psychological recruitment pathways, training, interventions and organisational reviews and mental health strategies. She also had the opportunity to work with a range of highly specialised policing areas (although is disappointed she never got to jump out of a helicopter!). Alex also developed and ran the first internal group therapy program of its kind for police officers to help manage the impacts of policing.

Alex was recognised for her contribution to mental health in Victoria Police, being awarded a Public Service Medal in the 2022 Queen’s Birthday Honours and Awards. Alex joined the team at Boutique Psychology in a role created specifically for her to allow her to join her two main areas of therapeutic passion, group therapy and first responders, and to continue to give back to the first responder community with the wealth of knowledge and skills she has.

Things I love to do

I love to travel and have had the opportunity to join my research and travel together. Presenting at international conferences across the globe (links to some of my research titles). I can be found on the weekends, with coffee in hand, at the local book shop scouring the shelves for adventurous holiday ideas before cross referencing conferences to attend! I’m also a true crime tragic. I’m discovering the new opportunities that work/life balance has.