Alec Borgen

I am inspired by Viktor Frankl’s notion that “[t]hose who have a why to live, can bear with almost any how.” I derive a deep sense of meaning in my own life from helping others access their own freedom. It is why I do this work.

Before becoming a therapist, I earned my JD from UC Berkeley School of Law and worked as an attorney representing people serving life sentences in California state prisons. That work gave me a firsthand understanding of what it means to sit with people facing some of the most difficult circumstances a person can face: indefinite confinement, isolation, meaninglessness, daily trauma, and a despair that change might not even be possible. I saw how, even in such an inhospitable environment, offering a genuine, supportive, and honest relationship could allow hope and freedom to grow.

I am drawn to working with people who feel trapped in their own lives, whether that feeling comes from external circumstances or from internal forces much harder to see. I feel honored to help people find their way to more authentic, meaningful, and free lives.