About the Therapist

Mitchell West, MA, Professional Counseling Associate

Supervised by Fred Kane, C-4962

I’ve lived all over the western United States, but I grew up in Tigard (a city outside of Portland). I always knew I wanted to work with other people, but it took me until my early years of college to finally decide: I was going to be a psychologist. On the way there, I felt the call to be a chaplain before eventually meeting in the middle as a mental health therapist.

I always wanted to live in Central Oregon and finally moved to Bend in 2023. When I’m not working, I love being out in the Cascades (either bagging peaks or snowboarding) or at home with my family, which includes four kids. I’m both a homebody and an outdoor person, and I somehow find a balance between the two. (And if I’m not doing any of those things, I’m probably running. I hate running.)

I get where you're coming from.

I’ve battled my own mental health challenges and I have family and friends who have experienced their own. I’m a parent of several children and understand the serious challenge that parenting is, and I get what it’s like to carry additional burdens at that time. I’ve also tried working through my own faith crises on two different occasions, and I’ve had friends and family who have dealt with their own and found solutions that work for them but aren’t what mine are. My experience gives me better insight into what you’re dealing with, and I understand that we all have our own paths and destinations, so I never insist my way is better than yours.

Maybe you don’t resonate with parenting or faith struggles, and that’s okay. We all have things that we bear, and we often keep them hidden away, hoping others won’t see them or hoping they’ll resolve on their own. I’ve seen people at their best and people at their worst, and if we work together, I’ll give you the space to decompress and lend you the ear you’ve been needing. By the end of our time together, you’ll be able to handle things on your own with confidence.

Whether you need a place to mull over life stress, or you’re in the middle of something big that you just need to offload, or you simply need someone to talk to, I’m right here for you and I’m right there with you. Let’s get working on this together.

Here's how I go about therapy:

Honesty and Integrity

I value direct communication and am straightforward while still being compassionate. Integrity is central to my practice.

Compassion and Empathy

I listen to you. Not just the words you say, but the things you mean. I do not judge you or what you share.

Humor and Wit

Laughter connects us and breaks down barriers. Mixed with seriousness, it opens up conversation and eases fears.

And here's a little bit of my background, if you're interested:

Education

Graduate Work

MA Chaplaincy (Brigham Young University)
Unfinished MDiv (Harvard Divinity School)

Undergraduate Work

BS Marriage & Family Studies (Brigham Young University – Idaho)

Experience

Civil commitment investigator (Deschutes County)
Mental health therapist (BestCare)
Mobile crisis counselor for community, jail, and hospital (BestCare)
Youth and family case worker (Tueller Counseling Services)