Hi! I'm Dr. Alexandra Benoit, and I'm so glad you're here!
I am a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW), and I hold a Master’s degree and Ph.D. in the field of social work.
I completed my doctorate at Louisiana State University (Go Tigers!!), focusing on child, infant, and toddler development, and social emotional development in child care center environments. I received my Master of Social Work (MSW) degree from Tulane University in New Orleans, and my Bachelor’s degree from Nicholls State University in Thibodaux, LA. I am also alumni of E.D. White Catholic High School in Thibodaux, LA.
I have worked as a child and adolescent therapist and researcher in the field of mental health in both private practice and agency settings for eight years. I've worked providing therapy in early childhood clinics as well as outpatient therapy to children and teenagers, as well as working closely with parents, caregivers, and families to provide support. I've also worked as a consultant to daycare centers, helping directors and teachers improve the quality of care to the children in their classrooms.
Currently, I provide online tele-therapy to residents of Louisiana, where I am licensed to provide treatment. I am continuing to treat children, adolescents, and families, as well as young adults, parents, and postpartum/maternal mental health.
I live and practice in Louisiana!
I hail from the cajun, bayou country of Southeast Louisiana. I grew up in Lockport, LA, and after living, going to school, and working in New Orleans and Mississippi for several years, I am now back along the bayou, living in Thibodaux, about an hour south of New Orleans. My French last name, Benoit, is pronounced 'Ben-wah'. I also come from a long line of French names: Bourgeois (Booj-wah), Breaux (Broh), & Blouin (Bloo-ehn).
As a clinical social worker (LCSW), I am licensed to provide therapeutic services to residents of Louisiana.
I've always known I wanted to help people
And I felt strongly compelled to work for children and their families.
Here's me graduating with my Master's degree in social work from Tulane University in NOLA and graduating with my Ph.D. from LSU during the pandemic!
And two years ago, I began the biggest adventure of all:
MOTHERHOOD
In December, 2018, just before Christmas, we welcomed our son, John Wells Benoit, into the world, our family, and our hearts. He is the most special and precious, he amazes me everyday, and I feel so honored to get to be his Mom. For me, entering motherhood has been the most powerful, transformative, humbling experience of my entire life, bar none. From the hardest moments of labor and delivery, to the first time I held him in my arms, through the trying newborn days, and every day since then, I have been on an incredible journey of personal growth. I have experienced love, joy, and hope in my heart like never before, but also fear, exhaustion, anxiety, sadness, and despair like never before (sometimes all in one day, or even one hour!). Every moment of motherhood has been an opportunity to choose to go a little deeper, love a little harder, be a little more present, give a little more (okay, a lot more), and show up no matter what. And this experience has, absolutely without a doubt, broadened my view and expanded the lens through which I see my work with children, families, and parents.
The postpartum journey is challenging, and mine was no different. I, myself, was diagnosed with postpartum depression, and underwent the process of healing over several months. While every mother’s experience is different, and no two are exactly alike, I can at least now say that I have a deep, first-hand understanding of the heartbreak, pain, and scariness of that experience which I had heard parents and mothers describe to me for so long. And the reality is, it’s so much more common than you realize, and it’s absolutely not talked about enough. If you’re reading this and find yourself in a similar spot, please know you are not alone. And now, having made it to the other side, my journey through that time has emboldened my passion to help support other mothers and parents moving forward in the ways I can.
We love to travel, get out in nature, and spend time with Journey, Our sweet REscue Dog
