Practitioner record · Checked 9 Oct 2026
David West has been in practice 6 years and is licensed in South Carolina. David lists stress, Anxiety, trauma and abuse and anger management among 14 subjects on the BetterHelp roster.
Everything below is either quoted from David's own BetterHelp listing, taken from public licensing records, or written by Maker Therapy and labelled as such. Nothing here is an availability promise, a review, or a rating.
01 · Who David works with
David lists 14 specialisms. Specialisms are the subjects David chose to list first, which is the closest a listing gets to “this is my actual practice”.
02 · In David's own words
Reproduced in full and unedited - not summarised, not tightened, not rewritten in a house voice.
Welcome! I'm a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in the state of South Carolina. I received my master's degree in social work with a speciality in working with adults and families from The University of Alabama in 2012. I've worked in both outpatient clinic settings as well as inpatient hospital settings for the VA hospital system and in community mental health. For the past 2 years I have coordinated a college outreach/counseling program which has extended my clinical experience to not only adults with families, but young adults as well. During my professional career I have had the opportunity to work with individuals experiencing difficulties in a wide variety of mental health concerns including depression, anxiety, trauma, substance abuse, grief, as well as relationship issues and family turmoil. While my primary position has been working with veterans I have also had the opportunity to work with teens as well in various settings. I've served on multiple committees related to the development and implementation of treatment methods and I believe I have a good understanding of the most effective treatment options for a variety of emotional struggles.
My treatment approach starts with helping the individuals I work with establish a good comfort level with me. I believe that showing my clients they have my unconditional positive regard and respect is the best way to begin a trusting and healthy treatment relationship. It is important to me to help those individuals I work with begin to identify positives about themselves and utilize these strengths to begin to overcome the struggles and barriers life has given them. I am certified in various treatment modalities that provide me with the ability to treat multiple issues in ways that result in proven success. I make an effort to be warm and open with those I work with in hopes that the environment is as welcoming as possible and fosters good/positive dialogue each and every session. It is important to me that my clients feel we are progressing toward better emotional stability so I will always ensure clear goals and guidelines are established by the client to guide us along our journey together. What is most important to me as a provider is that the client has as much control as possible in the treatment setting. It is not for me to decide what another person's treatment goals should be; I fully believe in patient centered care.
In terms of availability, I check and respond to messages multiple times daily. I am available for sessions at nearly any time between 8am-6pm during week days, but can absolutely work with later appointment times or weekends if this is what works best for clients. I completely understand that jobs, family, and other life issues can get in the way of scheduling appointments during "regular hours" so I want to do all I can to provide the help needed whenever it is needed.
I look forward to working with you!
David West, on the BetterHelp listing · read 9 Oct 2026
03 · What happens next
David practises through BetterHelp, so the route in is BetterHelp's. This is that sequence, written by Maker Therapy from the platform's published process - not a description of David's own practice, and not a promise about how quickly anything happens.
BetterHelp opens with a set of questions about what you are dealing with, what you want from therapy, and any preferences on the therapist. You are not booking David at this point.
BetterHelp matches algorithmically by default, so asking for David is a step you have to take. There is a field for requesting a specific therapist during sign-up, and you can switch afterwards from your account. Starting from a link on this page does not by itself assign you to David.
You will be offered somebody else rather than put on a waitlist. Worth knowing, because it is easy to assume a match is the person you asked for.
A first session is typically history and orientation: what brought you, what has been tried, what you want to be different. It is also where the questions in the next section belong.
Changing therapist on BetterHelp does not need a reason. A first session that does not click is common and is not a verdict on therapy. That option existing is the main practical difference between a platform and a private practice.
04 · Before you commit
Built from what David actually lists, so they are answerable and specific rather than generic. Maker Therapy's, not David's - David has not seen them and is under no obligation to answer any of them.
“How do you decide when someone is ready to work on a traumatic memory itself?”
Pacing is the biggest safety question in trauma work. A clear, unhurried answer here matters more than any credential.
“How do you handle the gap between sessions if something comes up?”
On BetterHelp this varies a great deal by therapist. Better to know the rhythm now than to discover it on a bad week.
05 · Practical details
06 · Provenance
David's name, credential, state, subjects, approaches and biography are read from BetterHelp's therapist roster, which Maker Therapy re-reads once a day; this page reflects the reading taken on 9 Oct 2026. The licence number and NPI are cross-checked against public registers.
The plain-English method descriptions, the first-session walkthrough and the questions are written by Maker Therapy and labelled as such wherever they appear.
Maker Therapy is not BetterHelp, does not take bookings, and has not met David. There are no reviews or ratings on this page because we have no way to verify one. If you start therapy through a link here, we may be paid a commission - it does not change your price and it does not affect who appears here or in what order.
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