Wes Easley

WES EASLEY LMFT, DAAETS, CWT, EMS, VPD ret.

MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELOR-WCSO

Wes Easley has never taken the easy path in life—unless you count jumping out of airplanes with the 82nd Airborne Division an easy path. As a former Crew Chief/Gunner on Blackhawk helicopters and a paratrooper, Wes learned early on that life is best experienced at high speeds and from high altitudes.

After hanging up his parachute, he traded the open skies for the streets, serving as a law enforcement officer with the San Francisco Sheriffs Dept. and Vallejo, CA Police Department. His career in law enforcement was anything but typical, moving from high-stakes roles such as Emergency Services Unit operator and Hostage Negotiator to Drug Recognition Expert, Firearms Instructor, and Anti-Terrorism HAZ-MAT Unit member.

Wes’ law enforcement career took a dramatic turn when an arrest gone wrong led to him falling from a second-story balcony—a choice he made rather than firing his weapon in front of children. The resulting spinal injury eventually led to his medical retirement.

But Wes’ story doesn't end there. After leaving law enforcement, he chose to dive deep into the psychological trauma faced by those on the front lines, becoming a clinician specializing in the treatment of first responders and the Special Operations Forces community. As the co-founder of Brief and Strategic Counseling Services, he works closely with former members of Naval Special Warfare, U.S. Army Special Forces, and Air Force Special Operations combat teams, providing therapy and support to those who, like him, know the weight of wearing the uniform. His unique career trajectory—from combat to cop to clinician—provides him with a perspective that few others can offer.

Today, Wes serves as the embedded therapist for the Washoe County Sheriff's Office, overseeing their peer support program and leading Peer Support Team International, a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to supporting first responders worldwide. He is also a member of the American Psychological Association and a Diplomate of the American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress (DAAETS) Certified in War Trauma (CWT). He has taught critical thinking at Dominican University, and crisis intervention and mental health resources to first responders at Santa Rosa Junior College. Today he continues to teach workshops and give lectures on PTSD, secondary trauma, critical incident stress response and reduction, psychological health, and mental health first aid, among other topics.

Easley is currently creating a curriculum for the state of Nevada to develop a culturally competent mental health workforce capable of addressing the unique mental health challenges faced by first responders. This pilot program aims to train mental health clinicians to effectively understand and treat police officers, firefighters, and other emergency personnel who often experience high levels of trauma, stress, and related mental health issues.

A self-proclaimed introvert with a penchant for the outdoors, Wes enjoys the quiet moments away from the chaos—a stark contrast to his action-packed past. When he's not working, he's a devoted father to two adult children and husband who finally got it right the second time around. With a dark and dry sense of humor, Wes approaches life with the belief that the best therapy is sometimes just a good laugh, especially when life has thrown you from airplanes and a balcony.