Lex Fanopoulos

Lex believes youth who feel safe and understood are more capable of healing, learning, and building resilience.

At Headwaters, Lex leads the development and implementation of residential treatment services to support youth navigating complex emotional and behavioral challenges. His background includes medical social work and experience in youth crisis centers and psychiatric inpatient hospitals. He is a licensed social worker who has provided mental health counseling to adolescents and adults. 

His clinical philosophy is rooted in Polyvagal Theory and the role of the nervous system in emotional regulation, safety, and healing from trauma. Lex has contributed to a treatment model to help youth understand how their bodies respond to stress and develop regulatory strategies.

Before his career in behavioral health, Lex served for more than 10 years as a police officer. This experience shapes his understanding of trauma, crisis response, and community safety.

Lex values partnering with families, referring clinicians, schools, and medical providers to ensure coordinated treatment and youth support during and after residential care.