There’s a world most of us choose to ignore. It’s a place easily discarded where redemption feels ruined and souls are often feared. In our “everyday” lives, it’s easier to look away from the incarcerated - to believe that those behind bars are simply where they belong.

But some believe they can make a difference. They sit knee-to-knee, shoulder-to-shoulder in intimate, cramped offices within the walls of state and federal prisons. They sit within reach of those convicted of minor or serious crimes.

Who are they? Doctors, Licensed Practicing Counselors, nurses, dentists, and speech therapists – just to name a few. While most people would shudder at the thought of being locked in a room with "a criminal," Cole Westhoff leaned in.

Cole viewed his early years as a Licensed Practice Counselor (LPC) as "the best opportunity to learn the core essentials by working in the prison system.” 

True empathy isn’t just for people who are “like us” or perceived as “good.” True empathy is making a connection with the humanity behind the charges - charges that would terrify most people. To the outside world, the stigma is often "once a criminal, always a criminal." But Cole discovered something different.

For every person in a jumpsuit — innocent or guilty, a victim of bad timing or bad choices — there’s a deep-rooted story. The person sitting across from him was still a human being, often shutting themselves off from the world to hide the fear they endured behind the walls. This trial-by-fire experience taught him to see the person, not the crime. It set a foundation of compassion that no textbook could teach, and it’s the bedrock of his new private practice in Springfield: Olive Branch Counseling.

Cole’s resume reads like a tour of the "Three Hardest Populations" in mental health. Before opening his own doors in December 2024, he earned his stripes working in the high-stress trifecta emergency room – psychiatric evaluations, criminal justice, and substance abuse recovery. He began his career diving headfirst into the ER, conducting evaluations during the "in-the-moment" turmoil of a patient’s worst day. Instead of letting the intensity break him, he focused on providing genuine care and extending a hand to help them cope.

Later, life took the Westhoff’s to Shreveport, Louisiana so his wife could complete her medical residency. There, Cole switched his focus to addiction and substance abuse, eventually serving as the Director of an inpatient rehab hospital. He worked over 60 hours a week, managing a caseload of 30+ patients while 500 miles away from family and preparing for the birth of his first child.

"The non-profit system gave me the foundation," Cole reflects. "It taught me how to navigate the system and understand the broad spectrum of mental health."

However, after returning to Missouri and working with Burrell in Columbia, Cole realized that the security of non-profit and agency work came with restrictions. Bureaucracy, lack of flexibility, and insurance companies dictating care often stood in the way of the deep, transformative healing he wanted to provide. To offer the quality care his clients deserved, he knew he had to venture out on his own.

Cole opened Olive Branch Counseling with a mission inspired by his Christian faith. The name references the Biblical olive branch - a sign of peace that appears after the floodwaters receded.

"Most people seek counseling when their world is out of control," Cole notes. "They feel like their life is a house fire. My job is to help put out the fire and offer an olive branch of peace."

Today, Cole specializes in trauma-based therapy, specifically for those reintegrating into society after incarceration — a niche often overlooked by private practice. However, his doors are open to anyone navigating "the flood," including couples.

In couples counseling, Cole takes a unique stance: he treats the relationship, not the individuals. Acting as a neutral third party, he holds a firm boundary against secrets to ensure high-quality care, helping partners navigate conflict in a culture that often views disagreement as hatred.

"We live in a culture of strife that is very black and white," Cole says. "I want to help people learn loving disagreement."

At the center of his trauma work is EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), an evidence-based therapy with high efficacy for trauma. Cole’s approach, however, is decidedly modern. He utilizes specialized software, handing clients an iPad while he controls the stimuli via his phone. It’s a clean, non-invasive way to bridge the gap between the "Irrational and Impulsive" (our fast-paced, emotional reactions) and the "Rational and Logical" (the "Skynet" mode of pure thinking).

While his work deals with the heavy realities of the human experience, Cole’s personal life is defined by warmth, family, and a healthy dose of "nerd culture."

Originally from the outskirts of St. Louis, Cole met his wife - now a local Physician - in the Honors College dorms at Missouri State University. They lived on the same floor – separate quarters of course, took classes together, and she even helped him find his path into the field of psychology. Now back in Springfield to raise their family, they’re parents to a three-year-old daughter with a second child due in January.

In his private practice, Cole finally has the flexibility to be the dad he wants to be, handling daycare drop-offs and pick-ups and spending time at Dan Kinney Park with his family. When he “shuts his office door", Cole is a self-proclaimed nerd. He is an avid gamer and a sci-fi enthusiast, and he loves playing tabletop role-playing games with his friends.

A lover of local flavor, he’s often found fueling up on an energy drink or grabbing a coffee with his wife at Architect Coffee. They both enjoy hunting for authentic food spots in town. At home, he navigates life with two very large cats (13 and 14 lbs) who, despite being on a diet, rule the roost.

Ultimately, Cole’s ability to sit in the darkness with his clients without being consumed by it is sustained by his deep connection to Christ. He views his practice not merely as a clinical service but as an extension of grace to those who feel defined by their errors.

It's this spiritual foundation that fuels his empathy, allowing him to offer “compassion accountability" and challenge clients to grow without judgment. While he welcomes individuals of all belief systems and meets them exactly where they are, his own faith informs his unwavering conviction that no one is beyond redemption.

For Cole Westhoff, life is about balancing the dark with the light, the irrational with the logical, and the "hard" stories with the hope of redemption. Whether through high-tech trauma therapy or a simple conversation, he offers an olive branch to anyone to those who need it.