EMDR Therapists in Bernalillo, NM

From my personal path, I have come to believe that the challenges we face are our greatest teachers. Endings are the first stage of beginnings and what comes in-between, the transition phase, can be marked with murky confusion, emotional despair, and feeling ungrounded. It is a big step to reach out and ask for help in navigating these stages of life. Healing begins from your innate desire to strive for wholeness and happiness. I am here to be a guide, suggest tools for the journey, and to be a reflective presence in your process.

*****Taking NEW clients**** ****Albuquerque and Rio Rancho***** EMDR,Gottman, CBT and more! Time is of the essence, as you have probably struggled long enough to solve the issues in your life. We work to actively recognize those issues and repetitive patterns so that you can start to be aware of them and change them. Though you can't change the past, we can work together to better understand it and its impact on your present and future.

Are you looking for relief from suffering? This may hold different meanings to different people. For some, it means addressing past traumas to improve current living. For others, it may mean transforming anxiety and depression into manageable states of being, or working through specific parenting challenges that cause concern. For children and adolescents, relief of suffering may come in the form of receiving support and coping skills to deal with life's changes such as divorce, school related stress, or a serious trauma or mental health issue.

Have life events or circumstances become overwhelming or do you feel stuck in a rut? Does the same problem resurface repeatedly despite your best efforts? When coping and well being is impacted, it may be time to explore alternative solutions in a safe, collaborative therapy setting. With over 20 years of experience, I serve adults and couples. Together , we will focus on meeting your goals and desired outcomes with approaches that suit your preference. Areas of special interest include anxiety, depression/postpartum, trauma/PTSD, relationships, parenting teens, gambling and AODA affected families.

Life has been pretty weird for awhile, hasn't it? We're all navigating such an unusual time, from post-COVID life to terrifying politics to the high cost of living. These stresses affect us and can lead to anxiety and mood changes that interrupt our ability to live fully. Many of us have experienced traumas that affect how we see ourselves and others in our lives. They can cause us to push people away, or even keep people in our lives that are unhealthy for us. Further still, some of us might even struggle with intrusive and unwanted thoughts and images that are disturbing, and seem impossible to control. This is where I can help.

Dr. Gary "Skip" Ritter says he feels a connection when helping others develop insight to make positive changes in their lives. Skip believes that thoughts and feelings are the impetus that drive human behavior. His approach then to therapy is rooted in Cognitive Behavioral Theory. In creating a paradigm shift from negative thoughts and feelings to increased positive thoughts and feelings, maladaptive behaviors often dissipate. Skip also believes that traumatic experiences exacerbate the lives of many of his clients and therefore, utilizes Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR).

My approach is client-centered, aimed at helping you achieve your therapy goals in the ways that are most accessible and appropriate to you. My areas of strength are relational, insight, cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), mindfulness-based therapies, EMDR, sand tray therapy, and strengths work. I am EMDR-Certified, and have a specialized certification in using Sandtray and EMDR jointly which is particularly useful for creative teens and adults who have experienced traumatic incidents.

Life is full of challenges and difficulties; life can get overwhelming and stressful; this can throw us off balance. It can cause anxiety, depression irritability, mood and behavior problems. Counseling can be a powerful tool for gaining confidence within yourself, and it can give you the self-awareness to become a happier person. I emphasize skill building and insight from an unbiased perspective that can help you identify the problems and help you work to get where you want to be in your life.

I offer services to women of all ages, and occasionally children, who have had trauma in their background and are seeking to find clarity in who they are now, and where they want to go from here. I offer expressive modalities in addition to talk therapy for an ease in releasing the past, increasing self esteem, and leading to a safer and more joyous future.

Just because you carry it well, does not mean it is not heavy. On the outside it seems you have it together. You have a life, a home, and obligations. People depend on and respect you. But on the inside, you fear it will all fall apart. No one knows how loud it is in your head: all the noise, worry, shame, insecurity, loneliness, negative self-evaluations. Substances, sex, cutting, or food used to help, but now they just make it worse. You want and crave connection while keeping everyone at a safe distance: If they knew the REAL you, it would be too much.

I am so glad you are here! Life comes with so many challenges and uncertainties which at times feel overwhelming. I provide a safe space to explore the impact these challenges have on your life so that we can work together to identify ways of improving your overall wellbeing. Within the therapy relationship, you can truly focus on yourself without the fear of being negatively judged or shamed. My approach is strengths-based, and my focus is on supporting individuals wishing to make positive changes in their lives.

I work with adult and adolescent (ages 14+) individual clients. I have six years of experience aiding my clients in recovering from Trauma and PTSD. I also work with clients struggling with concerns such as Anxiety, Depression, Low Self-Esteem, Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors, Grief, Substance Abuse, and Co-occurring Disorders. I am well-versed in trauma-informed treatments to help you alleviate symptoms of PTSD, process through, and recover from traumatic experiences.

My counseling practice includes adults and adolescents. I am trained in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Non-violent Communication, Sand Tray Therapy and in EMDR. I believe that as people become more accepting of themselves, they are more capable of finding happiness and contentment in their lives. If counseling is successful, you should feel that you are able to face life's challenges in the future better than you could before and can face life's challenges in the future without my support or intervention.