Our Services

Albuquerque, RIO RANCHO & LOS LUNAS Counseling Services

We take a generational approach to mental health.

At The Family Connection, we believe that true healing goes beyond individuals and extends to the very fabric of family dynamics. Our unique approach to mental and behavioral health is generational, recognizing that the restoration of one member ripples positively through generations.

With compassion and expertise, we embark on a transformative journey, serving multiple generations within unique family systems.

The Family Connection is a community of mental health professionals who believe in guiding change that will have positive impact for generations to come.

We provide services for individuals, children, couples and families with honesty and integrity because we believe in healing and helping others live out their purpose.

We believe that healing is possible and progress isn't linear.

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Types of Counseling

Individual Counseling

Individual counseling is a collaborative process where clients work one-on-one with a trained mental health provider to meet their goals in addressing challenges and/or improving mental health in a safe, supportive, and confidential environment.

Family Counseling

Family counseling helps families to work through challenges within the family unit as a whole, while still addressing the needs of each individual.

Couples Counseling

Couples counseling involves two people in a committed, emotional relationship working together with their therapist to address challenges and building skills to improve their relationship.

Child Counseling

Child counseling provides children and their caregivers with support, skill development, education, and resources. Our child therapists use evidence-based approaches.

Telehealth Counseling

Telehealth sessions work much like the in-person variety, but use telecommunications and virtual technology to allow you to meet with your therapist from the comfort of your own home.

RTM Protocol Therapy

RTM is a groundbreaking new protocol for the treatment of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). RTM does not involve drugs, costly equipment or being subjected to the emotional weight of re-experiencing the trauma, allowing clients to remain safe and comfortable throughout the process, which is completed in three or four ninety-minute visits.

Therapy FAQs

Therapists can provide support, problem-solving skills, and enhanced coping strategies for issues such as depression, anxiety, relationship troubles, unresolved childhood issues, grief, stress management, body image issues and creative blocks.

Many people also find that counselors can be a tremendous asset to managing personal growth, interpersonal relationships, family concerns, marriage issues, and the hassles of daily life. Therapists can provide a fresh perspective on a difficult problem or point you in the direction of a solution.

The benefits you obtain from therapy depend on how well you use the process and put into practice what you learn. Some of the benefits available from therapy include:

Attaining a better understanding of yourself, your goals and values
Developing skills for improving your relationships
Finding resolution to the issues or concerns that led you to seek therapy
Learning new ways to cope with stress and anxiety
Managing anger, grief, depression, and other emotional pressures
Improving communications and listening skills
Changing old behavior patterns and developing new ones
Discovering new ways to solve problems in your family or marriage
Improving your self-esteem and boosting self-confidence.

People have many different motivations for coming to counseling. Some may be going through a major life transition (unemployment, divorce, new job, etc.), or feeling overwhelmed by the stressful circumstances of life. Some people need assistance managing a range of other issues such as low self-esteem, depression, anxiety, addictions, relationship problems, spiritual conflicts and parenting issues. Therapy can help provide some much needed encouragement and help with skills to get them through these periods. Others may be at a point where they are ready to learn more about themselves or want to be more effective with their goals in life. In short, people seeking psychotherapy are ready to meet the challenges in their lives and ready to make changes in their lives.

You might consider therapy if:

You're going through a divorce or separation
You feel like you and your partner fight more than you connect
You're feeling anxious, overwhelmed, or emotionally stuck
You're navigating a big life transition (new job, loss, move)
You’re struggling to manage parenting challenges
You want to better understand yourself or improve your communication
You're dealing with grief, trauma, or a past experience that won’t go away

We understand that as a parent, you want to be involved and informed about your teen’s well-being—and we’re here to support that. At The Family Connection, we’re committed to offering the highest quality care while also respecting the rights of our adolescent clients. In New Mexico, teens 14 and older have the legal right to consent to their own counseling and to keep their sessions confidential.

Confidentiality is a key part of building trust in therapy, which is essential for progress. That said, if it’s clinically appropriate and your teen agrees, we may invite parents or caregivers to join sessions from time to time. When that happens, we’ll work together to make those conversations helpful and supportive for everyone involved. While we’re limited in what we can share without your teen’s consent, we’re always happy to talk with you about general concerns or ways to best support your child outside of therapy.

Confidentiality is one of the most important components between a client and psychotherapist. Successful therapy requires a high degree of trust with highly sensitive subject matter that is usually not discussed anywhere but the therapist’s office. Every therapist should provide a written copy of their confidential disclosure agreement, and you can expect that what you discuss in session will not be shared with anyone. This is called “Informed Consent”. Sometimes, however, you may want your therapist to share information or give an update to someone on your healthcare team, but by law your therapist cannot release this information without obtaining your written permission.

However, federal laws like HIPAA, state laws, and codes of ethics require that therapists maintain confidentiality except for specific situations such as:

Reasonable suspicion of abuse, neglect, danger to self or others, etc.

Everyone goes through challenging situations in life, and while you may have successfully navigated through other difficulties you’ve faced, there’s nothing wrong with seeking out extra support when you need it. In fact, therapy is for people who have enough self-awareness to realize they need a helping hand, and that is something to be admired. You are taking responsibility by accepting where you’re at in life and making a commitment to change the situation by seeking therapy. Therapy provides long-lasting benefits and support, giving you the tools you need to avoid triggers, re-direct damaging patterns, and overcome whatever challenges you face.

The Family Connection follows legal and ethical obligations of making reasonable attempts to engage and seek consent from all legal guardians.

When parents share legal custody of their child or children, they each have the legal rights to consent to and participate in treatment. In some situations, it can be highly therapeutic for both parents to be active participants in therapy, especially if the child is struggling with adjusting to the separation or divorce and/or household transitions. As a treating therapist, we are focused on helping you and your child achieve the mental health goals you identify. As a treating therapist, ethical guidelines require us to refrain from making any recommendations to the courts regarding custody arrangements and/or time-sharing/visitation schedules. The Family Connection is committed to helping you and your family achieve mental health wellness.

Therapy is talking with a trusted person in a safe, supportive and encouraging environment.

Because each person has different issues and goals for therapy, therapy will be different depending on the individual. In general, you can expect to discuss the current events happening in your life, your personal history relevant to your issue, and report progress (or any new insights gained) from the previous therapy session. Depending on your specific needs, therapy can be short-term, for a specific issue, or longer-term, to deal with more difficult patterns or your desire for more personal development. Either way, it is most common to schedule regular sessions with your therapist (usually weekly).

It is important to understand that you will get more results from therapy if you actively participate in the process. The ultimate purpose of therapy is to help you bring what you learn in session back into your life. Therefore, beyond the work you do in therapy sessions, your therapist may suggest some things you can do outside of therapy to support your process – such as reading a pertinent book, journaling on specific topics, noting particular behaviors or taking action on your goals. People seeking psychotherapy are ready to make positive changes in their lives, are open to new perspectives and take responsibility for their lives.

It is well established that the long-term solution to mental and emotional problems and the pain they cause cannot be solved solely by medication. Instead of just treating the symptom, therapy addresses the cause of our distress and the behavior patterns that curb our progress. You can best achieve sustainable growth and a greater sense of well-being with an integrative approach to wellness. Working with your medical doctor you can determine what’s best for you, and in some cases a combination of medication and therapy is the right course of action.

To determine if you have mental health coverage through your insurance carrier, the first thing you should do is call them. Check your coverage carefully and make sure you understand their answers. Some helpful questions you can ask them: