New Mexico Mental Health Counselors Association - NMMHCA

10/05/2026

Congratulations to our organization President & Professional Development Chair, Emma Vdoviak-Markow, LPCC-S, LMFT-S, NCC, ACS, BC-TMH, NCSC, in being the recipient of this year’s Outstanding Graduate Leadership Award at RM Aces conference 2026! ⛰️

Were you able to stop by our booth? We had a giveaway 🎉 Thank you to everyone we got to speak to and see at the conference. Hopefully you got to see Board Members Dr. Christine Herzog (PhD, LPCC, NCC) and Emma Vdoviak-Markow (LPCC-S, LMFT-S, NCC, ACS, BC-TMH, NCSC) present there as well! Until next time 👋

09/18/2026

AFSP NM CHAPTER is hosting an event this Saturday September 19th in honor of Su***de Awareness Prevention Month. Join us tomorrow at Civic Plaza!

08/31/2026

Need some final continuing education credits before the September license renewal?! Join us next week on 9/11 for 3 supervision and ethics CEs!

08/24/2026

We are excited to introduce our new NMMHCA Treasurer!

Laura Buell, MA, LPCC-S, is the owner and Clinical Director of Janus Counseling Services in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Laura earned her undergraduate degree in Psychology from the University of Delaware before relocating to New Mexico, where she earned her Master’s degree in Counseling from Webster University in 2007. She has worked in the mental health field for over 30 years and has been a licensed professional counselor for 18 years. Prior to returning to New Mexico, Laura owned and operated a private practice in Vermont for eight years.

Throughout her career, Laura has been dedicated to supporting individuals navigating trauma, attachment, identity development, and significant life transitions. Her clinical work focuses primarily on adults seeking deeper understanding, healing, and connection with themselves and others. She is EMDR Certified and certified in the Trauma Resiliency Model (TRM), incorporating Internal Family Systems (IFS), somatic approaches, and other trauma-informed practices into her work.

Laura is passionate about strengthening the counseling profession through mentorship, advocacy, and support for fellow clinicians. As a clinical supervisor and practice owner, she is committed to supporting the growth and development of counselors while advocating for the well-being of the mental health workforce. She believes that while clients are the primary focus of mental health care, the clinicians who provide that care are essential to the strength and sustainability of the profession. Supporting and valuing therapists through advocacy, mentorship, and ensuring their voices are heard is fundamental to creating a healthier mental health system and quality care for the communities they serve.

Laura joined the New Mexico Mental Health Counselors Association (NMMHCA) Board in 2026 and currently serves as Treasurer. She believes deeply in the connection between a healthy mind, a healthy body, and the healing power of nature. Outside of her clinical work, she enjoys open water swimming and has participated in several open water swim challenges, most recently competing in the 2020 Hellespont swim.

Learn more about the board: https://www.nmmhca.com/board.html

08/17/2026

Need your Ethics CE's before your September License Renewal? NMMHCA is offering 3 NBCC CEs in August and 3 in September!
More information at: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/organizations/new-mexico-mental-health-counseling-association

Get your Ethics CE's! This August 21st, 2026 from 9am to 12pm

"From the Battlefield to the Home Front: Ethical and Cultural Concerns for Working with Veterans and Family"
Presented by: Lora Smalley, MC, LMFT
Virtual - Zoom link sent upon registration
3 NBCC Approved CE

The state of New Mexico has a higher than average concentration of veterans than other states. The need for mental health treatment of this population has grown in the last 20 years leading to a greater demand for services than the traditional support systems in the military and Veterans Administration (VA) are designed to handle. This has placed a greater demand on non military aligned providers but what makes this population and the families who support them different? This training will work on giving you a basic overview of the military, the language, hierarchy and overall structure for building a basis to work with this population. There will also be resources given as well as links for those who wish to develop more skills to work with this population.

Participants will:
1. Learn to distinguish between the different branches of the military and the differences between active duty, guard and reserve.
2. Be able to interpret and to recognize the various terms and specific language used in the military culture as well as how demands differ between civilian and military members.
3. Learn and have access to the various rank designations and will be able to distinguish the difference between enlisted and officer culture and the impact this has on patients.

Sign up: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/from-the-battlefield-to-the-home-front-ethical-and-cultural-concerns-for-working-with-veterans-and-family

Question? Contact [email protected]

Visit our website, become a member, sign up for updates, and see future training dates: https://www.nmmhca.com

08/03/2026

Scholarship Opportunity for Mental Health Graduate Students! NMMHCA is excited to announce our Graduate Student Representative Scholarship

Apply at nmmhca.com/scholarship

Eligibility:
- Reside in NM.
- Be enrolled in a mental health related graduate school program an accredited College or University (can be out of state as long as it is online and the applicant resides in NM full time).
- Have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher and maintain this during award period.
- Anticipate graduate May of the upcoming year or after (must be a student for majority of tenure).

Find more information at nmmhca.com/scholarship

Open now and due August 31st, 2026

08/02/2026

A healthier America starts with supporting one another.

As we work to Make America Healthy Again, remember that support for mental health and substance use is available 24/7/365—whenever you or a loved one needs it. Visit samhsa.gov/find-help

08/02/2026

Get your Ethics CE's! This August 21st, 2026 from 9am to 12pm

"From the Battlefield to the Home Front: Ethical and Cultural Concerns for Working with Veterans and Family"
Presented by: Lora Smalley, MC, LMFT
Virtual - Zoom link sent upon registration
3 NBCC Approved CE

The state of New Mexico has a higher than average concentration of veterans than other states. The need for mental health treatment of this population has grown in the last 20 years leading to a greater demand for services than the traditional support systems in the military and Veterans Administration (VA) are designed to handle. This has placed a greater demand on non military aligned providers but what makes this population and the families who support them different? This training will work on giving you a basic overview of the military, the language, hierarchy and overall structure for building a basis to work with this population. There will also be resources given as well as links for those who wish to develop more skills to work with this population.

Participants will:
1. Learn to distinguish between the different branches of the military and the differences between active duty, guard and reserve.
2. Be able to interpret and to recognize the various terms and specific language used in the military culture as well as how demands differ between civilian and military members.
3. Learn and have access to the various rank designations and will be able to distinguish the difference between enlisted and officer culture and the impact this has on patients.

Sign up: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/from-the-battlefield-to-the-home-front-ethical-and-cultural-concerns-for-working-with-veterans-and-family

Question? Contact [email protected]

Visit our website, become a member, sign up for updates, and see future training dates: https://www.nmmhca.com

07/21/2026

Thank you for all your great work Kathleen!

Kathleen Charest, LPCC, LSAA, NCC, CCMHC, is a New Mexico state-approved Tier II Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) Supervisor whose professional expertise includes Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Motivational Interviewing (MI), and faith-based counseling. Throughout her career, she has dedicated herself to serving diverse populations, including LGBTQ+ individuals, adolescents, adults, veterans, and families, bringing compassion, professionalism, and clinical excellence to every aspect of her work.

Kathleen's commitment to the New Mexico Mental Health Counselors Association (NMMHCA) spans more than a decade. Since first joining the Board in 2013, she has served in numerous leadership roles, including Central Region Representative, President-Elect, President, and, most recently, Treasurer. She has also represented the profession through her service as a liaison to the New Mexico counseling licensing board, helping strengthen communication and collaboration between the association and regulatory bodies that support the counseling profession.

Kathleen has provided consistent leadership, sound stewardship, and a deep commitment to the continued growth and sustainability of NMMHCA. Her dedication has helped advance the association's mission of supporting counselors, advocating for the profession, and promoting quality mental health care throughout New Mexico. Beyond her official roles, Kathleen has shared her time, expertise, mentorship, and unwavering support with colleagues and future generations of mental health counselors.

As her time serving on the Board comes to a close, we extend our deepest gratitude to Kathleen Charest for her years of service, leadership, and dedication to NMMHCA and the mental health counseling profession in New Mexico. Her contributions have left a lasting impact on our association, our members, and the communities we serve. We thank her for her commitment, vision, and countless hours of service, and we wish her continued success and wellness in all her future endeavors.

06/16/2026

NMMHCA joined ABQ’s Pride Parade with many other mental health organizations to celebrate this past Saturday 🌈!

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