BY KARLA PALMER
Clinical Supervisor
Los Alamos Family Council

In the last three years we’ve seen the need for mental health services rise dramatically. There was a high demand for services before the pandemic, but as we all search for our “new normal”, people are really struggling to cope.

For the past 60 years, Los Alamos Family Council has been rising to the challenge of meeting mental health needs here in Los Alamos. As 2023 comes to a close, I’d like to think that we’re rising to meet this new challenge. As the new Clinical Supervisor, I’m excited about the variety of services and opportunities we’re able to provide. We’ve added a therapist, Gianna Cavallaro, who has come on staff after completing her graduate degree. Gianna interned with us during her studies and she’s been an asset to our organization. Gianna enjoys working with teens and adults, as well as helping couples work through challenges while building a deeper partnership.

Here at Los Alamos Family Council, the search for innovative ways to meet the mental health needs of this community has always been part of our mission. We’ve been working to streamline office procedures to allow us to help as many people in need as we can welcome through our doors. We’re continuing to partner with Los Alamos County and Los Alamos Public Schools to offer SMART Recovery Meetings for adults and teens. Our CNP, Teresa Wussow, is seeing clients for medication management. We’re also developing several new group therapy options. Therapist Jamie Thordson-Monroy is currently hosting a parents’ support group at the Mesa Public Library in Los Alamos every other Tuesday morning from 11:00 a.m. to noon. The group is for parents of children ages birth to six years and children are welcome to attend.

Next spring, we will be rolling out a structured internship program to allow us to bring a diverse and talented new generation of therapists to our practice. We hope to partner with multiple graduate programs both in and out of our immediate area in order to facilitate the development of top notch mental health professionals. There is no doubt that Northern New Mexico is in dire need of trained, licensed therapists. As a clinical supervisor and a long time resident of Los Alamos County, my goal is to maximize our resources to meet that need in every way possible. I have a strong background in the development of internship programs and collaboration with up and coming therapists and I’m excited to bring these skills back to my hometown crowd. Our staff is eager to maximize our skills through networking and community outreach with the goal of increasing the mental well being of our friends and neighbors here in Northern New Mexico. Los Alamos Family Council is currently accepting new clients.

Please contact our knowledgeable office staff at (505) 662-4160 if you are in need. And don’t forget to visit our new website at www.la-fc.org. It’s a great way to check out the variety of what we have to offer and become part of what we do here in the community!