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Bienvenidos todos mis colegas y compadres,
Welcome to the October 2023 edition of our monthly newsletter! As the autumn season takes hold, we hope you are doing well and finding moments of peace and inspiration in your lives. This month, I have some exciting news and updates to share with you all so let’s get to it.
🌟 Celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month:
First and foremost, we want to acknowledge and celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month, which took place from September 15th to October 15th. During this month, we honor the rich history, cultural contributions, and accomplishments of Latinx individuals throughout the world and especially in Nuevo Mexico. I take a lot of pride in my Mestizo heritage and identity and that Serna Solutions is a Latino-owned behavioral health company. I also want to recognize our Latinx staff, most of whom are bilingual Sinay Alvarez, Magda Johnson, Denise Zamora, Laura Woodring, Ariana Martinez, Chris Benitez and Valeria Acevedo.
💚 World Mental Health Day:
In observance of World Mental Health Day on October 10th, we took the opportunity to raise awareness about mental health issues on our social media pages. We firmly believe in creating a compassionate and supportive environment where individuals can receive the help they need to thrive. Our commitment to helping others comes from personal experience as well as our professional training. We all face our own challenges with mental health and wellness, as part of being human on this earth. We hope to continue to inspire others to seek assistance and reduce the stigma around mental health challenges.
Our Ongoing Efforts:
We have been hard at work this month, expanding our services, and striving to provide the highest level of care to our community. Our team of compassionate and experienced mental health professionals continues to grow, allowing us to support more individuals and families in their journey toward improved well-being. In the month of October we will have added five new employees across the organization, with a few more needed in our ABQ and Rio Rancho offices.
📅 Upcoming Events:
On October 22nd a team of us will be running in the Duke City Marathon! If you are out there look for the Serna Solutions Relay team consisting of Santana Title, Brianna Jacobson, Denise Zamora, Thomas Gonzales, and myself. On Oct. 22nd we will be helping with Bernalillo County’s Fentanyl Awareness series. You can see all of their free outreach events here. Please join us at either this event hosted by me or this one by Brianna Jacobson.
In November you can catch me presenting at the New Mexico Student Health’s Annual Head 2 Toe Conference. Here is the link to my speaker page to see what topics I will be addressing.
In December it is my honor to co-host the National Latino Behavioral Health Association’s Annual Christmas Fundraiser “A Mariachi Christmas”. This event is held at the Lensic in Santa Fe and I am so proud to be a part of it. I’ve been a spectator and supporter in the past so it really is an honor for me to co-host. You can purchase your tickets here, and I’ll send out more information once it is available, including how you can make a donation to show your support.
¡Hasta la proxima mes!
Brian Serna
Staff Feature
Valeria Acevedo is also our new Youth Empowerment Project (YEP!) Program Manager and will be overseeing both our Santa Fe program.She is a dedicated and compassionate Licensed Mental Health Counselor with a deep commitment to helping individuals achieve mental and emotional well-being. Her experience working with children, adolescents, and adults has helped her develop skills in providing guidance and support to clients facing a wide range of challenges.
“I believe in a client-centered approach, tailoring my counseling techniques to meet the unique needs of each individual I work with. Whether you are struggling with anxiety, depression, substance-related issues, relationship issues, or life transitions, I can provide a safe and nonjudgmental space for you to explore your thoughts and feelings. My mission is to empower my clients to lead more fulfilling lives by offering them the support and tools they need to overcome challenges and achieve their personal goals.”
Valeria earned a Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from the University of Texas at San Antonio, where she was also certified as a Bilingual Counselor. Her ongoing commitment to professional development allows her to stay up to date with the latest research and best practices in the mental health field.
YEP! Is Now in ABQ
Serna Solutions’ Youth Empowerment Project (YEP!), is now accepting clients in Albuquerque. You can send us referrals directly through a secure link our website. YEP! is a comprehensive program for adolescents ages 12-24 who are challenged with substance use and/or mental health issues and their families. YEP! integrates prevention, treatment, family services, and aftercare into one model. YEP! offers hope, recovery skills, emotion regulation and relationship skills, and an increased capacity to deal with the challenges our families face.
How YEP! Works:
The YEP! Program offers a comprehensive approach to supporting adolescents at every stage. Through our Youth Support Services (YSS), we focus on prevention by teaching essential life skills that help young people feel more confident in navigating daily challenges. For those requiring more direct intervention, we rely on evidence-based practices, providing three tailored levels of care. This ensures each adolescent receives the right support, with adjustments made based on continuous assessments. Lastly, our commitment doesn’t end at treatment. With our Assertive Continuing Care (ACC), a home-based strategy, we aim to prevent any relapse of substance use or unwanted behaviors, ensuring both the adolescent and their family receive sustained support.
Click here to learn more about the YEP! Program
IOP Program
We’d like to introduce you to our newest innovative program with Serna Solutions, LLC – our Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) at our brand-new location in Rio Rancho! Our unique IOP program is tailored for indiividuals facing challenges with addiction and/or co-occurring disorders. We focus on helping our clients develop skills to help them create a healthier and happier life.
With a strong focus on evidence-based practices, our IOP offers nine hours per week of treatment with experiential groups. We center our approach around two proven models: Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) and Community Reinforcement Approach (CRA). These practices have shown remarkable success and complement each other with their skills-based orientations.
In addition to DBT and CRA sessions, participants in our IOP will have access to mindfulness training and AcuDetox, a National Acupuncture Detoxification Association protocol used to ease cravings, assist with stress, and promote wellness.
Our Rio Rancho office is located at 4101 Barbara Loop SE, Ste A, Rio Rancho, NM 87124 and is currently accepting referrals through our secure online portal.
Serna Solutions Satellite Office in Los Alamos
We are excited to share news of our expansion with the inauguration of a new satellite office in Los Alamos, adding to our existing presence in Santa Fe, Albuquerque and Rio Rancho. This expansion supports our ongoing commitment to offering clinical counseling services in New Mexico.
Laura Woodring, LPCC, a graduate of Southwestern College with a Masters in Counseling, is the Los Alamos Site Supervisor and is now accepting new clients. Specializing in a range of areas, including PTSD, substance use anxiety, depression, grief and loss, ADHD/ADD, and self-harm, Laura employs interpersonal neurobiology and attachment theory in her interactions, offering her services to children, adolescents, and adults through individual, couples, and family therapy sessions. For scheduling an intake and further information, contact us at 505-207-8929 or visit our website.
Private Trainings
Serna Solutions is honored to be recognized as an Approved Continuing Education Provider by the NBCC. We specialize in offering valuable training, consulting, and learning experiences to a variety of behavioral health organizations, including government agencies.
We focus on delivering a range of essential topics that are culturally relevant, covering effective strategies for treating substance misuse and exploring diverse counseling and behavioral health approaches. Our training programs are designed to be flexible, meeting the specific needs of your organization and the community you serve.
We welcome you to browse our array of interactive online training opportunities to earn your CEUs. Our sessions are led by a knowledgeable team dedicated to providing enriching and interactive learning, enhanced skills, and practical insights. Our commitment is to empower professionals in the behavioral health field to better serve their communities.
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