“The School System is broken for many families” stated an agency staff member.  “It just isn’t working” said another.

“I have homeless children in my therapeutic group” states a clinician.  “It is different than what residents may imagine when I say those words.”   He went on to describe children whose parents have simply disappeared or been  incarcerated.  The children were left with a grandmother or an aunt or an older sibling—often shuttled inexplicitly from one household to another with no warning.    Without the safety net of school where there is structure, encouragement, food and school supplies they are often “without any of the above.”

[Read more…] about What Will their/our Future Be?

“The only way I can keep coming back to do this work is that at the end of every workday, I do something positive,” Says Siena Sanderson, Program Director for the Nurturing Center at Taos Behavioral Health.  All the Nurturing Center staff do likewise.  “We go to each of the families we are working with and take them some items that have been donated to us.  Everything from plants to household goods to clothes, furniture.  Our cars are delivery trucks!” states Sanderson.  “But the families are intensely appreciative and then it makes it possible to go back to work the next day!”  And we know that most of our families are too proud and depressed to ask for what they need.

[Read more…] about What’s Really Happening to Students at Home

It is September and families are schooling their children from home. All kinds of arrangements have been made. Perhaps your child is spending time in a learning pod. Maybe you’ve arranged with family or neighbors for a group of children to safely do their schoolwork with one adult supporting the learners. Maybe your child is home by your side, while you do your work and run your household.

[Read more…] about Learning at Home – Building Mutually Respectful Relationships

By Mary McPhail Gray
Board Chair

“And you were really snoring deeply!” declared the wife of a TBH client in delight.  Not the kind of message most wives might give to their spouse!  But in this case, her husband experienced the first deep restful sleep he had had in 20 years.

The reason?  He had just experienced his first Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy session at Taos Behavioral Health to deal with an old work-related injury.  And yes—clients often have immediate changes in their processing of traumatic memories and other negative life experiences when they are treated with EMDR.

EMDR is a relatively new tool in the clinical  practice—developed in 1989  by Dr. Francine Shapiro for treatment of traumatized clients.    Dr. Shapiro was walking through  sun dappled woods when she realized that her negative  emotions were lessening as her eyes darted from side to side.   She wondered if the same positive effect might occur in her patients.  She found it was true when she tried it in her practice. [Read more…] about A Great New Option for Treating Trauma

By Mary McPhail Gray
Board Chair

As the school semester and 2019 come to a close we at Taos Behavioral Health wish to express our appreciation to the community and our partners for the robust growth we have experienced.  The town has experienced changes in behavioral health services over the past year, and we have stepped forward to initiate new programs in response to clear needs.

In this year of growth, we have organized our services into six separate programs each led by a director—in order to better serve our clientele.  Each program staff meets regularly to enhance program quality and share needs and successes.  As you come to our agency to receive services, here are the broad offerings we hope can meet your needs.

Our primary adult program is Outpatient Treatment (OTP)—headed by director Linda Sanders.  This staff provides support for normal issues of adult life, including post-traumatic stress disorder, grief and loss, depression, relationship issues, anger management, and  goal setting/decision making. The clinical staff includes Steve Moser, Michael Pena, Chuck Neelley, Tilghman Evans, Amanda Gallegos, Barbara Costello, and Carol Jackson.  Clients may be seen individually or as couples or veterans. [Read more…] about Thank You! End of the Year Appreciation

By Mary McPhail Gray
Board Chair

“There must be something in the atmosphere!  We have had one crisis after another with our clients at school this week!” commented a Taos Behavioral Health professional  in late October.  “Oh yes,” said another—“The high school is also reverberating with turmoil from our students.  But remember—this is the start of the holiday season.  We are always in for a ride!”

October, with its sugar-load and complex preparation for Halloween parades and parties, starts the season.  In Taos—it is enthusiastically celebrated by adults and youth—with planning and comparisons about costumes and “the haul.”  The town of Taos and merchants have planned a celebration to pull people together on the historic district so that a safe holiday can be enjoyed.  Credit and appreciation must go to them.

Yet the excitement of the holidays also comes with stress—especially for youth needing support with behavioral health needs.  Youth receiving TBH services are deeply impacted by the security of familiar routines—regular schedules, healthy food at a stable schedule,  time with familiar friends and family.  The holidays tend to disrupt all those supports. This is especially the case when school is on vacation. [Read more…] about Being Realistic about the Holidays

By Mary McPhail Gray
Board Chair

“If I work myself out of a job—I know I am doing well!” states Michael Boyle, a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist who recently joined the staff of Taos Behavioral Health.  Boyle is adamant that the service he provides is a  partnership with clients who are motivated to change.

Whether you have a particular stress right now or believe you can optimize your health and increase your happiness by working on specific goals, Boyle’s extensive education and  personal and professional experiences have built a great variety of skills to assist you.  He can bring ideas from mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotional regulation and interpersonal effectiveness to work with you.  [Read more…] about New Clinician/New Opportunities