Uncategorized

We are honored to have Dr. Carroll join us as one of our medical providers as we continue expanding innovative, evidence-informed mental health care. He will play an integral role in our MeRT (Magnetic e-Resonance Therapy) Program starting this August, while also helping develop our future ketamine-assisted treatment services and psilocybin-assisted therapy program as those services become available in accordance with all applicable laws, regulations, and clinical standards.

Dr. Carroll is a highly respected physician with decades of experience in family medicine, addiction medicine, and integrative healthcare. He earned his medical degree from Loyola University Stritch School of Medicine and furthered his medical education at the University of Cartagena School of Medicine in Cartagena, Colombia. He also served as a Research Supervisor at Harvard Medical School’s Laboratory for Circadian Medicine and completed his Chief Residency with the Central Texas Medical Foundation, University of Texas at Austin Department of Family Practice.

 

Throughout his career, Dr. Carroll has maintained a multidisciplinary medical practice serving patients in both New Mexico and Texas. He currently serves on the medical staff of more than 40 inpatient behavioral health, alcohol, and substance use treatment facilities. He is licensed to practice medicine in Texas, New Mexico, and Georgia.

 

His professional interests include medical anthropology, neuromolecular epigenetics, brain health, addiction recovery, and advancing innovative approaches to improve mental wellness.

As May is Mental Health Awareness Month, it is vital to acknowledge the significance of emotional wellness and to lower the stigma around mental health services. Being a first responder or a veteran means there is no room for hesitation in times of need. Nevertheless, one should remember that even a healthy person could break down under constant pressure and continuous exposure to emergencies and violence.

 

Mental stability is equally vital as physical preparation. Fatigue, irritability, insomnia, stress, or emotional detachment are expected reactions to the job you do. However, ignoring your feelings and emotions might lead to chronic problems such as burnout, anxiety, or depression. Therefore, you should listen to your brain and act on its recommendations by seeking additional assistance.

 

Raising awareness about mental health issues is essential, yet only the implementation of practical actions can bring about change. Regular self-checks, communication, and seeking professional support when needed can be preventive measures that help better cope with everyday stress. Simple things like getting enough sleep, maintaining social ties, and finding some downtime can positively affect emotional well-being.

 

Additionally, fostering an inclusive organizational culture is crucial to promoting colleagues’ emotional wellness. Encouraging the sharing of concerns, experiences, and thoughts helps build a supportive community, which positively affects collective readiness to handle stressful situations. Helping each other out after a traumatic call or after returning from deployment is vital.

 

May Mental Health Awareness

Toolkit for First Responders & Veterans

 

Check In With Yourself

• Notice changes in mood, sleep, or energy
• Ask: “How am I really doing today?”
• Pay attention to signs of stress or burnout

 

Prioritize Daily Reset

• Take short breaks between calls or shifts
• Practice simple grounding (deep breathing, stretching)
• Build in time to mentally transition after high-stress moments

 

Stay Connected

• Talk with someone you trust-peer, friend, or family member
• Don’t isolate after difficult experiences
• Check in on your team-connection goes both ways

 

Use Your Resources

• Peer support teams/ EAP programs
• 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
• New Growth Counseling –

confidential, trauma-informed care

 

Strengthen Your Routine

• Protect sleep as much as possible
• Stay hydrated and maintain regular meals
• Incorporate movement or physical activity

Remember: Mental health is part of operational readiness. Taking care of yourself is part of the job.

 

Serving Albuquerque & All of New Mexico

New Growth Counseling proudly serves Albuquerque, Rio Rancho, Santa Fe, Las Cruces, Bernalillo County, Sandoval County, and first responders and military members statewide across New Mexico.

 

Ready to Take the First Step?

You have carried others long enough. Let us help carry you for a while.

New Growth Counseling
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Phone: 505-659-8777
Website: www.newgrowthcounselingnm.com

April is recognized as Child Abuse Prevention Month, a time to raise awareness and strengthen our collective commitment to protecting children. For first responders and veterans, this mission is especially personal. You are often the first to encounter situations where children are at risk, placing you on the front lines of both response and prevention.

 

The nature of this work can be challenging. Exposure to cases involving children can leave a lasting emotional impact, even for the most experienced professionals. Feelings of anger, sadness, or helplessness are normal responses to difficult situations. Acknowledging these reactions and having space to process them are important parts of maintaining your own well-being.

 

Prevention starts with awareness and action. Recognizing signs of abuse or neglect, trusting your instincts, and following reporting protocols are critical steps in protecting vulnerable children. Just as important is supporting one another. Peer conversations, debriefing after

difficult calls, and access to counseling services help reduce the cumulative impact of these experiences.

 

At New Growth Counseling, we understand the unique challenges first responders and veterans face. This month is a reminder that protecting children also means taking care of those who serve them. Support is available for your work, your well-being, and your continued strength in

the field.

 

Offering Specialized Psychological Testing Services New Growth Counseling is proud to offer specialized psychological testing services for first responders and military personnel, designed to support readiness, safety, and peak performance. Our services include:

• Pre-employment psychological evaluations
• Fitness-for-duty assessments
• Performance and tactical enhancement testing

 

These services are led by Dr. Brian O’Leary, PhD, a retired U.S. Army

awatts@guardianwellness.org

Colonel and former Special Operations psychologist with over 30 years of experience supporting high-performing professionals.

Trusted. Experienced. Mission-focused

 

If your agency is seeking reliable, clinically sound psychological services, we are here to support your team.

Serving Albuquerque & All of New Mexico

New Growth Counseling proudly serves Albuquerque, Rio Rancho, Santa Fe, Las Cruces, Bernalillo County, Sandoval County, and first responders and military members statewide across New Mexico.

 

Ready to Take the First Step?

You have carried others long enough. Let us help carry you for a while.

New Growth Counseling
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Phone: 505-659-8777
Website: www.newgrowthcounselingnm.com

Specialized Substance Abuse Treatment for Military, Veterans & Frontline Workers

 

First responders, military members, veterans, and frontline professionals across Albuquerque and throughout New Mexico carry what most people never see.

You run toward danger. You hold chaos together. You compartmentalize pain so others can survive. But eventually, the weight accumulates.

For many in service professions, substance use does not begin as addiction. It begins as relief — a way to sleep after shift, quiet hypervigilance, shut off intrusive memories, or decompress after critical incidents.

At New Growth Counseling in Albuquerque, NM, we understand this reality both clinically and culturally. Our Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) is built specifically for those who serve.

 

Substance Abuse Among First Responders & Military in New Mexico

Across New Mexico, we are seeing increasing rates of alcohol misuse, prescription medication dependency, sleep aid reliance, stimulant misuse, and stress-related substance use. These behaviors are often connected to cumulative trauma exposure, operational stress injuries, moral injury, survivor guilt, shift-work sleep disruption, and chronic nervous system activation.

 

Why Traditional Rehab Programs Often Fail First Responders

Many first responders and military members hesitate to seek treatment due to fear of career consequences, losing clearance, being misunderstood, or confidentiality concerns. Traditional programs often lack cultural competency, understanding of operational stress, and familiarity with first responder and military dynamics. When individuals feel misunderstood, recovery disengagement often follows.

 

Why New Growth Counseling’s Albuquerque IOP Is Different

Our clinicians have worked alongside law enforcement, fire departments, EMS, military units, and veteran communities. You will not need to explain your world here — we already understand it.

Our IOP integrates Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), trauma-focused interventions, EMDR-informed approaches, somatic regulation techniques, and relapse prevention tailored specifically to high-stress professions. We treat both substance use behaviors and the trauma underneath them.

We operate with strong confidentiality standards, professional discretion, and respect for your career and mission.

 

Signs You May Benefit from IOP

You may benefit from our program if you rely on alcohol or substances to sleep, your tolerance has increased, you drink or use alone, you feel irritable or emotionally numb, your family has expressed concern, or you are functioning but barely holding it together. High functioning does not always mean healthy.

 

Serving Albuquerque & All of New Mexico

New Growth Counseling proudly serves Albuquerque, Rio Rancho, Santa Fe, Las Cruces, Bernalillo County, Sandoval County, and first responders and military members statewide across New Mexico.

 

Ready to Take the First Step?

You have carried others long enough. Let us help carry you for a while.

New Growth Counseling
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Phone: 505-659-8777
Website: www.newgrowthcounselingnm.com

March brings longer days and the first signs of change. While the season shifts outside, many first responders continue carrying the weight of winter—long shifts, difficult calls, disrupted sleep, and accumulated stress. Renewal does not happen automatically with the calendar. It requires intention, support, and space to reset.

Resilience is often misunderstood as pushing through. In reality, resilience is built through recovery. One of the most powerful strategies for renewal is structured decompression. After high-stress calls, take even five intentional minutes to slow your breathing, hydrate, and mentally transition before moving to the next task. Over time, these small resets protect your nervous system from staying in constant alert mode.

Another key strategy is emotional processing. Repeated exposure to trauma can lead to emotional numbing or irritability. Neither means you are failing; they are signs your system is overloaded. Talking through difficult calls with a trusted peer, supervisor, or counselor helps your brain file the experience rather than carry it unfinished. Avoiding it may feel easier in the moment, but processing it builds long-term strength.

Finally, renewal involves reconnecting with purpose. First responders often enter the field because of a strong sense of service. When burnout creeps in, reconnecting with what originally drew you to this work can restore meaning. This may come through mentoring a newer colleague, participating in training, or simply reflecting on lives impacted through your service.

At New Growth Counseling, we work with first responders to strengthen resilience in practical ways, through trauma-informed therapy, stress management skills, and confidential support tailored to your profession. If this season feels like an opportunity to reset, we are here to help you move forward with steadiness and strength.

February is a reminder that strength is built not only through endurance, but through connection. First responders and veterans are trained to remain steady under pressure, push through fatigue, and carry responsibility when others cannot. Over time, those demands can quietly add up. Repeated exposure to stress and trauma, long hours, and the expectation to “hold it together” can strain relationships and make it harder to recognize when support is needed. This month’s focus centers on strengthening connections and building emotional resilience as essential parts of long-term wellness.

 

Strong relationships with family, partners, peers, and trusted colleagues serve as powerful protective factors against burnout and isolation. Connection does not require oversharing or vulnerability on demand; it means having reliable spaces where stress can be acknowledged and supported. Recognizing early warning signs such as emotional exhaustion, irritability, sleep disruption, or withdrawal allows concerns to be addressed before they escalate, helping protect both personal well being and professional effectiveness.

 

February also emphasizes practical strategies for managing cumulative stress. Small, consistent actions such as clear communication, boundary­ setting, peer support, and intentional recovery time can have a meaningful impact over time. Asking for help is not a weakness; it is a skill that strengthens resilience and readiness. You do not have to carry everything alone. Staying connected and supported is part of sustaining both the work you do and the life you deserve beyond it.

 

“Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how

you react to it.”

Charles Swindoll

 

Serving Albuquerque & All of New Mexico

New Growth Counseling proudly serves Albuquerque, Rio Rancho, Santa Fe, Las Cruces, Bernalillo County, Sandoval County, and first responders and military members statewide across New Mexico.

 

Ready to Take the First Step?

You have carried others long enough. Let us help carry you for a while.

New Growth Counseling
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Phone: 505-659-8777
Website: www.newgrowthcounselingnm.com

Happy New Year! As we enter 2026, we want to express our heartfelt gratitude for your unwavering dedication and service. Your commitment to helping others in times of need inspires us to continue supporting your mental health and well-being.

 

This year, we’re focusing on new goals and embracing habits that bring positivity, balance, and growth. Here are a few reminders to help set the tone for a healthy and fulfilling year ahead:

 

1. Prioritize Self-Care: Even the strongest among us need rest and renewal. Find moments to recharge, whether it’s through mindfulness, exercise, or connecting with loved ones.
2. Focus on What Fuels You: Energy is precious. Let’s aim to focus on what uplifts and empowers us, rather than giving energy to negativity. It’s okay to step back, reframe, and redirect toward what truly matters.
3. Set Small, Meaningful Goals: Big changes start with small steps. Whether it’s improving sleep, staying hydrated, or taking a mental health day, every positive action counts.

 

As always, we’re here to support you. This year, we’re introducing new resources and opportunities tailored to meet your unique needs as first responders. Stay tuned for upcoming workshops, wellness tips, and tools designed to help you thrive.

 

8 Types of Self Care

1. Physical – nutrition, exercise, sleep
2. Mental – mindfulness, self-talk, therapy
3. Emotional – gratitude, triggers, journal
4. Spiritual – meditate, nature, yoga
5. Intellectual – read, learn, hobbies
6. Environment – clean, safety
7. Social – boundaries, connection
8. Financial – budget, save

 

The Real Luxuries of life:

• Time
• Health
• A quiet mind
• Slow mornings
• Ability to travel
• Rest without guilt
• A good night’s sleep
• Calm and ‘boring’ days
• Meaningful conversations
• Home-cooked meals
• People you love
• People who love you back

 

Serving Albuquerque & All of New Mexico

New Growth Counseling proudly serves Albuquerque, Rio Rancho, Santa Fe, Las Cruces, Bernalillo County, Sandoval County, and first responders and military members statewide across New Mexico.

 

Ready to Take the First Step?

You have carried others long enough. Let us help carry you for a while.

New Growth Counseling
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Phone: 505-659-8777
Website: www.newgrowthcounselingnm.com