• Integrative Trauma Treatment

    Natalie Smith, MFA, LCSW, SEP 

    Hello, I am the Owner and founder of Awake and Aware, LLC.

    I’ve been delivering services to New Mexico for the past 20 years through direct practice and administrative roles. Intensively trained in DBT in 2008, I am passionate about treating trauma and the process of healing.

    I specialize in working with issues of cultural/racial identity and trauma through DBT, Somatic Experiencing and EMDR. In addition, I work with couples and am a certified level 2 PACT practitioner.

    I believe in Whole person treatment and a life filled with joy. Everyone has the potential to heal and live the life they want to be living.

    As a Vipassana Practitioner, I value time in quiet and practice and strive to imbue all Awake and Aware’s programs with the same spirit of intention. 

  • Integrative Trauma Treatment

    Jenn Torrez, LPCC 

    Hi! I’m Jenn Torrez, the CEO of Awake & Aware, LLC. I am a native New Mexican and have served the Albuquerque mental health community for over 15 years.  Intensively trained in DBT since 2008,  I am a DBT-Linehan Board of Certification, Certified Clinician. I believe in the power of relationship and partnering with others in their pursuit of self-awareness and healing.   While adolescents and their families are my passion,   I also specialize in working with substance use/abuse having served in various levels of care including residential and medication assisted treatment programming.  

    Being a part of the Awake & Aware family for the past 7 years has been extremely meaningful and integral in both my clinical and personal growth.  I’m honored to now pay it forward by supervising young clinicians and supporting our community through DBT trainings and workshops. I love creating community and bringing people together, so celebrating and collaborating with our A&A team is a must.  

    When I am not wearing my clinical hat, you'll find me spending time with friends and family, traveling and attending local shows and events.  I have a love for animals, all things 90s and anything related to coffee! 

  • Theresa Olguin, LCSW 

    Theresa Olguin, LCSW 

    Learning about invalidation when I was first introduced to DBT was life changing! I quickly realized how rampant invalidation was in my and other’s lives. It became my mission to bring this incredibly powerful modality to my New Mexico community, which I have done for the past ten years.

    As a Linehan Board Certified DBT Clinician and the Director of DBT Training and Certification at Awake and Aware, LLC , I am passionate about imparting the knowledge and wisdom of DBT and its practices to others.

    With mindfulness at its core, DBT helps you expand beyond the thoughts, beliefs, emotions, and systems that are limiting and disempowering. Other modalities I have personally used for my own healing and provide include trauma-informed yoga, iRest® yoga nidra meditation, and sand-tray.

    Knowing that everybody possesses wisdom, I value cultivating connection with the body in treatment. As a lover of music, singing and performing, I welcome you to join me center stage to shine a spotlight on your life and the behaviors that no longer serve you to build your life worth living! 

  • Pedro Rivera LMSW 

    Pedro Rivera LMSW 

    Hi, my name is Pedro Rivera. I have my Masters in bilingual/bicultural social work.  I have worked in various levels of care including schools, outpatient, treatment foster care, intensive outpatient and inpatient care as well as mental health/drug/probation. I have been with Awake and Aware for almost three years as a DBT clinician in the adolescent program and am continually learning and growing. 

    As a DBT clinician, I have been provided with an opportunity to collaborate with humans in our community to support healing through the balance of acceptance and change. When I'm not occupying my therapist role, DBT continues to be an influencing factor in the way I operate in my own life. I love spending time with family and engaging in my life in a meaningful way.   

  • Denise Long, LCSW 

    Denise Long, LCSW 

    I am a DBT therapist who works with adults and has an educational background in social work.  I resonate with DBT because of the practical skills and mindfulness component it offers.

    I am passionate about helping people discover their self-worth and pursue their passions.  As a transplant New Mexican, originally from Portland, OR.

    I have grown to love the unique shaping each place has provided me.  I personally enjoy art, cooking, gaming, and animals.  I am seeking to expand art therapy into my practices and using body-based awareness to support you in your goals.

  • Stephanie Garcia, LMSW, LSAA 

    Stephanie Garcia, LMSW, LSAA 

    I am a DBT Therapist committed to serving my community in learning to build healthy, positive relationships with their emotions and with direct focus on decreasing behaviors identified as ineffective. I have been passionately serving my New Mexico community for the last 5 years, specializing in substance abuse and more recently in DBT. I believe in behavioral change and in everyone's ability to overcome obstacles and connect with their truest and most skillful self. I bring compassion, depth and direction and work collaboratively with my clients to help them achieve their life worth living.

  • Vanessa Pohl, LCSW 

    Vanessa Pohl, LCSW 

    Hi, my name is Vanessa Pohl, and I am a native New Mexican. I have served my community for close to 10 years as a social worker. I have worked in various levels of care including outpatient,  intensive outpatient patient, inpatient care and mental health/drug court for adult probation and I have served many communities that include indigenous populations.

    I have worked at Awake and Aware for almost two years as a DBT clinician and I am currently working towards becoming DBT board certified. As a DBT clinician, I have been provided with an opportunity to collaborate with humans in our community to support healing through the balance of acceptance and change.

    When I'm not occupying my therapist role, DBT continues to be an influencing factor in the way I operate in my environment where I can enjoy spending time with family and friends, my fur-baby Sherman the Pig, and engaging in my life in a meaningful way.  

  • Angela Mabry, LMSW 

    Angela Mabry, LMSW 

    Angela Mabry, LMSW is a DBT therapist focused on supporting the vast needs of adolescents and their families. She comes with nine years of experience assisting individuals who struggle with anxiety, depression, trauma, disruptive behaviors, relationship challenges, and suicidality.

    She uses a strengths-based, task-focused, and collaborative approach in conjunction with motivational interviewing, family therapy, crisis intervention, and psychoeducation. At Awake & Aware, she has found DBT to be a place where structure and flexibility collide as she seeks to enhance her own clinical experience. With a certification in rural community social work from Western New Mexico University, Angela understands the disparities many New Mexican adolescents and their families face such as poverty, greater risk of substance use, and limited access to mental health services and resources. 

    Angela herself is a Native New Mexican whose humor and humility provide the opportunity to feel truly welcomed in the therapeutic space. As a dog mom to three amazing pups, she enjoys spending her downtime cuddling up with her fur babies, a good book, and a delicious cup of coffee or exploring the cultural richness the Land of Enchantment has to offer.  

  • Nick Zamora, LPCC

    Nick Zamora, LPCC

    I have served in both the military and as a direct responder. In these roles, I worked closely alongside those suffering from the emotional distress associated with trauma, substance dependence, grief, and socioeconomic hardship. The work took me inside myself, where I realized I could best serve others through the role of mental health therapist. I returned to school and received my M.S in Clinical Psychology from Loyola University Maryland in 2015.  

    Prior to my intensive training in DBT, I was trained in EMDR, CBT and ACT. Once I was introduced to DBT in 2018, however, there was no turning back. I was and remain completely blown away by DBT’s effectiveness and can’t imagine doing anything else. It aligns with my love for teaching others how to relieve their suffering and overcome their challenges, all while being my authentic self and meeting the client as an equal. 

  • Mindy Grossberg, LMSW, Certified Action Theater Teacher  

    I am a passionate DBT group facilitator and improvisation teacher who emphasizes playfulness, creativity, interpersonal-neurobiology, improvisation, body-based practices and anti-racist frameworks in my approach to working with individuals, groups and communities.    

    I earned my Masters Degree in Social Work (MSW) in 1999.  Since then, I have served as a community social worker, facilitator and fellow life traveler. I often worked with those impacted most by systemic inequities found in our communities.  I have worked at domestic violence and youth shelters,  with street outreach teams to children and families and was the program coordinator at a community art studio at Albuquerque Health Care for the Homeless.

  • Olivia Heath, LPCC

    Olivia Heath, LPCC

    Olivia is a trauma informed DBT therapist trained and certified in treating trauma using modalities like EMDR, Cognitive Processing Therapy, and Prolonged Exposure. She is passionate about health as a whole and brings mindfulness of body and mind into treatment through exposure, movement, and breathing practices. Her desire is to walk next to people as they navigate life’s challenges skillfully and achieve a life worth living.

  • Brittany Dorlac, LCSW

    Brittany Dorlac, LCSW

    I am an independently licensed social worker and have been practicing DBT for over 5 years. I have been a part of the Awake & Aware adolescent and family team since 2019 and am currently pursuing DBT certification. I enjoy facilitating our program's multifamily group, The Middle Path, and am passionate about supporting famlies in their pursuit of effective communication, validation and connection building.

  • Melissa Garcia, LCSW 

    Melissa Garcia, LCSW 

    Melissa Garcia is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker providing DBT therapy to adolescents of New Mexico. She strives to create a non-judgmental and compassionate environment to support adolescents in meeting their life worth living goals. Melissa is a native New Mexican and is passionate about improving the wellbeing of her community. Melissa has experience in working with children and families with trauma, abuse and neglect, domestic violence, and parenting. 

  • Nikki Ewing, LAMFT

    Nikki Ewing, LAMFT

    Peace and Blessings Family, I just completed my Master of Education in Counseling and Development with a concentration in Marriage, Couple, and Family Therapy.

    I am a 500-hour Certified Yoga instructor, Certified Trauma Informed Yoga Instructor, as well as Certified Holistic Life Coach. I enjoy serving my community by offering free and donation-based yoga in Houston and Albuquerque to introduce mindfulness and yoga to those who do not have access or exposure.

    I am a Native Houstonian and I have been living in Albuquerque for going on 3 years now. I am passionate about self-care, wellness, mindfulness, holistic health, and all things movement. I decided to Intern at Awake & Aware because DBT aligns with my desired specialization as well as my values.

    My hope is to become a certified DBT Clinician and serve my community as a holistic and mental health advocate.

  • Alyssa Romine, LMHC

    Hi! I'm Alyssa (she/her) and I'm excited to join you on your journey. My educational background is interdisciplinary, and my master's degree is in clinical psychology, which I earned from the University of Guam (really!) in 2015. That was a long time ago, but I'll still eagerly discuss my thesis research, I'm really proud of it. Beginning to work in this field as my second career has been such an honor for me: I am eager to use my background, my experience, and my expertise to benefit others. I was lucky to be able to move to Albuquerque in 2016. Prior to joining the wonderful team here at Awake and Aware, my main therapeutic orientation was in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). I'm so grateful to be practicing DBT now. Mindfulness practices have been very important in my personal life for a long time, and it's wonderful to be able to integrate mindfulness into my professional life as a therapist. As someone who easily leans into problem solving, I also love that DBT offers a concrete structure within which to work, as well as tangible skills to help people improve their lives. Outside of work, I love connecting with family and friends, spending time in the mountains, and doing all the crafts.

  • Lydia J Fabbroni LCSW

    Greetings! My name is Lydia Fabbroni and I joined Awake and Aware after many years serving New Mexico communities through inpatient psychiatric work and emergency psychiatric services. I completed my intensive training in DBT in 2006 and received my DBT-Linehan Board of Certification, Certified Clinician status in 2017. DBT is so powerful as it offers the unique balance of acceptance and change, allowing for a strong partnership to achieve a life worth living. It truly believes that each individual is the expert in their own life and with the right tools each individual can move forward and create the life they are seeking. As a DBT therapist it is exciting to be part of the change and witness individuals re-embrace and re-discover their lives. The foundation of mindfulness inherent in DBT has been especially helpful to me as I navigate life. My joys are traveling, yoga, reading and time spent with family and friends. I am so happy to have landed back in the world of DBT and especially at Awake and Aware.

  • Venita Gallegos 

    Venita Gallegos 

    My name is as traditional as they come in NM, Venita Gallegos.  I was born and raised in Northern NM, and love my Land of Enchantment very much. 

    I am new to Awake and Aware as the Assistant to the Executive Team, and bring over 25 years of work experience, a wide variety of skills, and some crafty talents. 

    I am blessed to have this experience of working with this talented and amazing new family I have made at Awake and Aware.  My goals and aspirations are to be a better person tomorrow than I was today, and to make one more spreadsheet that will make one of my co-workers' smile. 

  • Francesca Cordero, BA, CPCD

    Hello, I am one of the medical billing and coding experts here at Awake and Aware, LLC. I bring more than 25 years’ experience in billing and coding. My background in medicine includes positions in a healthcare clinic, long term care, home healthcare and in specialties such as dermatology.

    I am certified by the American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC) as a Certified Professional Coder (CPC). I earned my bachelor’s degree in communication from The University of New Mexico.

    I am a native New Mexican, raised in Los Lunas. My husband and I love spending time together. This includes traveling between different states including camping and enjoying time riding on our Harley Davidson. Another passion of mine is spending time with my beautiful daughter and 3 adorable grandchildren

  • Jackie Byers AA, CPC

    Hi I am Jackie. I am coming to Awake and Aware as a Billing Specialist. I have 27 years of experience within the Medical Office Setting. 13 of those years have been in Billing, coding and finance. I have primarily worked in FQCH facilities including primary care, Behavioral Health and School Based Healthcare. I also have experience with Specialty clinics including Woman's Health, Neurology and Occupational Therapy.

    I maintain a CPC Certification through the American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC). I also have an Associate Degree in Healthcare Administration from PIMA Medical Institute in Tucson AZ. I am also a Certified Medical Assistant.

    I was born and raised in Northern New Mexico. I spend my free time with my 3 amazing children. We watch movies, cook, and spend time outdoors. I look forward to joining this amazing team on this amazing journey.

Meet the Team