Michael Richards

she/her

Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor of Mental Health (LPCC)

Career Counseling, Substance Use, Family Conflict, Men’s Issues, Trauma / PTSD

Couples therapy, Family therapy, Individual therapy

40 years in practice

Ages served: 11-65+

Michael accepts 13 insurers.

Blue Cross Blue Shield

Anthem

United Healthcare | Optum

All insurance carriers and plans

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of New Mexico | Blue Advantage HMO | Blue Preferred PPO

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of New Mexico | Blue Community HMO

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of New Mexico | Medicare Advantage

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of New Mexico | PPO PAR POS FEP HMO

Blue Cross Blue Shield | Anthem (Blue Card)

JP Farley Corporation

Multi Plan PHCS

Poppins Health

Quest Behavioral Health

UMR

United Healthcare | Optum

United Healthcare | Optum - Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

United Healthcare | Optum Medicare Advantage

Self pay costs

Out-of-pocket session costs for clients who don’t have insurance or aren’t covered by their insurance for mental health services.

$200

first session

$170

subsequent sessions

Michael Richards, MDiv, MBA, LPCC, U.S. Consul (ret.). I trained as a clinical chaplain, then in hospital-based social work, specializing in mental health and substance abuse counseling. 20 years in hospital trained me as an expert diagnostician in short term and crisis counseling. I’ve had a terminal counseling license for 28 years, with a supervision credential. I have experience with domestic violence, sexual trauma, bereavement, loss, and the kinds of things people experience on their worst days—and I count it an honor to stand beside you. I have an MBA in non-profit management, and offer business consulting and counseling.

Insight, growth, transpersonal psychotherapy:

Pastoral counseling, spiritual direction, rituals and ceremonies
Expert diagnostician, short term therapy, intervention
Trauma informed, men’s, couples, family therapy
Substance abuse interventions and counseling
End of life and bereavement
Work, career, business, and financial counseling, consulting.

I traveled the world on spiritual pilgrimage for decades while returning to work in hospital and community service NGOs—then as a foreign service officer with the US government. I am committed to providing best practice, evidence-based, ethical care and support for all seekers. “The privilege of a lifetime is to become who you truly are.” Carl Jung

"They say a life well lived is the best revenge. But I say skip revenge and let's all just take what steps we can today to be a little better and to help each other on our path to happy destiny. Becoming a little healthier, a little more authentic, a little more grateful, despite the deliberate chaos...is our best plan of action. I've tried to do a little bit better and learn to be a little more useful in each of my last 14.600 days as a healer, therapist. Knowing your own darkness is the best method for dealing with the darknesses of other people."

Why did you decide to become a counselor or psychiatric provider?

Wounded healer- to give back what I have been given and to make the world and myself better, healthier, more whole.

What types of clients do you work best with?

It's nice when clients are ready to go...sometimes just when they're sick and tired of being sick and tired. But it's not a per-requisite.

What's one thing you wish all clients knew about therapy, mental health, or the healing process?

You do the work...sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly. You can ask for help. A higher power of your understanding is there to help. Ready?

What can clients expect in their first session with you and in the early stages of therapy?

Just getting to know the ropes and taking it as fast or as cautiously- as you're ready to go. There's some paperwork and fine print and questions to begin with.

What personal experiences or values inform your practice as a therapist/provider?

My own life and childhood trauma, addictions, healing path and search for a healthier, more authentic life. 38 years of helping others walk the path.

How do you tailor therapy to meet each client’s unique needs?

We gather information and make plans together. Together we create an individual evidence based treatment plan and check how were doing along the way to keep making measurable progress. Yeah scientific method wed to the healing arts, practiced intuition, a little fun, and serendipity too.

SpecialtiesCareer Counseling, Substance Use, Family Conflict, Men’s Issues, Trauma / PTSD, Video Game Addiction, Weight Loss, Relationships, School Issues, Self Esteem, Seniors & Geriatric, Sexual Abuse, Sleep / Insomnia, Social Anxiety, Spirituality, Stress / Mental Stress / Work Stress, Mood Disorders, Obesity, Psychosis, First Responders, Grief, Depression, Domestic Abuse, Domestic Violence, Dual Diagnosis, Eating Disorder, Caregivers, Chronic Illness/Pain, Addiction, Codependency, Coping Skills, Alcohol Use, Anger Management, Anxiety, Bipolar Disorder

ApproachesPsychodynamic, Psychotherapy, Solution Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT), Somatic, Structural Family Therapy (SFT), Transpersonal, Trauma-Focused, Psychoanalytic, Multicultural, Narrative, Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), Person-Centered Therapy, Humanistic / Rogerian, Imago Relationship Therapy (IRT), Existential Therapy, Internal Family Systems (IFS), Jungian, Faith-Based Counseling, Mindfulness-Based Therapy (MBCT), Family / Marital, Motivational Interviewing, Family Systems, Forensic Psychology, Bibliotherapy, Christian Counseling, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Culturally Sensitive, Art Therapy