Gloria Lares

Hello, my name is Gloria M. Lares, LCSW, and I’m a licensed clinical social worker dedicated to helping individuals feel seen, supported, and empowered as they navigate their mental and emotional well‐being. I hold dual master’s degrees in Social Work (MSW) and Public Health (MPH) from New Mexico State University, reflecting my commitment to understanding both the personal and systemic factors that shape each person’s experience.

I have experience working in inpatient and outpatient settings with adolescents, adults, older adults, and members of the military community. Over the years, I’ve supported individuals facing trauma, PTSD, anxiety, depression, stress, burnout, grief, low self‐esteem, emotional dysregulation, and self‐harming behaviors. These experiences have strengthened my belief that healing begins with feeling safe, understood, and met with compassion.

As a bilingual clinician (English/Spanish) and someone from a minority background, I value cultural humility and strive to create a space where your identity, history, and lived experiences are honored. My approach integrates trauma‐informed care, nervous‐system awareness, and practical coping skills to help you understand what you’re feeling and why — and to support you in building tools that foster regulation, resilience, and self‐trust.

My goal is for you to feel welcomed just as you are, and to know that you don’t have to move through difficult moments alone. I look forward to supporting you as you reconnect with your strengths, reclaim your voice, and move toward the life you deserve.

My approach is collaborative, individualized, and grounded in honoring your lived experience. I believe therapy works best when you feel safe, respected, and actively involved in your own healing. Each session is tailored to your unique needs, and together we move at a pace that feels supportive for your nervous system and aligned with your goals.

As a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional (CCTP), I integrate a variety of evidence‐based modalities, including Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Trauma‐Focused CBT, Solution‐Focused Therapy, Exposure Therapy, Mindfulness practices, Somatic approaches, and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). These tools help address the effects of trauma, strengthen emotional regulation, and support you in navigating difficult thoughts, feelings, and patterns.

My work is trauma‐informed and rooted in an understanding of how the brain and body respond to stress, overwhelm, and past experiences. I incorporate nervous‐system awareness and practical coping skills so you can better understand what you’re feeling — and learn how to shift it in real time.

Above all, I aim to create a warm, nonjudgmental space where you can safely explore your thoughts, emotions, and experiences. My hope is that therapy becomes a place where you feel empowered, understood, and supported as you move toward healing, resilience, and meaningful change.

In our first session, my priority is to help you feel comfortable, seen, and supported. We’ll take time to get to know each other and explore what brought you to therapy, as well as what you hope to gain from this process. You’re welcome to share at a pace that feels safe for your nervous system — there is no pressure to tell your whole story all at once.

I’ll also explain what therapy with me typically looks like, answer any questions you may have, and begin identifying the goals that matter most to you. Because my work is trauma‐informed and centered on emotional regulation, I’ll offer gentle structure and guidance while making sure you feel in control of your own healing.

By the end of our conversation, you can expect to have a sense of direction, an initial plan for moving forward, and the reassurance that you are stepping into a space where your experiences are honored and your healing journey is supported with compassion and clarity.