Renee Benavidez

Welcome. I am Renee Benavidez, LPCC, and I earned my master’s degree from New Mexico Highlands University in 2012, dedicating my entire 14-year career to supporting both teenagers and adults. While I spent my first 11 years guiding court-committed individuals, I have spent the last three years focusing on the broader community to help clients heal from trauma, anxiety, depression, substance use, and adjustment disorders. My primary approach is Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), a powerful tool that helps process and heal deep-rooted wounds. Nothing brings me more joy than witnessing the inspiring, positive transformations my clients make as they reclaim their lives and well-being.

I believe therapy works best when it is direct, honest, and entirely centered around you. I provide a straightforward, down-to-earth space where we can tackle real issues together. Because healing is hard work, I like to bring humor and a bit of my own nerdy personality into our sessions. Whether we are using EMDR to process heavy trauma or using a Star Wars analogy to explain how to face your dark side, I look forward to helping you on your mental health journey.

Your first session is all about setting a comfortable foundation and getting to know each other at your own pace. We will focus on building an honest relationship and discussing your personal goals without rushing into your entire trauma history on day one. Together, we will map out your unique strengths, identify your support systems, and openly discuss any potential diagnoses. I will also teach you how EMDR works and explain how it can help heal you.