Open Minds Healing And Recovery

Starting therapy at Open Minds was intimidating for me, but Crystal Cooley made the experience feel safe and welcoming right away. The staff is always so kind and helpful, which makes every visit even more comfortable. I genuinely look forward to my sessions with Crystal. She listens with real care and helps me uncover the things I need support with, even when I didn’t know how to name them myself. Since working with her, I feel like a different person in the best way — more grounded, more understood, and more supported. She has been such an important part of my healing.

I needed help processing many different events in my life and reached out to Open Minds. I was placed with Crystal Cooley. She is an Amazingly Skilled Therapist who was able to dissect my many scattered, unrelated thoughts and put them all into context. She has helped me immensely in organizing and categorizing my thoughts and events in life so I can make realistic decisions. If you are needing someone to help you with life's challenges. Crystal is simply Amazing!

I've had nothing but great experiences here. Crystal has been so gentle and patient with me.

Initially I saw Michelle Tatum for over a year. She was amazing and I grew so much in therapy. Then I graduated from therapy. A few years later, I needed therapy again and tried this place again as my first choice due to the wonderful experience I had before. The receptionist was responsive and professional and got me in right away. I started with Crystal and our intake went well and I was excited to learn coping skills and have someone to process stressful life events with. But our second session, everything went sharply downhill. She ignored me the first several minutes of our session to answer emails and texts. Then when we got started she spent at least 30 minutes behaving very judgmentally and pointing out how I was at fault instead of helping me figure out why or process. I felt so defeated and depressed after that session. I immediately called and canceled all future sessions. As an LMSW myself, I would never treat a client that way. I think overall this is a good agency that often has great therapists and a smoothly running front office and an easily accessible patient portal through TherapyNotes. I would give 5 stars for that, for Tamara's kindness and enthusiasm, and for my previous experience with Michelle. However my last experience was so demoralizing that I have to knock off a few stars. I hope that others have a far better experience and are not judged and put down as I was.

After relocating to Alamogordo, I was having extreme difficulty adjusting without relief from my usual coping techniques due to past trauma. I decided to help myself and contacted Open Minds. While I had to wait to begin sessions due to their waitlist, I believe that they were absolutely amazing at accommodating me. I began EMDR, CBT, and DBT with Chelsea. She is empathetic, accommodating, and meets you where you’re at… the patient sets the pace. I love this, as in the past at other places I’ve experienced patronizing therapist with a “deadline” for success. Would I recommend Open Minds? Yes (and I have). Would I recommend my therapist [Chelsea] specifically? Absolutely!

I started therapy with Open Minds for one reason but due to the waiting list I didn’t get started for a few months but it came at the right time due to new and huge changes/life events. I attend virtually which is awesome because that’s the only way my life would allow me to attend these sessions. Some days my therapist sees me at my actual worst and in my pjs which I think actually gives a real special level of honesty you don’t get in office visits. They can see how you’re truly doing. The process is easy even if the work we do isn’t always. My therapist is kind, understanding and helpful. I’m incredibly thankful for Open Minds and the incredible support and staff. I highly recommend them to anyone. Bonus because I attend virtually, my therapist moved and I didn’t have to switch she took me with her so to speak. That’s huge for recovery.

I had the pleasure of working with Alex for a year. I knew when working with a therapist it’s important to find the right fit for you and Alex was the perfect fit. From the start it never felt like I was in a therapy session. She always asked about my every day life and conversation would organically lead to deeper issues. I felt so comfortable in her office and with her, it felt like you were conversing with a friend. Anyone that asks for a recommendation I jump at the chance to mention Alex.