April Lewis-Ramirez LPCC RPT™ EPT/C™

Hi! I'm April!  I am the owner and clinical director of A Bird's Nest. I got my bachelor's from the University of New Mexico in Sociology and then went on to pursue my M.S. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from the University of the Southwest. I enjoy using a wide range of approaches including Experiential, Client-Centered, Solution-Focused Brief Therapy, EMDR, Narrative Therapy, CBT, and mindfulness and have a passion for Play therapy.

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I am a Registered Play Therapist (RPT™) and Supervisor working towards my EMDR Certification. I love to work side by side with other clinicians to empower each other to progress further in our work. In doing this I often provide training to outside therapists with the Treehouse. I am a 2023 graduate of the Association for Play Therapy Leadership Academy. I am also a board member and the President of the New Mexico Association for Play Therapy.

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I have presented for several training topics I enjoy speaking about: Aggression, Trauma, Anxiety, Theories, and Techniques.

Children speak/work through trauma and anxieties through play. Play can help children process in a way they need with a safe environment. I can help provide that “safe place”. I can also provide parent support and education along the way.

I am trained in many modalities including Eye-Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing which is commonly used to treat and relieve PTSD, acute stress, and anxiety symptoms resulting from traumatic and other life experiences. EMDR can produce elevated emotional and somatic reactions during and after treatment. A typical client experiences a 60-90% reduction in stress symptoms as a result of treatment. With children, I tend to use a more playful EMDR approach to stay trauma-informed in my therapeutic process and meet individuals at their own needs.

In my spare time, I choose to spend with my family at home. I am a mother of two amazing little boys who keep my heart full. We take trips to the park, love doing art projects, and visit local places including many local restaurants in town and the zoo. We look forward to more traveling as a family in the upcoming years to continue to create meaningful memories. Other hobbies include my self-care time going running, setting fitness goals, going to CrossFit, and looking forward to finishing writing a book in the next year.

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I strive to make an impact on the community of New Mexico and help individuals with their mental health needs for many generations to come.