ABOUT

Alder and Oak Counseling, LLC, is a psychotherapy private practice based in Santa Fe and Los Alamos, New Mexico. Our goal is to provide compassionate and skilled therapy to individuals, couples, and families who are coping with anxiety, depression, trauma, addictions, conflict, life changes and other issues. We value inclusivity and welcome clients of all different backgrounds. Alder and Oak also keeps in mind the health and welfare of its therapists and aims to provide them with the support they need to flourish and do what they love. When we can, we like to work together as a team to help our clients. The two cofounders and owners are Casey Dexter, LCSW, and Diana Zumas, LPCC. We have three additional therapists, Tejal Murray, LPCC, Vanessa Torres McGovern, LPCC and Sylvan Schneider LPCC. The therapists use a variety of modalities including relational, experiential, talk, art, and trauma informed therapy. Clients are seen either in the office or via telehealth. We try to make therapy accessible and accept many insurances. 

Diana Zumas, MA, LPC, LPCC

CO-FOUNDER, THERAPIST

Diana supports individuals and families on the journey of healing from depression, anxiety, trauma, addictions, codependency, and other challenges. Her therapy practice incorporates a range of modalities, including mindfulness, psychodrama, EMDR, and artwork.

After receiving her BA in Theater and Art from Oberlin College, Diana earned a Masters in Counseling from Southwestern College. She has been a psychotherapist since 2008, working with individuals, families, and adolescents in a variety of inpatient and outpatient settings. For several years she was a primary and specialty therapist at Cottonwood de Tucson in Arizona, a world-renowned inpatient treatment center for addictions, trauma, depression and other disorders. Before her current position, Diana facilitated therapy groups for Native American men recovering from addiction at New Moon Lodge in Ohkay Owingeh, New Mexico. She taught Group Dynamics and Developmental Psychology at Southwestern College in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Currently she enjoys seeing clients at Alder and Oak in Santa Fe, NM, where she provides clinical direction for the team as well as providing individual and couples counseling.

Diana is a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor in the State of New Mexico (license #0180451) and a Licensed Professional Counselor with the State of Arizona (license #LPC-15477). She is trained in EMDR levels I and II and has completed over 600 hours of psychodrama training.

Casey Dexter, BA, LCSW

CO-FOUNDER, THERAPIST

Casey received a BA in English from the University of Maine and a Masters in Social Work fromArizona State University. He has worked extensively with individuals, families and groups in inpatient and outpatient settings including a therapeutic boarding school for adolescents, families and children in the foster care system, and with Indigenous populations.

He has specialties in working with addictions, adolescents and with men’s issues. Before returning to New Mexico, Casey was the clinical director at an inpatient treatment center for addictions in Texas. Currently, his private is at Alder and Oak Counseling, and he practices in Santa Fe and Los Alamos.

In addition to establishing a compassionate and honest relationship with clients, Casey uses modalities like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Motivational Interviewing and Action and Commitment Therapy. When appropriate, Casey enjoys using experiential methods, including music, poetry and the outdoors, to help people find grounding. Overall, he believes in the opportunity, growth and connection therapy can provide.

Casey is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in the State of New Mexico (license #C-10046) and a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with the State of Texas (license #65888).

Vanessa Torres McGovern, MA, LPCC

THERAPIST

Vanessa is an independently licensed therapist with experience working with a variety of issues, including grief and loss, anxiety, depression, trauma, and important life transitions. She will support and encourage you on your journey and accompany you as a trusted companion, skilled witness, and guide.

Having grown up between two cultures, Spain and the United States, Vanessa speaks both Spanish and English and brings an understanding of what it means to live between cultures. Vanessa believes in the power to heal through compassionate witness, emotional expression, and creative process. She is passionate about creating new narratives that will serve you using a variety of modalities including sand tray therapy, songwriting, art, creative writing, and more.

Vanessa received her B.A. from Mount Holyoke College, and her Masters in Counseling from Southwestern College, with a certificate in Grief, Trauma, and Loss. Vanessa completed her internship at Solace Crisis Treatment Center. Vanessa has worked as an outpatient counselor at the Santa Fe Recovery Center supporting individuals recovering from addiction and leading Spanish language recovery and grief groups. She is on faculty at the Academy for the love of Learning and has facilitated numerous groups focused on story and creative process with youth and elders alike. Vanessa has spent 15 years cultivating original pieces of music that reflect meaningful stories in her work with individuals and groups. Vanessa has completed trainings in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Trauma Treatment, Motivational Interviewing and Sand Tray Therapy. As part of the therapeutic relationship, Vanessa will accompany you in exploring your unique personal growth and transformation process.

Christopher “Skip” Escareno-Clark LPCC

THERAPIST

Christopher “Skip” Escareño-Clark, MA, LPCC is a Licensed Professional Clinical Mental Health Counselor with career foci in anxiety, depression, identity,  addictions, trauma, inner-child, and grief work utilizing Client-Centered and Cognitive Behavioral therapies and a dedication to offering clients a judgment-free space of unconditional positive regard in which to explore past experiences, current challenges, and future hopes and dreams. Skip received his BA in Creative Writing from The College of Santa Fe and his MA in Counseling from Southwestern College with professional counseling work with individuals, couples, and families that has included medication-assisted addictions counseling working with opiate addicts employing methadone as part of their addictions treatment and individual and group counseling in Outpatient, Intensive Outpatient, and Residential settings. 

"I ask my clients to engage in possibly the hardest work they may ever have done in their lives and I get the honor of accompanying them on this journey.”