— FY 2025
Impact Report
Strength from Our Roots. Like a stand of aspens, we stand tall and connected, growing toward a future of healing and hope.
FY 2025, a year of Healing, Growth, and Community
Rooted in New Mexico
The Mountain Center serves as a safety net for New Mexicans, offering tools for healing, growth, and resilience. Across five locations, we create spaces where individuals and families can access harm reduction, transitional living, gender and sexuality support, and adventure-based education.
Each program is designed with the understanding that when people engage directly, reflect deeply, and connect with others, they transform their own lives while strengthening the fabric of their communities.
We are proud to partner with Native American communities, government agencies, schools, and nonprofits to extend our reach to those most in need. Through these collaborations, The Mountain Center acts as a hub for collective resilience across New Mexico.
Tesuque | Headquarters
Provides office space, and group facilitation space including yurt, challenges courses, and land along Tesuque Creek.
Santa Fe | Urban Adventure and Training Center
Climbing gym and training center with flat-screen TV, projectors, laptop computers, and space to accommodate up to 70 people.
Santa Fe | Counseling Services
Evidence-based care for recovery from substance use disorder, PTSD, anxiety, and/or depression.
Española | Integrated Care Center
Harm Reduction Program and Healthy Transitions including syringe exchange, overdose-prevention education, Naloxone, rapid HIV/HCV counseling, and auricular acupuncture.
Peña Blanca | Aspen House Women's Recovery
Trauma-informed, substance-free space for women recovering from substance use disorders with the goal of long-term recovery.
Therapeutic Adventure Program
The Therapeutic Adventure Program (TAP) is a nature- and adventure-based behavioral health program that fosters healing and personal growth for clients from across New Mexico. Through activities such as high and low ropes courses, hiking, rock climbing, rafting, and camping, participants connect with themselves, each other, and the natural world.
This year, TAP extended its reach by expanding open enrollment programs, including the Summer Youth Program (ages 7-12) and Teen Adventure Program (ages 13-17). The construction of a 35-foot yurt and cultivation of garden plots at the Tesuque campus reflect our investment in creating spaces of resilience and renewal.
"The magic of our work lives in those moments - a metaphoric connection on a climb or a perfectly timed question in a debrief."
- TAP Program DirectorEmergence
The Mountain Center's Emergence Program nurtures an ecosystem of health that honors the interconnectedness of all life forms and natural elements. Rooted in Indigenous philosophies and cultural strengths, Emergence weaves traditional knowledge into health promotion, disease and substance use prevention, and recovery.
This year, the Emergence Program cultivated The Garden of Metaphors, a collaborative space where staff and clients plant, nurture, and harvest heirloom seeds. The garden offers more than food; it is a place where participants practice reciprocal relationships with the land.
"Fire teaches us warmth, ceremony, protection, and renewal. It reminds us that transformation is possible."
- Daniel Hena, Emergence Lead FacilitatorNM Gender + Sexualities Program
The New Mexico Gender and Sexualities Program (NMGSAN) serves LGBTQ+ youth and adults in Santa Fe and across the state through partnerships with Gender and Sexuality Alliance (GSA) clubs, support groups, training, and special events. NMGSAN is about creating affirming spaces where queer and trans people can connect, learn, and thrive.
This year, weekly support groups increased attendance by 300%. We also launched a new Trans Allyship training that was enthusiastically received by schools, organizations, and community partners.
"Our group became a place where we could have fun, ask real questions, and know we weren't alone."
- NMGSAN Program ParticipantEspañola Office |Harm Reduction
The Harm Reduction Program is the heart and soul of our Española office, serving as a lifeline for people navigating some of life's hardest challenges. Each month, an average of 1,500 individuals come through our doors or meet us at our mobile unit. We provide food, hygiene and menstrual supplies, safer sex and safe use kits, and wound care essentials.
Through syringe exchange, overdose prevention, and everyday acts of care, our Harm Reduction Program remains a place of safety, respect, and connection - a place where lives are not only saved, but valued.
"It gives me peace to know that the last faces she saw were those of kindness. Thank you for making her feel like a person.
- Grieving MotherAspen House Women's Recovery
Aspen House Women's Recovery offers a safe, supportive, and healing environment for women in recovery. Aspen House provides structured, trauma-informed care where women can build stability, strengthen their recovery, and prepare for independent living.
Weekly programming integrates therapy, case management, and experiential learning. This year, Aspen House introduced a computer lab and art room, expanding opportunities for creativity, self-reflection, and healthy coping.
"It was adventurous, turbulent, ocean deep, eye-opening, and a once-in-a-lifetime experience."
- Aspen House Program ParticipantCounseling Services
This year, The Mountain Center brought all of its clinical services together under the Counseling Services Program, creating a stronger, more coordinated approach to care. The program integrates trauma-informed practices with Harm Reduction methodologies to provide individual and group counseling for youth and adults across New Mexico.
Counseling Services also supports clients through the Transformative Justice Initiative, a pre-prosecution diversion program for people struggling with substance use. This year stood out for the growth and dedication of our staff: we welcomed new Case Navigators, an Admissions Manager, and our first Art Therapist.
"There is no place like The Mountain Center. It has so much heart and soul. I have been proud to be part of this work and to witness the extraordinary impact it has had on New Mexicans for generations."
- Program Manager— Our Purpose
Mission
We promote wellness, personal discovery, and social change through innovative learning experiences in nature, community and cultural environments.
Vision
To be a global leader in unique wellness and behavioral health approaches.