About Our Agency

Guardian Wellness, LLC is a newly founded agency dedicated to the mental wellness of our community’s first responders and military personnel.  Andrea “Andie” Watts is the owner and agency director. She is a licensed mental health therapist and doctoral candidate who has worked exclusively with first responders for over 10 years.  Andie has a deep sense of duty and purpose in helping responders and military personnel navigate the emotional impact of the stressful, challenging, and at times traumatizing service they provide.

Meet Our Clinicians

Andrea Watts returned to Albuquerque in 2003 from Colorado to pursue her undergraduate studies at the University of New Mexico.  She has since obtained her bachelor’s degree in Psychology and two master’s degrees, one in mental health counseling (MS) and the other clinical psychology (MA).  Ms. Watts is currently working on her dissertation to complete her doctorate in clinical psychology from Fielding Graduate University, specializing in forensic and neuropsychology.  

Ms. Watts holds independent clinical licensure in both New Mexico and Colorado.  She holds certification as a master instructor through the New Mexico Law Enforcement Academy in critical incident management, crisis negotiations, crisis intervention, mental health, suicide, and psychological trauma.  She has ten years of experience providing on-scene mental health consultation for high-risk warrants, SWAT, and crisis negotiation activations for multiple departments and agencies. Ms. Watts also provides consultation for sex crimes detectives and prosecutors, serving as an expert witness in the neurobiology of trauma, stress and trauma responding and mental health.

Ms. Watts is a continuing education provider authorized by the New Mexico Counseling and Therapy Practice Board.  She is committed to providing quality research-based facilitation of learning and instruction to enhance students’ understanding of trauma, mental health, and resiliency to enhance skillful social interactions. She is a trainer for Trauma-Informed Sexual Assault Investigations (certified through the IACP).

As a clinician, Ms. Watts’ early work started with children and families impacted by severe emotional disturbances.  She then developed competencies in working with a forensic population, including sexual offenders and incarcerated individuals providing assessment, competency evaluations, and treatment.  Ms. Watts then transitioned her clinical focus towards providing therapy for first responders, including law enforcement officers, firefighters, corrections, paramedics, dispatchers, and emergency medical professionals.  

Her clinical perspective is shaped by a trauma-informed approach, recognizing the profound impact of chronic exposure to trauma on an individual’s mental wellness, relationships, and resiliency.  She provides personalized integrative and trauma-informed care for her patients with a strengths-based approach.