Meet The Team – The Lighted Path LLC
Choose your location to meet the team closest to you
Meet the Heart behind the Lighted Path LLC
Jeff Abernathy | Owner & Operator →
Jeff Abernathy owns and operates The Lighted Path LLC. A former Marine and retired Albuquerque Police Department officer with 25 years of service, Jeff founded The Lighted Path LLC with his wife, Mandi, in 2023. Formerly known as Seasons Therapy, their practice helps clients address challenges by promoting positive thinking and behavior through an informal, direct, compassionate, and strength-based approach.
Mandi Abernathy, MA, LPCC, Supervisor →
As the Clinical Director and a graduate of Wayland Baptist University (2013), Mandi has been a Licensed Counselor in New Mexico since 2014. Her clinical leadership is grounded in an integrated wellness approach that extends beyond traditional symptom management, emphasizing the essential connection between mental and physical health to support long-term psychological resilience.
Mandi’s goal is to guide clients toward an empowered, self-actualized mindset that fosters lasting personal growth well beyond the therapy room. She welcomes the opportunity to discuss how this specialized approach can support individual client needs.
Meet The Edgewood, NM Team
Amy Smith, LCSW Therapist | In Person & Online →
Who She Works With
- Children
- Adolescents & teens
- Adults
- Couples
Areas of Focus
- Past and complex trauma
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Attachment challenges
- Self-esteem concerns
- Relationship difficulties
- Suicidality
Therapeutic Approach
- Rooted in safety, connection, and self-awareness
- Strengths-based perspective
- Evidence-based interventions, including:
- EMDR
- Trauma-Focused CBT (TF-CBT)
- ARC (Attachment, Regulation, Competency)
- CAMS
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
Experience
- Licensed Clinical Social Worker
- 11 years of clinical experience
Availability
- In-person and online sessions
Contact
- Phone: 505-508-7071
- Email: thelightedpathllc@gmail.com
Noel Simmons MSW, LCSW | Online Only →
Who She Works With
- Individuals (adult therapy)
Experience
- Licensed Clinical Social Worker
- 7 years of clinical practice
Therapeutic Approach
- Heart-centered and holistic
- Integrates body, mind, and spirit
- Believes healing happens “little by slowly”
- Emphasizes honoring small, meaningful changes to support lasting transformation
Modalities & Practices
- Trauma-informed care
- Mindful Self-Compassion
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
- Polyvagal-informed practices
- Intuitive healing energy work
Availability
- Online Sessions Only
Contact
- Phone: 505-508-7071
- Email: thelightedpathllc@gmail.com
Julie Phillips, MSW, LCSW | Online Only →
Who She Works With
- Individuals (adult therapy)
Experience
- Licensed Clinical Social Worker
- 2 years of clinical practice
Therapeutic Approach
Positive change is achievable & possible
- explore the underlying reasons for feeling stuck, unmotivated, or triggered
- By changing a distorted thought, you can change the emotion and the resulting behavior
- Learning to challenge those negative thoughts with evidence and replacing them with more balanced, realistic ones
Modalities & Practices
- Trauma-informed care
- Mindful Self-Compassion
- Cognitive Behavior Therapy
- First Responders
- Grief
Rachel Rascon, MS, LMHC | In-Person & Online →
Who She Works With
- Children
- Adolescents
- Individuals
- Couples
Education
- Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling
University of the Southwest
Experience
- Over 10 years of experience working with individuals in crisis
- Extensive experience supporting clients who have experienced trauma
- Background working with children and youth
Therapeutic Philosophy
- Believes healing, self-growth, and meaningful change can occur through the therapeutic process
- Focuses on creating a supportive and safe environment for growth
Availability
- In-person and Online Session
Contact
- Phone: 505-508-7071
- Email: thelightedpathllc@gmail.com
Justin Anderson | Online Only →
Specialties
- Stress management
- Anxiety reduction
- Habit control
- Fears and phobias
- Smoking cessation
- Building self-confidence
Therapeutic Approach
- Compassionate and client-centered
- Personalized, organically tailored sessions
- Empowers clients to regain control and create lasting change
- Uses hypnosis to support insight, healing, and personal growth
Client Experience
- Focuses on helping clients unlock their potential
- Encourages deeper self-awareness and self-trust
- Creates a supportive and safe therapeutic environment
- Believes clients already hold the answers within themselves
“You already have the answers — I’m here to help you discover them.”
Availability
- Online sessions only
Contact
- Phone: 505-508-7071
- Email: thelightedpathllc@gmail.com
Emily Martin, M.A. Candidate | Master’s Intern Counseling. →
Who She Works With
- Children
- Adolescents
- Adults
Areas of Focus
- Trauma-informed
- Culturally responsive care
- Behavioral challenges
- Life transitions
- Emotional, behavioral, and vocational goals
Experience
- Master’s-level counseling intern currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling.
- K–12 Rehabilitation Counseling licensure.
- 7 Years professional experience working with children, adolescents, and adults in rural and underserved New Mexico communities.
- Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor, providing counseling and support to individuals with disabilities while addressing mental health concerns, adjustment challenges, and life transitions.
Therapeutic Approach
- Trauma-informed and strengths-based
- Child- and adolescent-responsive care
- Developmentally appropriate skill-building
- Collaborative and person-centered
Philosophy
Emily believes that growth happens when individuals, especially children and adolescents, feel safe, supported, and understood. She values building trust, honoring each client’s lived experience, and helping clients and families develop skills that promote resilience, confidence, and long-term well-being.
Availability
- In-person sessions only available Saturdays
- Online sessions
Meet The Albuquerque, NM Team
Angelika Van Grinsven, MA, LPCC | In-person & Online →
Education
- Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling – Regent University
- Master’s Certificate in Trauma Counseling
- Certified Clinical Trauma Professional (CCTP)
- EMDR trained
- PhD candidate
Therapeutic Approach
- Warm, direct, and trauma-informed
- Combines practical coping skills with deep trauma healing
- Focused on real progress beyond talk therapy
Areas of Focus
- Trauma (medical, relational, abuse, disaster-related)
- Complex & developmental PTSD
- Dissociation & DID
- Domestic violence & substance use
- Anxiety, depression, suicide concerns
- Military-related & LGBTQAI+ concerns
Therapies Used
- EMDR, ACT, DBT, CPT
- Narrative & Person-Centered Therapy
- IFS concepts & Polyvagal-informed care
Availability
- In-person & Online Sessions
Contact
- 505-508-7071
- thelightedpathllc@gmail.com
Francine Adair, MS, LCSW | In-Person & Online →
Education
- Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work – New Mexico Highlands University
- Master’s Degree in Social Work – New Mexico Highlands University
Professional Experience
- Licensed Clinical Social Worker
- Former school social worker
- Behavior management specialist
- CYFD investigator
Client Perspective
- Mother of four with deep understanding of family dynamics
- Personal insight into:
- Schizophrenia
- Bipolar disorder
- Autism
- Anxiety
- Depression
- ADHD
- Strong advocate and ally for the LGBTQ+ community
Who She Works With
- Children
- Adolescents
- Adults
- Couples
- Families
Therapeutic Approaches
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Trauma-informed care
- Play therapy
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
- Gender-affirming practices
Therapeutic Philosophy
- Passionate about strengthening family and couple communication
- Believes there are no “bad” parents — only parents learning new tools
- Focuses on connection, growth, and healthy relationships
Availability
- In-person and online sessions
Contact
- Phone: 505-508-7071
- Email: thelightedpathllc@gmail.com
Elisabeth Galanis MA, LMHC | In-Person & Online →
Who She Works With
- Adults
- Couples
Areas of Focus
- Past and complex trauma
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Attachment challenges
- Self-esteem concerns
- Relationship difficulties
- Suicidality
- Domestic Violence
Therapeutic Approach
Elisabeth’s work is rooted in safety, connection, and self-awareness. She approaches therapy through a strengths-based, trauma-informed lens that honors each client’s lived experience and cultural identity. Her goal is to create an inclusive, empowering space where healing is collaborative and deeply human.
She integrates evidence-based and human-centered interventions, including:
- Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT)
- ARC (Attachment, Regulation, Competency)
- Positive psychology
- Art Therapy
- Humanistic
- Strength-based
Experience
- Licensed mental health counselor
- 1 year LMHC
Availability
- In-person and online sessions
Contact
- Phone: 505-508-7071
- Email: thelightedpathllc@gmail.com
Meet The Owatonna, MN Team
Justin Anderson | Online Only →
Specialties
- Stress management
- Anxiety reduction
- Habit control
- Fears and phobias
- Smoking cessation
- Building self-confidence
Therapeutic Approach
- Compassionate and client-centered
- Personalized, organically tailored sessions
- Empowers clients to regain control and create lasting change
- Uses hypnosis to support insight, healing, and personal growth
Client Experience
- Focuses on helping clients unlock their potential
- Encourages deeper self-awareness and self-trust
- Creates a supportive and safe therapeutic environment
- Believes clients already hold the answers within themselves
“You already have the answers — I’m here to help you discover them.”
Availability
- Online sessions only
Contact
- Phone: 505-508-7071
- Email: thelightedpathllc@gmail.com