Mission

Cerros Consulting’s mission is to positively transform lives through connecting to self, nature, and community. We aim to acknowledge life’s transitions as an opportunity to grow fully into who are are meant to be. We do this through nature-based experiences, the practice of council and in depth injury, and through mentorship, a non-traditional therapeutic approaches to mental health and wellness.

Values

Reflection and Inquiry

Authentic Relationship

Nature and Community Connection

Self-Directed Exploration

Integrity

What’s Happening?

• Wide spread disconnection/isolation and nature deficiency are the root cause of symptoms that lead to addiction, anxiety, and depression.

• High rates of distraction due to constant information overload and the difficulty of disconnecting from media leave people rarely bored, often curbing creativity.

• People are less resilient today, and lacking self reflection time, community, and rites of passage.

Why Cerros?

Cerros is Spanish for hills and peaks. It also translates as backbone. Hills and peaks offer a great perspective. Cerros speaks to us about what it means to have a backbone, both in strength and in solid foundation, to step into our purpose and create a meaningful experience of life. Cerros Consulting aims to elevate purposeful leaders, giving them the strength and courage to change the world for the better. See more here.

Cerros is named such for these two very essential reasons: 1.) It is a reminder that peaks and valleys exist together, and all inform/make up the fullness of a life, the perspective from the top is important in revealing this truth. And 2.) Cerros teaches us about the backbone, the base, the foundation of who we are. Remembering, connecting, and returning to this again and again, no matter where you may be on the journey, is what the organization aims to evoke in every person that steps in and enrolls into the services and offerings of Cerros Consulting. If we strengthen our knowing of ourselves it allows for us to find our home all along the way.

Origin Story

My name is Michelle Katz, Creator of Cerros Consulting. I came to Santa Fe for the first time in 2008. The landscape, culture and education brought me here. While getting my Masters in Counseling, I developed an Upward Bound education program for first generation prospective college students through Eight Northern Indian Pueblos Council’s Education Department. The program’s main aim was to support these students through high school as they meet goals toward higher education and fulfilling their dreams. At the end of the program, students spoke to the profound meaning of their experience and how it impacted their lives and who they have become. I instantly knew this was my purpose in life, to generate experiences that grow and guide people into themselves. This was also the period of my life when I fell in love with counseling, education, program creation and the landscape of mountains.

When graduating with a Masters in Counseling, I moved around the country as a counselor from inner cities to the wilderness settings, serving all ages, gender, races and populations. After years as a therapist, I returned to education, developing trainings for school leadership teams in positive behavior interventions, training teams on the PBIS program, that impacted the next generation. I also built my own business, Oaks Counsel, practicing as a wilderness rites of passage guide and facilitator, offering guidance and mentorship to people in the greatest transitions in life so they can become who they are meant to become. Simultaneously, I knew the mountains were calling me back again. I returned to Santa Fe in 2016, becoming a project manager for an ever growing state and federally funded substance abuse prevention program in schools called the PAX Good Behavior Game. My team and I brought a small program of 14 sites up to 90 sites and community partners, from a staff of 1 we became a talented and committed team of 6, with 90 partners across the state. I have also led projects in mental health practices through work with the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation. I also led New Mexico’s Project AWARE, brining mental health awareness and services into educational institutions so students get the services they need. I manage a team of 15 in this important work. My passion is creating meaningful initiatives, workshops, team building, systems and coaching across the state of New Mexico and the world. All this began with the mountains that inspire me, providing me perspective, and giving me space to grow again and again. That is what I want to offer all leaders of our community.