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Counseling

Welcome to ECA/CEC Counseling!

Counselor Alicia Faulds

Alicia Faulds
ECA and CEC Counselor
Email:  alicia.faulds@aps.edu
Phone: (505) 967-9525
Office hours: 7:30am- 3:30pm

Stop by my office and fill out an appointment request form. Expect a response within 48 hours.

Crisis Support

Students, if you are experiencing a mental health crisis, you do not need to make an appointment, come see me right away! If you are experiencing a mental health crisis and it is outside of office hours, please reach out and ask for help!

It's okay to ask for help! You're not alone!

  • NM Crisis & Access Line: 1-855-NMCRISIS (622-7474). Call toll-free anytime 24/7/365.
  • NM Peer-to-Peer Warmline (talk to someone your age): 1-855-466-7100 (call toll-free from 3:30 - 11:30 PM daily or text 6 - 11 PM daily)
  • 24-hour National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255
  • Crisis text line: Text Home to 741741

If you are having a life-threatening emergency, call 911 immediately.

Mission Statement

The mission of the Counseling Department at the Early College Academy and the Career Enrichment Center is to provide a data driven, comprehensive counseling program that helps students acquire the attitude, skills, and knowledge to improve attendance, behavior, and academic achievement.

What Does My School Counselor Do For Me?

The school counselor provides developmental curriculum content in a systematic way to all students through the school counseling core guidance curriculum, individual student planning, responsive services, referrals and collaboration, and program management and school support.

School counseling services are aimed at the more effective education and socialization of the student within the school community. School counseling services are not intended as a substitute for psychological counseling, diagnosis, or medication (which is not the responsibility of the school).

Academic Achievement Concerns

Our Professional School Counselor helps students to acquire the knowledge, attitudes, and skills that contribute to effective learning in school and across the lifespan. Our PSC helps students to complete school with the academic preparation essential to choose from a wide range of choices for post-secondary college and career options. Our PSC also helps students understand the relationship among academics and the world of work as well as between life at home and life in the community. PSCs may also provide group counseling for students having similar academic concerns such as test anxiety, school adjustment, and attendance.

Personal/Social Development Concerns

Our Professional School Counselor helps students to acquire the knowledge, attitudes and interpersonal skills that help them understand and respect themselves and others. Our PSC helps students make decisions, set goals, and take necessary action to achieve their goals. She also helps students understand safety and survival skills. Some student issues that our PSC addresses includes: short-term solution-focused interventions for peer conflict, peer relationships, school stress, test anxiety, drug and alcohol issues, anger management, and suicidal ideation. She also help students and their families find outside professional help when an issue requires a long-term intervention. ECA and APS contract with New Mexico Solutions to provide a Professional Mental Health Counselor on campus for longer term counseling needs/services. See the school counselor for more information.

College & Career Planning

Our PSC helps students to acquire the knowledge, attitudes and skills to investigate the world of work and make informed career decisions that align with their current interests. Our PSC also helps students to employ strategies to achieve future career goals and understand the relationship between personal qualities, education, training and the world of work. Students have the opportunity to take the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) and the EXPLORE as one means of identifying possible career goals. Students also participate in an advisory that helps them to explore their post-high school plans. Those plans are then documented in the spring semester through the Next Step Plan (NSP), which all students (8th – 12th grades) are required to complete.

Resources for Academic and Career Planning

ECA’s School Counseling Center maintains a wide variety of resources for academic and career planning that are available for student and parent use. Career information includes career institutions and armed services brochures. College information includes catalogs, directories, videos, applications, and scholarships. Handouts with scholarship and career information website search engines are also available. Other resources include registration materials and study guides for national college entrance tests (ACCUPLACER< ACT, SAT, and SAT Subject Tests). Files are maintained for high school students on alternative schools, tutoring programs, summer opportunities, scholarships, and foreign exchange programs.

How To Schedule An Appointment With A School Counselor

Our goal is to assist students and families in a timely fashion. A parent who wishes to meet with the school counselor may schedule an appointment by calling the school. Students can make appointments by completing a counselor appointment request form available in the counseling office.

Benefits/Risks

There are both risks and benefits associated with participation in counseling. Counseling may improve a student’s ability to relate with others, provide a clearer understanding of him/herself, along with goals, values, strengths, weaknesses, and an ability to deal with everyday stress. Counseling may also lead to unanticipated feelings and change.

Nature and Limits of Confidentiality

Information discussed in counseling sessions is generally confidential between the School Counselor and the student. However, there are exceptions:

  1. The student appears to be in danger of harming self or others. Danger of harming self or others includes a suicidal or homicidal threat and purposeful self-injury (e.g., cutting). It may include other “risky” behaviors such as drug/alcohol use, plans to commit a violent act against another person, and promiscuous sexual activity (due to heightened risk of contracting/spreading a dangerous disease like HIV).
  2. The student appears to be a victim of child abuse or neglect or may have abused another child.
  3. The student has committed a serious crime or is planning a serious crime that involves potential harm to self or others (e.g., plans to take part in a drive-by shooting).
  4. The student has committed, or is planning to commit, illegal activity at school (e.g., weapons possession, drug/alcohol possession or use, assault and battery).

Revised Nov. 4, 2024