Counseling Staff - The Play Lab

- Our Staff -

Meet Our Providers

Amber Harris

LCSW

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Amber Harris

LCSW

Amber, who grew up in Alamogordo, NM, moved to Las Cruces to begin her collegiate journey. Amber attended New Mexico State University where she obtained her bachelor’s degree in social work. Immediately following undergraduate school, Amber returned to her hometown where she accepted the honor of providing end-of-life care to her maternal grandparents. During this time Amber discovered her love and admiration for the powerful impact wrap-around services can have on an individual as she was able to see it unfold firsthand with her grandfather who was paraplegic. When Amber returned to NMSU in 2022 to obtain her Master of Social Work degree, she knew she wanted to incorporate this newfound admiration into her lifelong career. Amber found a home with The Play Lab, here she is surrounded by opportunities to learn and incorporate her love of healing through the mind-body connection. Amber works with children ages 0-18 and their families, using a trauma focused and attachment centered approach, to assist with a variety of areas of difficulty including anxiety, depression, behavioral issues, PTSD, etc. Amber is a certified Circles of Security – Parenting facilitator and she is looking to expand her professional qualifications to include becoming endorsed in Child Parent Psychotherapy and Infant Mental Health. Outside of working hours, Amber loves to spend time with her two dogs and two turtles, care for her variety of plants, and spend time with her friends and family. Amber has developed a newfound love of board games (thanks to TPL) and has been working on curating her own collection of fun games to share and connect with her loved ones. Amber looks forward to football Sundays and traveling when she can. Amber believes strongly in the power of connection and the healing possibilities it holds. She looks forward to being a kind, gentle, and secure source of support to the children and families of our community. Amber feels that every person has the potential to be all that they wish to be in this world, we just need to find the helping hands that will aid in lighting our path to get there.

Anthony Esquibel

LPCC

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Anthony Esquibel

LPCC

Anthony Esquibel is a Licensed Professional Clinical Mental Health Counselor in the state of New Mexico. He obtained his bachelor’s degree in psychology and his master’s degree in counseling and educational psychology from New Mexico State University. He has dedicated the past 12 years to working with youth and families in the Las Cruces area. This work includes providing behavior management services, supporting the group home, supervision of a treatment foster care program, in-home services with CYFD, and outpatient therapy. He enjoys working with school-age children and their families with an emphasis on at-risk adolescent males. He is knowledgeable with many childhood disorders including anxiety, depression, and trauma. He enjoys poetry, doing his podcast and time with his son outside of work.

Jasmine Renteria

LCSW

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Jasmine Renteria

LCSW

Jasmine is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. She received her bachelor’s in Family and Child Sciences, Minor in Child Advocacy Studies, and Masters of Social Work at New Mexico State University. Jasmine is trained in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy (EMDR), EMDR with children and adolescents, Circle of Security Parenting Classes (COS), Autplay Therapy, and is currently in the process of being rostered for Child Parent Psychotherapy (CPP).  Jasmine’s clinical practice includes supporting infants, children, adolescents and families. She has experience in supporting clients with anxiety, depression, trauma, behavioral concerns, self-esteem issues, grief/loss, Autism, and other family/relationship conflicts. Born and raised in Las Cruces, Jasmine enjoys gardening, being with her dogs, exploring outdoors, and spending time with her family and friends.

Melanie Dunne

Clinical Director of Behavioral Health, LCSW

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Melanie Dunne

Clinical Director of Behavioral Health, LCSW

Melanie Dunne is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), serving as the Clinical Director of Behavioral Health at The Play Lab. A New Mexico native originally from Silver City, she earned both her Bachelor of Social Work and Master of Social Work degrees from New Mexico State University.

She is an endorsed Infant Mental Health Specialist and endorsed Reflective Supervisor with extensive experience supporting children, caregivers, and families through relationship-based and trauma-informed approaches. Her clinical expertise includes Child-Parent Psychotherapy (CPP), where she serves as both a provider and supervisor, as well as training in EMDR and Circle of Security Parenting.

Throughout her career, Melanie has been passionate about strengthening early relationships, supporting caregiver-child attachment, and promoting resilience within families and communities. She also brings a strong background in working with military service members, veterans, and their families, helping individuals navigate trauma, transition, and relational challenges with compassion and cultural responsiveness.

As Clinical Director, she is committed to fostering high-quality, developmentally informed behavioral health services while supporting clinicians in reflective, relationship-centered practice.

Charles McNamara

LMSW

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Charles McNamara

LMSW

Charles McNamara is an LMSW who graduated from NMSU with a master's in social work. Having moved to Las Cruces in 2016 he enjoys both the warm and cool seasons in the area, always hoping for a chance of snow in the winter. Joining the Amistad team, he looks forward to new encounters and experiences with both the staff and clients. When Charles is not working at Amistad he enjoys playing with his pets, morning walks, and various games.

Alondra Villa

COTA/L

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Alondra Villa

COTA/L

My name is Alondra India Villa. I am a dedicated and compassionate healthcare professional with an associate’s degree in occupational therapy and Kinesiology. I am driven by a deep commitment to my family and community, I enjoy being actively involved in events and initiatives that bring people together. I am especially passionate about my career in occupational therapy, and I am continuously seeking opportunities to grow within the field and make a lasting impact in the lives of others. Outside of my professional life, I enjoy exploring creative ideas through DIY projects and baking. I am a Disney movie enthusiast, and a collector of Stitch-themed items. In my downtime, I also enjoy watching "novelas" and spending quality time with loved ones. I am looking forward to working with little ones, families, and The Play Lab Family.