MEET CRYSTAL
Crystal believes healing happens when we honor the whole person—mind, body, and spirit. Her work is about creating a compassionate, non-judgmental space where you can be your true, authentic self. Together, you may explore your story with kindness and curiosity, embracing the human connection that makes healing real. Here, you are seen, heard, and valued just as you are.
Crystal Ruiz, LCSW, specializes in the treatment of depression, anxiety, trauma, life transitions and grief and loss. She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who has worked in the field of mental health since 2003. Crystal received her undergraduate and graduate degrees in social work from Colorado State University in Fort Collins,
Colorado. She has experience working with clients throughout the lifespan including children, adolescents, adults and seniors. Her experience with children and teens included work in schools and the non-profit sector.
She also worked for over 15 years with people living with terminal illness, the bereaved and caregivers. She recognizes reaching out to a therapist is a true act of hope. Her approach is collaborative, authentic, and rooted in identifying each person’s strengths. She believes in the importance of joining with clients to work towards meaningful change. When working with children and many adults, she incorporates play, movement, art, and other creative interventions to ensure they feel heard, understood, and valued.
Crystal’s therapeutic approach is integrated and holistic, combining traditional psychotherapeutic modalities with mindfulness-based practices, somatic (body-based)
therapies, and brain-based therapies. Her approach is grounded in the belief that every person has the capacity for growth and wholeness.
Experience
2024-2025: Program Manager of Mental Health, Communities in Schools of the Permian Basin, Midland, TX
2022-2024: Mental Health Counselor, Communities in Schools of the Permian Basin, Midland, Odessa, Big Spring, TX
2021-2022: Mental Health Support Specialist- Peer Support Groups, Midland, Odessa, Big Spring, TX
2016-2018: Manaugh Elementary, Certified School Social Worker, Cortez, Colorado
2008-2016: Hospice of Montezuma, Cortez, Colorado
2004-2008: The Elizabeth Hospice, San Diego County, CA
2002-2003: Hospice and Palliative Care of Northern Colorado, Greeley, CO
Trainings
2025: Trauma Sensitive Movement: Somatic Techniques to Support the Nervous System, PESI
2025: Dialectical Behavior Therapy 4 Day Intensive, PESI.
2025: Dialectical Behavior Therapy with Children and Adolescents, PESI
2025: Southern Sandtray Institute
2023: Expressive Modalities of Play Therapy: Sandtray, PBCA