Our Staff
Nikka Peralta, LCSW, Owner
I created Mending Hearts, LLC from my heart in 2016. I have developed a passion for working with people through my own personal experiences and clinical expertise. I am a New Mexico native and am proud to give back to my community by helping others to heal from within. I graduated from New Mexico Highlands University in 2012 with a masters degree in Clinical Social Work. I enjoy working with adolescents, children and families.
Jonathan Allison, LMHC
Jonathan Allison is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC). He spent three years (2020-2023) with the Public Safety Psychology Group (PSPG), where he specialized in trauma-informed counseling for the first responder population throughout the state of New Mexico. Jonathan also provided counseling for first responder members’ spouses, children, members as couples, and members' entire family units. Certified in peer support and crisis negotiations, Jonathan served on PSPG’s crisis response team, supporting SWAT calls, providing therapeutic services in critical incident stress debriefings, and taking emergency calls for patients finding themselves in crisis.
Jonathan received his Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration (BBA) in 2018 and his Master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling (MA) from the University of New Mexico in 2021.
Jonathan has an eclectic approach to counseling, with his main influences being existential psychotherapy, holistic counseling, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and mindfulness-based counseling. Jonathan also regularly utilizes humanistic and psychodynamic approaches, the Gottman method, narrative therapy, person-centered counseling, systemic therapy, reality therapy, rational emotive therapy, and constructionist therapy.
Outside of the office, Jonathan serves on the board for the Albuquerque Lodge of the Chinese American Citizen’s Alliance (CACA) and is the organization’s head lion dance instructor. Jonathan also served in the US Navy Reserves from 2012-2019.
Eleanor Raymond, LMSW
Eleanor obtained her Master of Social Work degree from Tulane University in 2022, and is now a Licensed Master Social Worker in the state of New Mexico. Originally from Vermont, Eleanor moved to New Mexico on a whim and fell in love with its scenic beauty.
Eleanor has both personal and professional experience navigating chronic illness and medical/health-related trauma. She has found that physical health and mental health are often interdependent. Eleanor enjoys educating her clients about the impact of trauma on the brain, and utilizes somatic therapy and mindfulness techniques to help clients become more present in their bodies.
Eleanor works with children, adolescents, and families, incorporating play therapy and art therapy modalities. She is an amateur painter, avid traveler, and lover of nature. She strives to provide anti-colonial services that affirm indigenous knowledge systems, and is a dedicated advocate for marginalized voices.
Heather Harrison, LMSW
Heather is a Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) who holds a Master’s of Social Work from New Mexico Highlands University, completed in 2024, and a Bachelor's degree in Psychology from the University of New Mexico, earned in 2021. With four years of extensive experience in crisis intervention and trauma-informed care, her recent professional expertise encompasses substance use disorders and addictions, where she employs a broad, adaptable therapeutic approach tailored to each client's unique needs.
Heather utilizes a strengths-based, person-in-environment, and multisystem approach. Her therapeutic toolkit includes Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, Solution-Focused Therapy, Narrative Therapy and Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy. Heather is dedicated to fostering a supportive and empathetic environment, drawing from a variety of resources to empower her clients.
In her personal life, Heather values spending quality time with her family, often engaging in outdoor activities like camping to connect with nature. An enthusiast of culture, arts, and music, she loves to immerse herself in diverse cultural experiences. Originally from Connecticut, Heather now calls New Mexico home for the last 14 years, having moved to embrace new opportunities and adventures.
Cristabel Alexander, LMHC
Cristabel is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) and a Professional School Counselor who holds a Master’s of Clinical Mental Health Counseling from New Mexico Highlands University earned in 2020. She has been in the field since 2018. Cristabel holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminology from the University of New Mexico earned in 2017.
Cristabel has provided counseling for individuals, couples, families, children, teens and parents for the last five years who have dealt with various forms of anxiety, depression, trauma, relationship struggles, grief, attachment and substance dependence. She has experience running teen self-esteem groups, substance abuse groups and parenting therapy groups. She is trauma informed and has a person-centered approach to helping clients feel safe. Cristabel advocates for her clients and helps them realize their power within, to foster healing.
Cristabel uses a creative mix of different modalities including art interventions, music therapy, narrative therapy, play therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), positive psychology, mindfulness, existentialism, nurtured heart and family systems therapy to empower and promote healing. She is an explorer of nature, traveler, concert enthusiast and painter. She loves animals and has four cats, two turtles and fish.
Elijah Meddleton, CSW
Social Work Intern
Elijah Meddleton is currently a second year clinical social work masters student at New Mexico Highlands University. Elijah graduated from the University of New Mexico with a bachelors in psychology. With a heart for helping others, Elijah has worked and volunteered for various organizations and has experience in crisis intervention, community and family services.
Elijah can assist individuals in gaining access to services in the community by navigating along side them and helping to empower each person for success.
Elijah will apply his experience in crisis support, substance use disorders and family systems. Elijah utilizes cognitive behavioral therapy, person centered and solution focused approaches.
Elijah loves traveling and has visited Spain, Italy and Japan. He also finds joy in simple weekend road trips.
Emeri Martinez, Social Work Intern
Emeri is our masters level social work intern currently attending Grand Canyon University. She received her bachelors in social work from New Mexico Highlands in July 2020. She has worked as an advocate for victims of violent crimes and at a dementia care facility. Her goal is to help children and families overcome trauma using art, meditation, drawing, writing, and play therapy. She believes all can be effective interventions to release trauma and begin a healing process.
In her free time, Emeri enjoys traveling with her family.
Allison Ashe
CSW Social Work Intern
Allie is our masters level social work intern currently attending New Mexico Highlands University. She received both of her bachelor's degrees, psychology and social work at Arizona State University.
Allie has over five years of experience in social work as a case manager and working as an advocate for low income and homeless populations. Allie's passion lies with client connection and building transitional services to connect clients to their needs to be successful in their life. Allie's long term goal is to become an addiction therapist in a clinical setting and help patients reach their goals of recovery and sobriety.
In Allie's free time, she enjoys spending time with her 9 dogs, 2 hedgehogs, tortoise, and ducks.