In our present polarizing and divisive time, in which we are increasingly hearing messages that make us feel less than, immoral, or not good enough for ourselves, others, or the world, it is hard to find a place in which you will be unconditionally received and accepted as you are. It may also be difficult to find someone you can trust enough to confide in and share your innermost confusing or distressing thoughts, feelings, or behaviors for fear of being judged.
Arnold Cantú has the ability to provide a comforting space for people in which anything goes. He has a philosophy in which he encourages people to “make the unsayable, sayable” in a secure environment without making any presumptions about there being anything wrong with the person. After all, being able to know oneself well is the first step in being able to make difficult yet crucial changes in the pursuit of a better life.
At Foundations Counseling, Arnold Cantú works with a variety of clients who seek services for help with, but not limited to:
· Children, Adolescents, and Teens – individual and family counseling, cutting/self-injury, self-esteem and self-worth issues, suicidal ideation, school and family issues, social and relationship problems, distressing and challenging emotions (for example: low and saddened mood, anxious, afraid, etc.), grief
· Young Adults and Life Transitions – individual counseling, challenging thoughts and emotions (for example: death anxiety, loss of meaning and purpose, pervasive sadness), social and relationship problems, school and family issues, grief, life transitions and existential concerns
· Family Relationships and Parenting Issues – child and adolescent development difficulties, co-parenting or general parenting challenges, conflict resolution, setting and holding boundaries, trust and understanding, familial trauma and family systems issues, divorce and blended families’ difficulties, family violence and abuse
· Individual Counseling – anger management, distressing and challenging emotions (for example: low and saddened mood, anxious, afraid, etc.), grief, confusing thoughts and emotions (for example: death anxiety, loss of meaning and purpose, existential concerns), family strife, men’s issues, catastrophic thinking, quarterlife concerns, assertiveness, empowerment
Arnold Cantú is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) with nearly a decade of professional experience. He has a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology from the University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley and a Master of Science Degree in Social Work from the University of Texas-Austin. He is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Social Work at Colorado State University in which he is researching alternative ways people can have their painful emotional, behavioral, and psychological difficulties named in such a manner that the labels do not make assumptions about anything being wrong with the individual. Arnold has experience working with children, adolescents, and adults, in diverse school and community mental health settings.
While bilingual and fluent in English and Spanish, he maintains a pluralistic and integrated approach to psychotherapy, tailoring his approach to meet the needs of each individual client, while considering all of the various situations and circumstances going on in that person’s life that may be contributing to difficulties. His approach is infused with elements from Humanistic, Relational, and Person-Centered approaches to counseling in addition to tools and techniques borrowing from Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Solution-Focused Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, Trauma-Informed Care, and Existential Psychotherapy.
Above all else, Arnold appreciates and elevates the importance of the client-therapist relationship as a significant factor for desirable outcomes in counseling and psychotherapy.
Outside of the professional realm, he is regularly found biking or jogging around the Fort Collins trails, lifting weights at the gym, hiking, reading, studying at CSU, or spending time fostering senior dogs with his lovely partner.
Arnold Cantú’s Professional Affiliations:
· American Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (AAMFT)
· American Counseling Association (ACA)
· American Mental Health Counseling Association (AMHCA)
· Association for Multicultural Counseling and Development (AMCD)
· Association for Specialists in Group Work (ASGW)
· Council on Social Work Education (CSWE)
· Heterodox Academy
· International Association of Marriage and Family Counselors (IAMFC)
· International Society for Ethical Psychology and Psychiatry (ISEPP)
· National Association of Social Workers (NASW)
· Rocky Mountain Family Therapy Network (RMFTN)
· Rocky Mountain Humanistic Counseling and Psychological Association (RMHCPA)
· Society for the Advancement of Sexual Health (SASH)