About JJ Collins
JJ Collins is a Mental Health Counselor at Vanguard who is dedicated to helping clients pursue interior healing, personal growth, and reconnection with the goodness at their core. His work in addiction and mental health treatment is rooted in a deep sense of purpose and service, allowing him to walk alongside individuals during some of the most difficult and transformative seasons of their lives.
JJ believes that even in the presence of addiction, trauma, and emotional suffering, people have the capacity for healing, resilience, and meaningful change when they are supported with compassion, accountability, and skilled therapeutic guidance. His approach centers on meeting clients where they are while creating a safe, compassionate, and self-esteem-building environment in both group and individual therapy.
In his clinical work, JJ strives to offer an unconditionally supportive therapeutic alliance as clients move from the pain and disconnection of active addiction toward a more flourishing life in recovery. He collaborates with clients to help them reconnect with their strengths, rediscover their purpose, and develop healthier, more sustainable ways of living.
JJ specializes in the treatment of Alcohol Use Disorder and Substance Use Disorder and is especially passionate about supporting clients who are also experiencing anxiety, depression, trauma-related symptoms, low self-esteem, grief, and emotional regulation challenges. He values helping clients rebuild identity, purpose, and connection as they work toward long-term recovery and overall well-being.
One of JJ’s greatest strengths is his ability to create a genuinely relational therapeutic environment where clients feel both challenged and cared for. He balances empathy with honesty and accountability, recognizing that meaningful recovery often requires both compassion and courageous self-examination. Clients and families working with JJ can expect to feel respected, understood, encouraged, and reminded that they are not defined by addiction, past mistakes, or emotional struggles.
Outside of work, JJ values time with his wife, personal growth, physical fitness, spirituality, and experiencing the beauty of New Mexico. He also enjoys reading and continued learning in psychology, philosophy, recovery, and personal development, and he strives to live a purposeful life centered on growth, service, resilience, and strong relationships.
