Volare Counseling Announces A Broader Approach To Mental Health Care
Volare Counseling has announced its continued development of an integrative group practice model designed to bring multiple perspectives into mental health care while keeping the individual at the center of treatment.
Led by Andrea Cruz, MA, LMFT, Volare Counseling combines behavioral health services with medical perspectives, functional medicine informed thinking, group experiences, and practical support. The model is based on the premise that emotional wellbeing can be influenced by physical health, relationships, environment, daily routines, work, stress, and other circumstances surrounding a person’s life.
The announcement reflects Volare’s focus on inclusive growth and tailored support for people at different stages and circumstances of life. Rather than defining care around a single diagnosis or treatment method, the practice seeks to consider the broader context of each individual.
Integrative Therapy Supports Individualized Treatment
Volare Counseling’s therapeutic model draws from multiple evidence informed approaches. Depending on a person’s needs, goals, history, and circumstances, clinicians may incorporate Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Internal Family Systems informed approaches, somatic and nervous system informed practices, trauma focused approaches including EMDR when appropriate, mindfulness, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and humanistic and existential approaches.
The practice’s approach is intended to recognize that individuals may respond differently to therapeutic methods and may require different forms of professional support over time.
Volare also emphasizes professional training, supervised clinical experience, and continuing education as part of its clinical philosophy. The objective is to maintain an adaptable model while remaining grounded in established professional practice.
Multidisciplinary Care Connects Mental And Physical Perspectives
A central element of the Volare model is its multidisciplinary structure. The practice includes mental health clinicians, a Nurse Practitioner, and a physician, allowing medical perspectives to become part of the conversation when appropriate.
Volare’s functional medicine informed perspective may consider areas such as sleep and recovery, nutrition and lifestyle, stress and nervous system regulation, energy and fatigue, hormonal and metabolic considerations, medical history, medication and supplement considerations, physical symptoms, and environmental factors.
The practice states that functional medicine informed thinking does not replace conventional medical care. Instead, it can provide an additional perspective when appropriate and help determine whether medical assessment, treatment, or referral may be warranted.
Through appropriate consent and within professional scope, Volare can also collaborate with therapists, physicians, Nurse Practitioners, psychiatrists, primary care providers, somatic practitioners, spiritual professionals, and other qualified specialists. When a concern falls outside the practice’s scope, appropriate referral remains part of its approach.
Group Experiences Add A Community Based Dimension
Volare Counseling also incorporates small group experiences into its broader care model. The practice describes its circles as structured environments where participants can experience shared understanding, connection, and accountability.
Groups are intentionally kept small, and facilitators are trained in the Volare protocol. Progress checkpoints are incorporated into programs to provide structure as participants work toward their individual goals.
The group model forms part of Volare’s larger philosophy that support does not always have to occur in isolation. Carefully facilitated group settings can provide opportunities for participants to recognize shared experiences while developing greater awareness of their own patterns and circumstances.
A Former Client’s Perspective
The impact of Cruz’s approach is also reflected in the experiences of people who have worked with her. One former client described Cruz as someone who created “a safe space” to look inward and do meaningful personal work, while introducing tools such as mindfulness and a holistic approach to mental health.
The former client recalled feeling “really connected and heard” during their sessions and said Cruz’s guidance ultimately inspired them to pursue a career in the mental health field. They also described Cruz as a lasting role model whose warmth and compassion continued to influence them beyond their time in therapy.
Reflecting on that lasting impact, the former client shared that the tools Cruz introduced remain part of their everyday life, expressing deep gratitude for what they learned through their work together.
Andrea Cruz Brings Clinical Leadership To The Initiative
Andrea Cruz, MA, LMFT, is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Clinical Director, and CAMFT Certified Clinical Supervisor. Her professional experience includes mental health, trauma, addiction, crisis care, residential treatment, and community based services.
Cruz has also led multidisciplinary teams, supported clinicians, developed evidence informed treatment programs, strengthened crisis response systems, and helped establish therapeutic environments focused on individualized care.
She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Theater Arts from California State University, Long Beach and a Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology with an emphasis in Marriage and Family Therapy and Professional Clinical Counseling from National University. Cruz has been a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist since 2021 and became a CAMFT Certified Clinical Supervisor in 2024.
Her academic interests have included humanistic psychology, environmental psychology, and holistic approaches to living. In 2016, she presented research at the American Psychological Association Conference examining the relationship between environmental psychology and Indigenous lessons on holistic living.
Cruz’s stated mission is centered on helping people move from simply surviving their circumstances toward greater insight, resilience, confidence, healthier patterns, and purposeful living. That philosophy also extends to Volare’s professional community, with the practice seeking to create a collaborative group practice environment for clinicians, coaches, and medical professionals.
Volare Counseling Recognized for Integrated Mental Health Care
Volare Counseling has been recognized by Evergreen Awards as the Best Integrated Mental Health and Wellness Provider in Long Beach, California of 2026, honoring its integrative approach to mental health, multidisciplinary philosophy, personalized care, and commitment to supporting the whole person.
The recognition reflects the qualities at the heart of Volare’s model, including therapeutic versatility, whole-person care, multidisciplinary collaboration, group support, clinical leadership, professional development, and the ability to support people across different circumstances and stages of life.
For Volare Counseling, the distinction reinforces its belief that meaningful mental health care can bring together clinical expertise, wellness perspectives, collaboration, and practical support while keeping the individual at the center of care.
About Volare Counseling
Volare Counseling is an integrative group practice focused on whole person mental health care. Its model brings together behavioral health, medical perspectives, functional medicine informed thinking, group experiences, and practical support while recognizing that individual needs can differ across circumstances and stages of life. More information about the practice is available through Volare Counseling on LinkedIn and Volare Counseling on Instagram. Additional information about Andrea Cruz is available through Andrea Cruz on LinkedIn and Andrea Cruz on Facebook. Volare also maintains channels on TikTok and YouTube. Contact them directly through email at Andrea@volarecounseling.com.