Welcome Burque-Born Lorrie Swanson as 6/7 Counselor

Lorrie+Swanson

Lorrie Swanson

Albuquerque Academy welcomes Lorrie Swanson as the new 6/7 counselor. Ms. Swanson strives to help students and parents navigate the mental and emotional roller coasters of school. She says, “[My role] is meeting with students to address any sort of mental health issues that they might be having.” If you ever need to talk, whether you are in the 6/7 division or not, Ms. Swanson would be happy to meet with you. Her office is in the 6/7 admission building.
Ms. Swanson was trained as a social worker. She has been working in the New Mexico public schools since 2003 when she got her master’s. She worked at Eldorado High School for 10 years, and then she worked in the Rio Rancho school system until she began at Academy. Ms. Swanson is from Los Alamos, NM, and she has lived in New Mexico most of her life. Her favorite part about New Mexico is the open skies. “When I lived in California, I would go to the beach all the time, not because I loved the ocean, but because I needed to see the big sky,” she says.
Although Ms. Swanson did not attend Albuquerque Academy when she was growing up, she used to be on the Speech and Debate team for her school, so she would compete against Academy students regularly. She said that she always enjoyed coming to compete at our campus because “it’s just so pretty”. When asked what her favorite part of campus was, Ms. Swanson says, “I love the tree lined path -” Many of us know this as the Red Brick Path – “I think all the trees are just so beautiful.”
When she is not working, Ms. Swanson enjoys spending time with her two children, cooking, and gardening. She also enjoys spending time outside. “I walk every day, and I make sure I’m outside everyday for at least an hour”. When she has the time, Ms. Swanson also enjoys hiking in different places around the state.
When asked what she has been doing to stay mantally and emotionally healthy during the pandemic, Ms. Swanson says “If you focus on gratitude, and write a gratitude list I think it is a really powerful thing.” Similarly, she urges, “Try to have face to face conversations with people who are in your bubble, whatever that may look like. Try to have some personal interaction.”