I’m Rita Quintero, a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, behavioral health leader, and founder of Just Start Here Counseling.

My career has taken a somewhat unconventional path. Before entering behavioral health, I spent more than 25 years as a professional musician, performing and recording with internationally recognized artists. That experience taught me a great deal about people—the pressures we carry, the identities we build, and what it takes to find confidence and authenticity in our own voice.

Today, I bring that same curiosity about the human experience to my work in mental health. I have extensive experience in substance use and co-occurring disorders, clinical and operational leadership, treatment program development, quality improvement, and helping individuals navigate meaningful change.

In my private practice, Just Start Here Counseling, I work primarily with adults struggling with addiction and the life challenges that often accompany it. My approach is collaborative, direct, compassionate, and grounded in the belief that change doesn’t require having everything figured out.

Sometimes, you just have to start somewhere.