Prior to entering the counseling program at UTSA, I spent 4 years working as a Ministry Director with adolescents in the San Antonio community. Through that I work, I was over a volunteer team, dealt with mandated reporting as students shared confidential information and served on the regional team for the national organization. During my time in this organization, I was able to gain critical communication, listening and leadership skills that have helped me transition into a therapeutic role. From facilitating groups to 1-on-1 mentoring with students and volunteers, I have been able to sharpen critical skills needed in the counseling world that have been demonstrated in my internship/work with clients.

Through group projects and presentations in the program, I have been able to display my desire for collaboration and encouragement. During growth groups in practicum, I was able to instill a clear vision of what each session could be in our planning meetings. As we implemented curriculum, I empowered my classmates to make it their own and did my best to encourage them in both their strengths and weaknesses.

In internship, I have been able to take on roles within our clinic that have pushed me out of my comfort zone and toward growth. During our weekly group intake format, I have been equipped to lead and explain the role of our clinic to our patients upon their first visit. Through outreach calls, I have been able to demonstrate my ability to communicate with patients, staff and our front desk to coordinate different aspects of care. I have also been tasked with taking on challenging patients as I have sought to stretch myself. We also have a crisis response center that is run by interns and supervisored by licensed counselors. This response center is a walk-in service offered to all patients in our clinic. Through these interactions, we are able to take initiative in deescalating crisis and providing ample support to our patients. Lastly, I was tasked to train some of our new interns on how to complete outreach calls, document them and inform staff of the results of those calls.

Overall, as I have sought to grow as a counselor, I have encountered opportunities in my personal and professional life that have propelled me forward. When looking at my Myers-Briggs profile, I have been able to identify areas of strength and weakness. In acknowledging my weaknesses as areas of growth, I seek to become a better leader and individual in everything I do!

This is the format of the speech and information we provide patients with during our intake process. By the end of my time at the TCC, I was able to recite this from memory and answer care questions that many of our new patients have at this stage in the process.

This is the training guide I used to familiarize new interns with our outreach calls. I took the time to meet with each intern to help guide them through the process and to answer any questions that they may have had.