I began this blog thinking it would be an academic log, but it has turned into something more layered. Writing here has helped me notice patterns in my learning, observe how my identity as a future counselor is taking shape, and reflect on the kind of therapist I want to become.
Tag: #mentalhealth
Spring Quarter Begins: Residency II, Crisis Counseling, and the Road to Internship
The highlight of this quarter is Residency II, an immersive in-person experience designed to sharpen our counseling skills through intensive practice and direct feedback from faculty and peers. I am looking forward to reconnecting with my cohort, strengthening our relationships, and collaboratively deepening our competencies.
Speaking Up, Showing Up: Advocacy as a Core Value
Advocacy requires us to show up when our presence can make a difference. Whether through protests, community involvement, or simply speaking up in meetings, each action shapes the future we want to see.
What My Zumba Instructor Taught Me About Being a Therapist
That is what I hope to bring to my clients: a sense that no matter what they reveal, no matter how chaotic things may feel, I am right there with them. I want to be the therapist who knows the “dance” well enough to improvise when needed.
Understanding Recovery and Medications
One of the most impactful moments this quarter came from attending an Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meeting for my Addiction Counseling class. It was my first time experiencing one, and I wasn’t sure what to expect. I chose a meeting focused on the LGBTQIA+ community, and what stood out to me most was the deep sense of welcome and connection in the room.
Hope is a Deliberate Practice
Do not forget for a second that we placed them in office to champion our communities, and it is up to us to hold them accountable. We need to understand that political outreach is an important part of our community engagement, as it can ensure that hope expands, gathers momentum, and becomes part of a collective drive for positive change.
Hope Is the Thread that Connects Us
Hope, once awakened, is meant to be acted upon. By joining forces with others who hold a similar sense of possibility, we tap into a group energy that may inspire even hesitant observers to give progress a chance. When people unite around shared intentions, they form a powerful base that lifts each participant.
Hope is More Than a Feeling
Hope acknowledges that success is not guaranteed, yet insists that effort and resilience are meaningful in themselves. In this view, hope becomes an act of courage, requiring a willingness to embrace uncertainty without being overwhelmed by it. It also relies on consistent engagement with reality, confronting setbacks head-on and learning from what does not work.
Blog Series: Hope is a Moral Obligation
Hope demands more than passive optimism. It requires us to face painful moments, like the one we are living right now, while imagining a future we have a hand in shaping. Hope compels us to reclaim our sense of agency.
Transactional Living: How Consumerism Distorts Our Relationships
This mindset isolates us, transforming the world into a series of transactions and eroding the bonds that make life meaningful. Recognizing the grip of this mindset allows us to refocus on our humanity, which is a shared space where connections are built not on what we pay, but on who we are.
Roque Neto 