Wellness counselor helps traumatized community
“I was a newcomer teacher. I taught high school students who were just coming to this country and learning English. But it was much more than teaching them English. It was creating a community of belongingness for these new Americans, many of whom didn’t have a sense of family here. I felt like it was my duty and my joy to create that for them in the classroom.
“I absolutely loved teaching. But I realized that I could have a greater impact if I could work with more students. That’s why I moved into counseling.
“Most recently, I began working as a wellness counselor serving Santa Fe Junior High. Last year, there was a shooting at Santa Fe High School. As a consequence, funding was allocated for a variety of wrap-around resources for that community. One of those is mental health for the education piece.
“I provide counseling services to the students at the junior high. They may or may not have been impacted directly by the shooting incident. But certainly, the community trauma of that event may still be affecting them.
“Santa Fe is a very small community. It’s a tight-knit community. They really do operate like a family. So while they’re very supportive of each other, there are still times when students may need specialized assistance in dealing with something that’s bothering them. It takes a lot of courage for these kids to come and say, ‘I need help.’ It’s my job to provide that for them.”
— Marisol Mendez
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