Today we’d like to introduce you to Rebecca Ramirez.
Hi Rebecca, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
For as long as I can remember, helping people has always been my jam. I found myself being the advice giver or nurturer in friend groups. When I was 19, I became a summer camp counselor. Many of my campers would approach me to talk about life struggles and personal issues. It felt natural for me to listen and be there for them. As I began going to college, I found a huge interest in psychology and how the human mind works. I began to realize how intricate we all are. We are all different and come from diverse situations, yet we all feel the same emotions (anger, sadness, grief, longing, love, etc.). After I graduated, I became an educator. It was through my students that began to realize I needed to make an even stronger and bigger impact. I went to graduate school and got my Master’s of Science degree in School Counseling. I have currently been a school counselor for 3 years and an educator a total of 6 years. Since my goal has always been to have a positive impact on others on a large scale, I thought to myself why not start a social media page? In March 2020, in the midst of the pandemic, Current Counseling was born on an Instagram page. My goal was to bring mental health awareness and comfort to all, especially during the pandemic when we were all on lockdown and struggling with so much anxiety and fear of the unknown. As my counseling career launched, I began to learn many new things about my students, about mental health and about myself. Even though I was extremely nervous about putting myself out there, I began my podcast in July, also titled Current Counseling. My podcast is all about the listener unwinding while we discuss mental wellness, mental health awareness and education and also keep it light by me talking about life and silly things that happen to me at work or in my life. My goal is to have my podcast be a safe space for all, for my listeners to not feel alone in whatever they are going through, and to create a listening platform where my listeners can relax and laugh while driving to work or having their morning coffee. I would say I am a creative person and being in the education field can stifle my creativity sometimes. Current Counseling has been a beautiful outlet where I can express my creativity while also impacting anyone who cares to listen.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
My biggest obstacles have been working a 9 to 5 and trying to be consistent with posting and recording content. It can get overwhelming sometimes. But I am learning how to manage my schedule and will hopefully grow and get better as time goes on!
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I graduated from Texas A&M with a bachelor of arts in English and a minor in psychology in 2017. I began my teaching career as a 9th-grade English teacher right after graduation while simultaneously attending graduate school. I graduated in May of 2020 with my Master’s of Science in school counseling. I began my school counseling career that same year and started at the elementary school level. I was promoted to the middle school level in January of 2022. I have been in education for 6 years and am on my 3rd year of school counseling.
I am most proud of completing my education quickly. I never let my age stop me, as I have been told often in the workplace that I am very young. I am a fierce worker and won’t stop until I reach my goals, which I think is what got me where I am today.
Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
If you want to begin your journey in the mental health or education field, I recommend being open and ready to analyze yourself. For me, in order to get where I am today, I was challenged by my professors to tap into my life, my traumas, my fears, my past. If I wanted to be a good counselor, I had to work through my own stuff first so that I can be present and professional for my clients and students. Be ready to break down walls, look at yourself and open your heart.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/currentcounseling/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP-qc5TpvqK3slF6WxeiH1w
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/show/2U8gBrMZKv9Bb3o2HDw7Lo?si=a64rsB8jQEGiKKH0ZOkdXg
