Noemi Velez, MS, Graduate Level Student

My multidimensional professional journey initiated as a bilingual educator teaching multicultural students from 3rd – 12th grades and then at the college level, with individuals in Puerto Rico, Texas, and around the globe after having completed an undergraduate degree in Secondary Education in English at the InterAmerican University of Puerto Rico. While teaching, I completed two graduate degrees in Human Resources Development and Business Management at Webster University. 

After several years of teaching, I had the privilege of working in interviewing, hiring, managing, and negotiating student schedules for various federal agencies. While working in HR, I was offered an opportunity to work in the business field at three different federal government agencies. While these fields have been rewarding and enlightening, I have always felt motivated to go into the field of counseling or psychology. Despite the fact I came into this profession to aid others in finding healing and wholeness, it allowed me to discover a new version of myself while finding fulfillment and restoration as well. 

Presently, I am a counselor-in-training in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling graduate program with Our Lady of the Lake University in San Antonio. An eclectic approach to therapy, which integrates techniques from various counseling theories to create a personalized treatment plan for each individual is what I am mostly drawn to, which will include Person-Centered, Solution-Focused, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Motivational Interviewing, and more, depending on the situation. 

Psychoeducation is an aspect that I am excited about. Training is key to learning how to care for oneself accordingly and obtaining knowledge is powerful in self-improvement. I seek to foster a genuine, empathic, therapeutic relationship with clients and I look forward to working with you.