Alumni Spotlight: Jazmine Silva

Mental Health Counselor at Counseling of El Paso, PLLC

UTEP Degree: Master of Science in Mental Health Counseling

Graduation Year: May 2018

Current Title: Mental Health Counselor

Why did you decide to pursue a career in mental health counseling and play therapy?

I was inspired to pursue a career in mental health counseling because of all the people who have helped me throughout my life. I believe I’ve had an abundance of caring adults who have made a positive impact in my life trajectory, despite barriers I have faced. I first learned about play therapy credentials in my Introduction to college course at El Paso Community College with Dr. Blanca Campa who would encourage students to explore and discover their full potential. However, when I first learned about a RPT-Registered Play Therapist being a career option, I initially thought, “that could never be me.” This was a reflection on some of the barriers and belief I held about my life possibilities then. Fast forward to the master’s program at UTEP, Dr. Sang Min Shin encouraged me to pursue the RPT credentialing path. Of course, that little voice visited once more, however, Dr. Shin’s belief in me inspired me to believe in my own self. I have borrowed throughout my life efficacy, agency, and resilience that I might not otherwise ever imagined.

What's the most rewarding aspect of this profession?

My clients are the most rewarding part of my profession. They are my best teachers. I truly and genuinely find the work I do meaningful, rewarding, and valuable. When I open the door to my office, every morning I repeat to myself, “vengo a ofrecer mi corazón.” These are the words from a beautiful song by Mercedes Sosa who reminds us of the importance of hope, compassion, and love. My client’s stories and resilience inspire me, and their progress and ability to change are truly remarkable journeys to be a witness of. I’m honored to be of service to each individual I serve. I truly believe I have the best job in the world. Like Dr. Yalom said in one of his books to aspiring therapists, this is a career that will not go without meaning and purpose. In addition, my colleagues and peers at Counseling of El Paso are truly an important and rewarding part of my work. Due to the nature and context of our work, mental health professionals can have the tendency to isolate ourselves in ways that can lead to feelings of loneliness and disconnection. I feel very fortunate to work with some of the most stellar and amazing professionals who inspire me to remain a lifelong learner, to lead with a service mindset and live wholeheartedly.

What have you learned from your students and/or clients?

I have learned to believe in the best of people. When we experience hurt and pain it’s tempting to focus on the negative aspects of life. Whenever this happens it can skew our worldview lenses of ourselves and others. However, in therapy I have learned how important it is to keep sight of the north star or guiding lights that helped us get through adversity. This reminds me Mr. Rogers words, who as a child received his mother’s guidance whenever he would see things that were scary, “my mother would say to me, ‘look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.” To do so, I have learned to remain curious, compassionate, and humane.

What are challenges you've overcome in your career?

The first challenge that I had to overcome was to believe in myself. When it comes to mental health counseling, we help address various life span issues from transitions in life to different forms of human suffering. I cannot say I have experienced everything to be able to say that I understand how my clients feel. However, I had to learn to believe in my role, the therapeutic interventions, and in my clients. To do this, I needed guidance, supervision, and regular consultation with veteran professionals who helped instill efficacy in my own abilities. I sought professionals who had different professional backgrounds and theoretical modalities from person centered, play therapy, traumatology, EMDR to couples and so on. For this, I’m forever grateful for my supervisors, mentors, colleagues, professional communities, and trainers, who have supported this growth.

What is a key lesson you learned as a UTEP student that you still use in your career?

The key lesson that I have learned as a UTEP student that I will continue to use in my career is how important to stay connected to the community. As a graduate student, I had decided to focus on my studies, internship, and trying my best, overlooking community involvement. However, it wasn’t until a very good friend invited me to join Chi Sigma Iota, Counseling Honors Society at UTEP, that I realized how important it is stay connected with others. This organization encouraged me to step outside my comfort zone and grow in ways that I had not realized were possible. I engaged in volunteer opportunities and developed genuine and caring relationships that remain to this day. In this experience I learned that connection can be both a professional and personal reward that nourishes our overall wellbeing.

What advice do you have for current UTEP students?

The best advice I can provide is the one that I received from a dear mentor, “Enjoy the journey.” I realize sharing this can be difficult for individuals who are making sacrifices to attend school and have various responsibilities other than academic pursuits. However, I do invite and encourage to find those windows or moments of joy in this journey. It may mean savoring those “Aha!” or lightbulb moments or being appreciative of a peer’s small act of kindness. I look back now and can wholeheartedly say that I embraced it all.

What led you to becoming a leader in the Association for Play Therapy Far West Texas Chapter?

What inspired me to become a leader for the Association for Play Therapy Far West Texas Chapter was my cultural identity. I had an opportunity to visit various Play Therapy Communities both in Denton and Dallas Texas and noticed that there was limited cultural representation and noticed that there were few professionals of color who were part of the professional community. This made me reflect on my own self and question, how can I engage and participate in increase representation in the play therapy community for cultural diversity. Then I realized, any change starts with us.