HHP Student Spotlight: Emily Ramirez
Charlcee Cervantez || July 23, 2024
As a first-generation college graduate, Emily Ramirez faced linguistic and cultural barriers but refused to let them hinder her aspirations. Born and raised in Austin, she embraced her heritage as a dreamer, all while becoming the first in her lineage to be born in the United States of America.
Driven by a passion for making a lasting impact on people's lives, Ramirez found her calling in recreational therapy. Inspired by its holistic perspective, she embarked on her educational journey at Texas State University. Here, Ramirez found unwavering support from the Department of Health and Human Performance faculty and staff.
“[The] department created a safe therapeutic space and fostered an environment where students could individually advocate their passions,” said Ramirez. Our professors are extremely devoted to evidence-based practice and taught us skills, professionalism, and ethical practices.”
The pinnacle of Ramirez's educational journey was her 560-hour internship at an acute behavioral health facility, housing 72 beds. Within its walls, she encountered diverse programs tailored to vulnerable demographics, including adolescents, women, veterans, and individuals undergoing detoxification and rehabilitation. It was here that Ramirez honed her skills, facilitating therapeutic groups, and developing personalized programs.
“During our internship, our professors were there for us, confident in the skills they had taught us, and still met me with the willingness to provide additional resources that could support my internship learning experience,” said Ramirez. “My professors always met me with kindness, patience, and encouragement.”
Reflecting on her internship, Ramirez underscores the invaluable support and mentorship she received from her internship coordinator and professors. Their guidance empowered her to develop clinical interventions and implement projects that ultimately led to employment at the facility upon graduation.
“Throughout the internship experience, our internship coordinator would check in on us as needed and help us step outside of our comfort zone with a curriculum that allowed us to develop clinical interventions,” said Ramirez. This gave us the opportunity as students to develop a program using both our administrative skills and therapeutic practices.
For Ramirez, Texas State University remains more than just an alma mater; it's a source of resources, support, and a community of like-minded individuals rooting for success.
As she continues her journey in various healthcare settings, her message to aspiring therapists is clear: advocate for yourself, indulge in self-care, and stay connected to your community.