The internet is filled with discussions from prospective students asking about college majors – "Where do I start? What should I pursue? What will the program be like?" Throw in the various specializations in the field, and the possibilities can feel even more overwhelming. 

To demystify the various programs at UNLV for those interested in counseling and therapy fields, we interviewed current students on how they decided on a program, their experiences so far, and their hopes for the future.

Their stories reveal how various degrees — from a bachelor's to master's to Ph.D. — can launch and build careers helping others.

Salvacion Vereen

Internship: RSLV Program Specialist

Connections can be life-changing, and no one knows it better than Salvacion Vereen. The EXHALE program scholar returned to UNLV as a non-traditional student and wasn't sure if she'd fit in with a generationally different cohort. But despite some initial feelings of intimidation, she was pleasantly surprised by the support she received from professors, colleagues, and fellow students.

Her experiences at UNLV have presented opportunities to build her skillset by working with UNLV's Project FOCUS, navigating potential career options, and making valuable connections within the campus community. 

Vereen’s journey into counseling started in 2018, when she and her husband adopted two kids, one of whom was born with mental disabilities. “I didn't know how to help, and I figured I’d start to educate myself on some things and kind of see how I could help him live a normal, regular life,” she said.

In the process of finding answers, she realized she didn’t just want to be there for her son, she wanted to advocate for other kids, as well.  

Now as an intern for the Clark County School District, Vereen works under the supervision of a licensed social worker, where she provides mental healthcare to elementary students. She checks in with students, helps create social and emotional learning (SEL) activities for them, and guides them in self-advocating work. Vereen says she feels inspired by her students, often finding that they can teach her as much as what she can learn from a textbook. 

Just as she connected with the campus community at UNLV, Vereen has also found that building trust and rapport with students is where serious changes can be made — and being a positive influence is exactly the kind of long-term impact she wants to create.

“I want them to say ‘She helped me’ or ‘She made life different for me’,” she says. “Those kinds of efforts, when you make an impact on someone’s life, to me that’s eternal work. People take that with them throughout their lives.”    

Though Vereen is still deciding where her journey will take her next, one thing is certain: She’ll always be there for those in need.

As for her time as a non-traditional student, she wants people to know: “Don’t shortchange yourself. Every opportunity may not always present itself, so when it does, be courageous.

"Do it scared, but don’t let them see you sweat.”

Sarah John

Internship: Marriage and family student therapist at The Center for Individual, Couple & Family Counseling

Sarah John loves bringing people together. You can often find her hosting Hallmark card-writing parties, perusing bookstores, and painting with friends. Naturally, when it came time to pick a career as an undergrad, it was a no-brainer for this social butterfly. 

“I came across mental health, and it sparked this interest in me to become someone who can support people during their darkest days. When I saw couple and family therapy [as an option], I was like, ‘Oh my gosh. This is so cool because in this specific field, we approach things with a systemic perspective. I would love to do more in this field!'” 

Under professional supervision, John is now a student therapist in The Center for Individual, Couple & Family Counseling. She sees regular clients, meets with her supervisors – with whom she also does case consultations – and guides her clients as they work toward their goals.

John finds that the most rewarding aspect of her job is watching the subtle growth in her clients. ”I think my purpose is almost like holding up a mirror and helping people to get to know themselves,” she says.

As John guides clients through their mental health journeys, she is continually evolving alongside them, rethinking the kind of therapist — and person — she wants to become. In fact, John says, she frequently circles back to the same two questions: Who do I want to be, and who am I becoming? 

One goal she holds for herself is to keep refining how she delivers care to her patients. “I think about how I want to turn these research heavy, jargon-y concepts into a more digestible language for clients. That way they can learn new things and keep up with research in a more palatable way.” 

Thanks to the program’s structure, John feels confident in her ability to continuously learn and adapt. John notes that UNLV's CFT program is the only in-person, accredited program in Nevada preparing students for licensure as couple and family therapists. She says the involvement of faculty and staff is tantamount in cultivating student success. 

She hopes her time at UNLV comes full circle in her career. One of her most ambitious goals is bridging the educational barrier with mental health resources. “[Therapy] is client-centered. I appreciate the gentle challenge of [asking patients] ‘Why don’t we try this’ or ‘Have you noticed this pattern?’” she said. “It’s always in alignment with your goals and what you’re seeking therapy for, it’s not a place to shame you. It’s supposed to be a safe space for you to be vulnerable and work toward your best self.”

Paige Adams

Internship: Student clinical mental health clinician for UNLV PRACTICE

An intro to psychology course was all it took to give Paige Adams the “a-ha moment” she needed to know she was in the right place. 

“Everyone in the class was talking about how hard it was, how boring it was — and it was my favorite class,” she says. “I had no problems listening to the professor. I was obsessed.”

From the start, Adams was fascinated with how the brain worked — the way people handle trauma, mechanisms for emotional regulation, and the influence of environmental and biological factors. Now, in her work as a student clinical mental health clinician for UNLV PRACTICE, Adams learns how these factors intersect, and how she can help. 

Adams was required to complete an internship as part of the curriculum but finding a perfect setting would prove tricky for her. Adams was adamant about what she was looking for: A supervisor who was ethical and whose expertise and clinical judgment she could trust. Then, an email with an offer for a graduate assistantship arrived in her inbox. When Adams saw she’d be working with Madeline Clark, an associate professor in UNLV's Department of Counselor Education, School Psychology, and Human Services, she applied as fast as she could. 

“I saw that and was like: ‘Oh, I trust her with my life.’ I was so grateful that I got it,” Adams said. 

The assistantship allows her to work with rural populations through telehealth, gain her clinical hours, and – best of all – work with adults, the population she was most hoping to work with because of their abundant life experiences and complexities. Also, the internship has given her experience outside her main interests, which she’s found especially valuable.

“If you think about a developing teenager, [having someone to talk to] is something that they really need and can really benefit from,” Adams says. “I think the beautiful part of therapy is coming into a safe space where you can feel like you can express yourself in ways that you want to, and it's toward someone who's objective and non-judgmental.”

Being part of UNLV PRACTICE has given Adams the support and resources to not only succeed in her internship, but also as a future counselor. She also credits everyone in the counselor education program for fostering a welcoming and collaborative environment – where she felt encouraged to grow professionally and personally. 

In her career, Adams hopes to make a lasting impact by working from a trauma-focused lens and creating spaces for uncommon, often stigmatized topics such as suicide and sex therapy. 

“It’s been an honor to just be there and listen to the problems people are dealing with and, hopefully, be a facilitator of change in their lives,” she says.

Jazmin Barajas

Internship: Clinical professional counselor intern and licensed clinical alcohol and drug counselor intern

Jazmin Barajas felt pulled toward a career in counseling as early as middle school, but figuring out which field to pursue took a bit of introspection and some familial inspiration. A first-generation student, Barajas wanted to be a voice for people like her parents, who came to the United States to give everything to their families — even if it meant minimizing space for their own mental health needs.  

As a result, Barajas saw first-hand the stigma of mental health in Latino communities. “It’s almost like a state of survival for many of them. They make jokes or minimize habits that normalize them [rather than challenge those issues],” she says.

As she attended UNLV, Barajas built the skills and experience to step into her profession with confidence. She received mentorship from the first-generation student network, assistance from Student Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS), and most notably, guidance from professors. From asking how she was doing to helping her with the graduate studies application process, their help was fundamental to encouraging her professional growth. 

“To build success, you really do have to network and connect. My professors have always been the people I could go to.”  

Her work as a clinical professional counselor intern (CPCI) allows her to offer a safe space to individuals who haven’t felt heard or understood. She challenges the stereotype that seeking therapy is a sign of weakness by introducing cultural humility – a process of understanding and respecting points of view shaped by different cultures – into her practice. 

“Once we start building that rapport a bit more, I start to bring in culture. We talk about cultural statements that they grew up with, and as we talk they open up more,” Barajas says. “The most rewarding part is having people trust me enough to cry or tell me stories they’ve held in for years. I do not take that for granted because I know how difficult it is to be vulnerable with a stranger.”

Barajas’ compassion extends from her work into the Las Vegas community, with workshops to make learning more accessible. Her most recent workshop, Cafecito con Calma, a project co-created with her colleague, focused on helping people confront their anxiety. After seeing the excitement and involvement from the community, Barajas hopes to turn it into a monthly series.