Posted: Saturday, December 7, 2024. 10:52 am CST.
By Zoila Palma Gonzalez: This week’s “Wonder Woman” feature by Special Envoy Rossana Briceno is placing the spotlight on Counsellor Guadalupe Novelo- Gillett.
“With 26 years of dedicated service as a Social Worker, Educator, School Counsellor, and Mental Health Counselor, Mrs. Novelo-Gillett exemplifies strength, compassion, and a commitment to uplifting others. Let her story inspire us to continue advocating for change, empowerment, and equality daily,” the Special Envoy said.
She has a Master of Science Degree in Counselling from the University of the West Indies. She chose to do such a degree because she was able to recognize the need to address the mental health of the young population as a school counselor.
Her journey started 26 years ago as a social worker posted in the San Ignacio area.
After 5 1/2 years working with families and juveniles, she transferred to St Ignatius High School in Santa Elena.
This decision was made because she was working with several families from this school at the time and they required a school counselor.
Gillett smoothly crossed over and focused on the academics of its population by providing mental and emotional support combined with academic and career counseling.
For her, the root is the mental health of the individual. She believes that once that is healthy, anyone can be successful and develop his or her path.
After 13 years there, she then crossed over to Sacred Heart Junior College as their school counselor. This allowed her to work with the same set of students and others, at the next level of their lives.
Again, mental health has always been at the forefront for Counsellor Gillett.
At her Junior College, she had two mental health seminars for the entire school population twice per semester, sessions for the staff during Professional Development periods, individual counseling, group counseling, couples counseling, and family counseling sessions for her student population. She ensured that her student population participated in Mental Health Month activities and from time to time set up a mental health information booth where students could pick up information, ask questions, and be screened normally for but not limited to depression and anxiety.
Additionally, she is a counselor for the Employee Assistant Program and has a private practice under the name “Counsellor Gillett’s Outlook Services,” in downtown San Ignacio.
Here she can work with the wider population as she counsels public officers through the program, clients of Human Development, and anyone else who comes in as a walk-in.
This, however, would not have been possible without the help of Mr. and Mrs. Dave Benjamin of San Ignacio, who provided an office space rent-free for an entire year.
Gillett also shows her dedication to mental health through pro-bono work for the less fortunate or as a guest speaker for several functions within the municipality.
To accommodate clients from other parts of the country and the U.S., she has virtual counseling sessions. In all her work and in all her settings, she collaborates with medical professionals, Phycologists, psychiatric nurses, and psychiatric units to ensure holistic care for her clients.
Counselor Gillett believes in self-care and advises that individuals should invest in their mental health the same way they address medical illnesses. She advises that check-in with a counselor in times of distress is a must and that taking breaks from some of your roles without feeling guilty is self-care and it is okay.
“If you love yourself, you will take care of yourself. You cannot take care of anyone, you cannot function effectively, you cannot have healthy relationships if you are not mentally well,” says Counselor Gillett.
As a humble individual, she does not use titles at the end of her name and goes simply by “Lupita Gillett.”
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The post Special Envoy “Wonder Woman” of the week is counselor Guadalupe Novelo-Gillett appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
Posted: Saturday, December 7, 2024. 10:52 am CST. By Zoila Palma Gonzalez: This week’s “Wonder Woman” feature by Special Envoy Rossana Briceno is placing the spotlight
The post Special Envoy “Wonder Woman” of the week is counselor Guadalupe Novelo-Gillett appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
