COEHD professors Derek Robertson and Heather Trepal with Elias Zambrano during a visit to Oaxaca, Mexico in 2016.
(June 6, 2017) -- A group of faculty and students from The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) College of Education and Human Development’s (COEHD) Department of Counseling will travel to Mexico this month to learn how to become better counseling professionals.
For nearly two weeks, the group, which will include both school counseling and clinical mental health counseling students, will immerse themselves in the languages and culture of Oaxaca, Mexico, in order to learn about the different ways that potential future clients might experience the world.
“Through a partnership with the Ollin Tlahtoalli Center for Mexican Languages and Cultures, the students will study the Spanish language and attend lectures and activities to help them learn more about the different cultures that exist in Oaxaca,” said Derek Robertson, assistant professor in the UTSA Department of Counseling.
These lectures, Robertson said, will teach the students about indigenous food, languages and cultures, current issues facing children in Oaxaca, and education in rural indigenous villages.
“I think we are most excited about the opportunities for our students to interact with and learn from some of the Zapotec people that we will be visiting in the villages surrounding Oaxaca,” said Robertson. “Our host has a project to help Zapotec children learn and retain their language and culture, and we will attend one of their groups.”
The COEHD students will also have the opportunity to visit local cultural and archaeological sites, such as the Museo de las Culturas de Oaxaca, Santo Domingo Church, Hierve el Agua and Monte Alban.
“We will also meet with a Zapotec indigenous healer,” said Robertson. “This will help our students appreciate the different ways that people conceptualize health, mental health and healing.”
The trip will take place from June 11-23 and is the first study abroad trip the department has offered.
“We are hoping that by providing an opportunity to immerse themselves in a different culture, our students will begin to see their own culture in ways that they may not have before,” said Robertson. “Hopefully they will begin to see that many of their ideas about ‘the way things work’ or ‘the way things ought to be’ are not universal.”
Learn more about the UTSA Deartment of Counseling.
Learn more about the UTSA M.Ed. in School Counseling program.
Learn more about the UTSA M.S. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling program.
Connect with UTSA online at Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram and LinkedIn.
UTSA Today is produced by University Communications and Marketing, the official news source of The University of Texas at San Antonio. Send your feedback to news@utsa.edu. Keep up-to-date on UTSA news by visiting UTSA Today. Connect with UTSA online at Facebook, Twitter, Youtube and Instagram.
Each fall and spring semester, students convene at the Main Campus at UTSA with booths, ideas and prototypes. A crowd of judges, local organizations, students, faculty and sponsors walk around and talk to the students about their projects and ask questions. Students get the real-life experience of "pitching" their project with hopes of getting funding or support to move to the next level.
UTSA Convocation Center, Main CampusJoin the doctoral candidates for the Doctoral Conferreal Ceremony and celebrate their accomplishments.
Arts Building Recital Hall, Main CampusCelebrate the graduates from the Carlos Alvarez College of Business, College of Education and Human Development, Margie and Bill Klesse College of Engineering and Integrated Design and University College.
AlamodomeCelebrate the graduates from the College for Health, Community and Policy, College of Liberal and Fine Arts and College of Sciences.
AlamodomeThe University of Texas at San Antonio is dedicated to the advancement of knowledge through research and discovery, teaching and learning, community engagement and public service. As an institution of access and excellence, UTSA embraces multicultural traditions and serves as a center for intellectual and creative resources as well as a catalyst for socioeconomic development and the commercialization of intellectual property - for Texas, the nation and the world.
To be a premier public research university, providing access to educational excellence and preparing citizen leaders for the global environment.
We encourage an environment of dialogue and discovery, where integrity, excellence, respect, collaboration and innovation are fostered.
