Wellness Counseling
Wellness Counseling Program
At St. Thomas High School, we believe that a key component of realizing our school’s mission and vision is the holistic well-being of each student. Our Wellness Counseling program offers students a safe and supportive space to address their mental and emotional health. Whether through individual counseling, proactive check-ins, or campus-wide programming, our Wellness Counselor meets students where they are—helping them navigate challenges, feel heard and understood, and grow into young men of character.
The mission of our Wellness Counseling program is to foster goodness, discipline, and knowledge by equipping students with the tools, support, and emotional intelligence needed to thrive personally, academically, and spiritually. We envision a campus where each young man grows into a resilient, compassionate leader who thinks critically, communicates effectively, and values and nurtures his overall wellness—both in high school and beyond.
Meet the Wellness Counselor
Our Wellness Counselor, Marisa Gonzalez is part of our Dean of Students team. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor-Associate (supervised by Cynthia Powell, PhD, LPC-S) who earned her BA in Psychology and Sport Management from Rice University, MS in Professional School Counseling, and certification in Mental Health and Wellness Counseling from Angelo State University.
Our Wellness Counselor provides:
- Short-term, confidential counseling for students who are self-referred or referred by peers, parents/guardians, faculty, or staff
- Proactive, intentional check-ins to build relationships and assess student well-being
- Psychoeducational programming through Wellness Wednesdays on EBN, the Big Red News, Students Stopping Stigma, and Communio (advisory) on topics such as:
- Mental health and emotional intelligence
- Healthy coping skills and self-care
- Stress management, grief support, and suicide prevention
- Healthy vs. unhealthy relationships
- Sextortion, gambling, and pornography awareness
- Teen brain development and substance misuse
- Mental health crisis management
- Consultation and guidance for families, including referrals when needed
- Collaboration with faculty and staff to foster a culture of empathy and wellness
- Collaboration with Houston-area private schools for wellness programming and Students Stopping Stigma
- Her Yorkie, Rambo as an emotional support dog once a week and Faithful Paws therapy dogs
Contact Ms. Gonzalez
You can schedule a phone call, Zoom, or in-person meeting with Ms. Gonzalez here or email her at Marisa.Gonzalez@sths.org if you:
- Have any social-emotional concerns about your student or think she should be aware of an event or situation that may be impacting your child
- Would like her to check in with him (with or without knowing you reached out)
- Or would like to request a referral
