DATE:​ March 2, 2020

TO: ​Professor Stephen Haslam

FROM:​ Victoria Nguyen
SUBJECT: ​Information-Gathering Interview

I interviewed Jocelyn Cortez, a therapist that works at Southwest Children’s Clinic for the
organization WholeKids Emotional Wellness. Our interview took place at the Southwest
Children’s Clinic which is located at 8822 S Redwood Rd, Unit C211, West Jordan, UT 84088.
We met at 4:30PM, right in between her sessions with her patients. Before the interview, I did
not know the state certification that was needed to become a therapist and it semi-surprised me.
However, I truly admire the skill and mental awareness that Jocelyn possesses. In my eyes, it is a
23 commendable achievement because mental health and the science behind the human brain is
so complex, I truly admire Jocelyn’s expertise in the subject. The role of a therapist affects many
lives, it is a responsibility to inform and support individuals in their mental journey. From this
interview, I have learned that I quite enjoy discussing careers with professionals to get more
information and insight about the careers I am interested in.

Occupational Benefits

When speaking with Jocelyn Cortez, she spoke about how there are more than just occupational
benefits such as insurance or paid time off, she spoke about the personal and mental benefits that
come with the job. With the job comes a lot of self-reflection and opportunities towards
self-improvement.

Jocelyn did mention that she receives employee benefits from her company, which include health
insurance, dental insurance, and retirement plans. Even though this is expected from most
therapist companies, it was quite reassuring and further piqued my interest for this occupation.
Therapists get more than just occupational benefits, they receive something that is even more
rewarding: the feeling of being a difference in someone’s life. Jocelyn shared with me that it is
very rewarding to know the fact that she has helped people rise up. Knowing that you can give a
bit of happiness or reflection in a person’s life and influence them to live happier is one of my
biggest driving forces. Within the occupation of a therapist, the benefits are endless and help the
growth of the human mind.

Societal Influence

In previous years, the topic of mental health was quite reserved, according to Jocelyn. In current
years, mental health is becoming a more common topic and mental health awareness has grown
drastically. People and society are becoming more accepting and recognizing the importance of a
person’s mental state. However, society and trends change the way a person thinks. I have
learned that therapists have to constantly take classes even after getting their degree and
certification. This process is necessary in being able to understand their patient and the type of
societal pressures that are affecting their patient. There will always be constant societal influence
on this industry. Society will constantly influence the way a person thinks or acts, this will in
return affect the way a therapist understands, analyzes, and problem-solves for their patient.

Entering The Field

To become a therapist, it is required to have a BSW, which is a Bachelor's Degree in Social

Work. Once a person has received their BSW, it is a necessity to become a certified social
worker in your state because this is what allows you to become a therapist. Each state has a
different social work certification that is necessary to fulfill.

When entering the field you need to have many skills, to obtain these skills a person needs to get
out of their comfort zone. According to Jocelyn Cortez, the way to get out of their comfort zone
is to go experience new activities and meet a wide selection of people with different
characteristics and interests. Most people obtain analyzation and reflection skills through social
relationships and these skills are used daily through human interaction.

Jocelyn Cortez mentioned one skill that caught me by surprise, this skill was called
“Commitment”. I asked her to expand and she explained that commitment is needed for this
occupation. The commitment to the job and to the client are very important, a therapist needs to
remember that they have a responsibility to constantly be up to date and knowledgeable about
mental and social trends, this is used to successfully understand a client or patient.

Interview Analysis

Before the interview, I believed that I was very knowledgeable in the occupation but when
talking to Jocelyn Cortez I was able to see a different perspective and what the occupation
offered. I did know before that being a therapist meant being knowledgeable in mental health and
psychology, however I did not realize that therapists still needed to constantly learn and take
classes. While becoming a therapist, you are constantly touching the hearts and reaching out to
others, it's an entire mental, emotional, and spiritual transaction between the therapist and their
patient. I am quite an advocate for mental awareness and mental health, this interview
strengthened my interest in going down this career path, it has made me question my future
majors and path.

This interview made me realize my strengths and weaknesses when it comes to one-on-one
interviewing. I have usually been on the side of the interviewee, which means I have not
interviewed many professionals before this. During the interview I was good at keeping
organized or concise notes, it was quite easy for me to write down her responses in an organized
manner. I had practiced my wording and notes beforehand but even during the interview it was
quite difficult for me to maintain eye contact while taking my notes. I believed for future
reference, I should practice on maintaining eye contact and transitions between taking notes and
asking interview questions. Some times during the interview I would take a few seconds and read
off my interview questions which meant there were a few seconds of awkward silence. The next
time I conduct an interview, I hope that I can make better transitions and therefore eliminate any
awkward silence between questions.