June Hero of the Month: Laura Espinoza, LCSW

Every month, we spotlight a counselor who has gone above and beyond for Uwill as our Hero of the Month. This month, we are delighted to recognize Laura Espinoza, LCSW as Uwill’s Monthly Hero.

Since joining the Uwill team in March 2024, Laura has always gone above and beyond for Uwill. In that time, she’s had over 500 appointments, impacting the lives of students all across Texas with a very high feedback rating.

Check out our interview with Laura to learn more about the value of providing support during summer break, seeing growth in students, and what excites her about making herself available at nights and weekends.

What excites you the most about working with Uwill?
The students! So whether they’re freshmen or doctoral candidates, they’re choosing to invest in themselves. Many times it’s their first time in therapy or their first time back in years. So being a part of that first step is meaningful. 

Can you illustrate the importance of a student being able to access a platform like Uwill? 
My availability includes evenings and weekends which works really well for students who are juggling jobs, academics, or extracurricular activities. But the sessions being free of cost to students makes a big difference. Many students I see are already under a lot of financial stress and it’s really important that we are not adding to that and are alleviating stress. 

Another thing that’s really good about Uwill is it’s available to students over summer and winter breaks and we’re in summer break now. That’s oftentimes when family dynamics come up and family conflicts come up. But, the student doesn’t have to pause their therapy goals, they don’t have to put a pause on their healing journey. They can either continue working with me over the summer or match with someone that’s in their state.

What aspect of your work would you say that you enjoy the most? 
I really enjoy seeing the growth in the students. For example, this week I had some who brought in notes from the week because they’ve been thinking through things that are happening during their week in between sessions. It shows that they’re doing the work not just in our session, but outside as things are occurring. I had a client who said that they were really proud of how they handled that situation and that’s a different language that we’ve started incorporating at the beginning of our work together. And so seeing them progress in that way, I really enjoy that. 

What would you say is the most important lesson that you have learned through your work? 
I’m grateful to be in this role but I’m also mindful of the responsibility that it carries. If this is a client who had a bad experience with therapy before or was taken to therapy by a parent and this is their first time accessing for themselves, that’s a big responsibility. And so I’ve learned that it requires presence. It requires humility on my part and ongoing awareness of how I’m showing up. It’s really a continuous lesson of slowing down and truly listening to that person on the other side of the screen. 

What was it that first attracted you to working with Uwill?

So the flexibility really stood out. I found it very attractive that I could set my own hours. I asked “are there specific hours that we should be setting up?” and they said “whatever hours work for you!” So that was really attractive. We’re able to meet students where they’re at virtually. I do think that the platform is very user friendly, both to the students and to the therapists. I also really like that the students are in control of scheduling and that the sessions are free to students because access matters. So if they haven’t been able to afford help before now, they can take advantage of that opportunity through their school. 

What impact has Uwill had on you as a professional? 
My full-time job involves supporting other clinicians and I really miss the direct work with clients. It’s been a way for me to return to what it is that I love to do. You would think that after working a different job you’re kind of tired but this is really exciting! I’m showing up, being present, supporting people as they figure out, things for themselves. Especially during these really trying times for everyone. So, it’s allowed me to lean back into what brought me into the profession to begin with. 

Summer is here, do you have any advice for students who are adjusting to new routines or being away from school?
I would say that you have been figuring things out on your own for some time now and you have been doing a good job. Heading into summer, especially if you’re going to be away from the support systems you’ve built and you’re navigating family dynamics again, that can be a lot. That is normal. Just remember that the strengths in the skills that you’ve built, those don’t go away. You wanting space and independence and respect is absolutely valid. And it’s okay to protect your peace and to prioritize your safety. And prioritizing peace and safety doesn’t make you selfish. You have learned to take care of yourself and you’re going to take that with you over the summer.

To learn more about becoming a counselor with Uwill, click on the link below.

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