Sarah Santiago - NMU Blog

I am a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and a National Board Certified Counselor (NCC) and I own my own practice, called Bloom Counseling & Wellness, where I provide mental health therapy to college and university students.

As a student, I always wanted to help others and get involved, however I had no idea what my career aspirations were and I often felt lost and intimidated as a first generation college student. The staff and student leaders at NMU helped me to get involved on campus right away in my first year. Each opportunity introduced me to other leaders and mentors who helped me pursue more involvements and leadership opportunities. The support, encouragement, and inspiration that I received as a student was deeply impactful on me and I wanted to be able to provide that to students; to pay it forward. It led me to pursue work in higher education after graduation and earn my Master's degree in Counseling.

My favorite advice to give to students is to do things that interest you, even if they feel scary. Let your interests be your guide and don't let your fears prevent you from going after your goals. So often we fear failure, however failure can play a huge part in our growth. One of my favorite feelings to experience is when I have pushed beyond my own self doubt and achieved my goals; it feels powerful and so rewarding!

I am deeply invested in my continuing education of evidence based mental health care; I'm often reading the work of experts in the field and completing trainings. I eat a plant-based diet and enjoy trying new recipes and preparing meals for my family. I also have a Peloton and am obsessed with it; it has really helped me engage in movement throughout the pandemic.