Belizeans Break the Silence as Demand for Counseling Surges

Counseling is meant to keep us grounded and emotionally healthy, but here in Belize, many people still see reaching out for help as a sign of weakness. That stigma often forces those who are struggling to do so quietly and alone. Tonight, in Belize on Reel, we take a closer look at how that mindset is slowly shifting. We meet a dedicated high school counselor who’s pushing back against silence and standing up for her students’ emotional well being. News Five’s Shane Williams has the story.

 

Shane Williams, Reporting

For years in Belize, mental health was something people whispered about, if they talked about it at all. Counseling tended to show up only when things were already falling apart, not as a tool to keep our emotional footing. But that mindset is changing. Instead of waiting for crises to explode, government agencies are now putting real resources into counseling as a form of prevention. And Belizeans are responding. According to Minister of Human Development Thea Garcia-Ramirez, more people are reaching out for support than ever before, with counseling sessions surging in the years since the COVID-19 pandemic. She says it’s a sign that Belize is finally beginning to view mental health the same way we view physical health, something worth protecting before it breaks down.

 

Thea Garcia-Ramirez, Minister, Human Development

“We try to have a counselor at each one of our offices countrywide. Recently and as of COVID, we are also doing virtual sessions as well. We still have a gap when it comes to the amount of sessions that people ask for and the amount of counselors we have and sometimes, like for example, we don’t have a counselor in San Pedro at the office, and so we send somebody from one of the other offices or maybe from city over to San Pedro, like on a biweekly basis. But there are other avenues.  We’re trying to use technology and maybe do some virtual sessions where they are appropriate.”

 

Amanda Dixon works with one of the most vulnerable groups, adolescents. Inside her office at Sacred Heart College, students are finding more than just guidance. They’re finding a safe space to be heard, understood, and supported. Dixon says building trust with adolescents is key to helping them open up.

 

Amanda Dixon, Counselor, Sacred Heart College

“I think that once you are able to meet with them and see them who they are, see them as teenagers and not treat them like something is wrong, they’re more willing to share about how they feel. They’re more open. So I always tell my students that the success in counseling is just being honest with yourself, but to be honest with yourself means that you just have to be vulnerable and we’re not here to judge you. We’re not here to pass anything on you really, just here to support you.”

 

And that approach is working. More students are now embracing counseling services. Many of them take the first step on their own. It’s no longer just about intervention, but prevention, addressing issues before they become lifelong burdens.

 

Amanda Dixon

“We try to offer space where students feel safe. So honestly they just come and they ask, ‘Miss, can we make an appointment?’ Or like you notice they come here at lunchtime to hang out and we offer that space for them because we get a lot of information when we just get to know them personally. We do a lot of classroom visits. We make our presence known so that they know that there are people that they can reach out for support, and when there are behavioral concerns, they’re mandatory that they see us for counseling.”

 

By normalizing these interactions, counselors are helping to remove the stigma, showing students that asking for help is not weakness, but strength.

 

Amanda Dixon

“We really want to offer space where students feel safe so that they know that they’re not alone on their transition in high school because different forms have different concerns for us, and developmentally it’s a huge part of adolescence. So we’re there to support them on their journey.”

 

As more young Belizeans begin to embrace counseling the hope is that this cultural shift continues, breaking generational silence and promoting healthier communities. Shane Williams for News Five.

 

Attention readers: This online newscast is a direct transcript of our evening television broadcast. When speakers use Kriol, we have carefully rendered their words using a standard spelling system.

 

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