Saraswati Dhakal G’24 Embraces Role as Mental Health Counselor and Advocate
Before pursuing a master’s degree in clinical mental health counseling from the School of Education, Saraswati Dhakal G’24 served as a transplant coordinator and operation theatre nurse at the Human Organ Transplant Centre in Bhaktapur, Nepal.
In that role, Dhakal coordinated the center’s renal transplant services, delivering care and treatment to patients while providing counseling and guidance to both the recipients and the family members of the donors.
Dhakal experienced the challenging hardships of working with patients with terminal illness, and she saw firsthand the psychological impact it can have on a family watching a loved one go through their health battle.
Those interactions reinforced to Dhakal the importance of holistic health care while setting her on a path to become a professional counselor and mental health advocate once she graduates.
“Witnessing the impact of mental health challenges on individuals close to me sparked a desire to understand and support those struggling with such issues. Those experiences as a nurse and transplant coordinator further ignited my curiosity to learn more about mental health, which stems from a desire to better understand individuals’ experiences, motivations and resilience in the face of adversity,” Dhakal says. “I am continuously intrigued by the complexities of human behavior and the role of counseling in promoting well-being.”
During her time on campus, Dhakal was the graduate assistant at the Center for International Services, working with the staff to offer programming and services that support the well-being and overall success of the international student population while contributing to the center’s diversity and inclusion initiatives. She also was active with the Sigma Upsilon chapter of Chi Sigma Iota, the counseling academic and professional honor society, serving as secretary during the 2023-24 academic year.
Dhakal will participate in the 48th Annual School of Education Convocation Ceremony on Saturday, May 11, in the John A. Lally Athletics Complex.
Leading up to convocation, Dhakal sat down with SU News to discuss the challenges facing mental health care professionals and how she plans to utilize her degree to create a safe, accessible environment for everyone seeking help with their mental health.
