By Isaac Carrillo
Wellness counselor Shauna Johnson helps students who are struggling mentally and emotionally. Johnson says, “When students come and talk to me, I am able to give them resources that will help them with whatever they may be dealing with.” As well as talking to students individually, Johnson runs groups for students who may be dealing with anxiety or want to learn healthy coping skills.
Students at Rialto High School use Johnson as their reliable source to talk to when they feel alone, need advice, or need someone to talk to. Junior Dannia Martinez says, “When I had no one to talk to, I went to Johnson to talk about family issues that were going on outside of school. Johnson was a very helpful and caring person to talk to who gave me advice and generally made me feel better about everything.”
Sophomore Janelle Balderas says, “Johnson is different from everyone else at Rialto High School because she is always willing to help others.” Balderas then said, “Johnson also has been really understanding of my emotions and those of other students.”
Aside from counseling students, Johnson has her own lifelong memories and shared a memorable story from her life. Johnson says, “A story in life that I will never forget is about my uncle Richie.” Johnson stated that this story “broke her heart.”
Johnson described, “When I was younger, my dad used to tell me stories about his younger brother Richie. Now, mind you, I had met all the other brothers, but Richie was never around. When I became a teenager, my dad told me I would never meet Richie because he was a drug addict.”
Johnson then said, “But that wasn’t the heartbreaking part.” Johnson went into more detail and said, “A couple of years later, I was in San Bernardino, and I saw a madman that looked just like my dad but younger. Come to find out, it was my uncle Richie. The second time I saw him was in the hospital, watching him die from a flesh-eating bacteria due to intravenous drug use.”
Johnson wanted to do more to help but knew that some things were not in her control. She said, “I was 19 when he died, and I was the only one in the room with him while he died. From that day forward, I vowed not to lose anyone else in my life due to substance abuse or any type of emotional battles that they might be going through.”
“I believe that is what led to me becoming a counselor. Maybe if Richie had someone reach out to him when he was younger, he might not have chosen the path he did,” Johnson concludes.