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Yvonne Pozos Garcia, EMT-P, LPC, is a licensed professional counselor and owner of Boldly Go, Inc. Garcia also serves as the resiliency director at the Bexar County Emergency Services District #7 (ESD7) in San Antonio, Texas. She spoke with us about her journey to becoming both a counselor and an emergency medical technician and discusses her work with first responders.

Tell us about your professional background and your areas of specialty.

I began my career as a teacher and taught 7th grade reading and English/language arts for five years. I then joined the San Antonio Fire Department and spent over 24 years in the emergency services (EMS) division, where I was a tactical paramedic and team lead for our peer support and critical incident stress management teams. I returned to school to pursue counseling, and I’ve worked with first responders and civilians focusing on trauma, grief, anxiety and depression from a cognitive behavior therapy trauma-informed perspective. I have trained in cognitive processing therapy, which is one of only a few research-based approaches for post-traumatic stress disorder, and I also taught a few continuing education modules on behavioral health.

Why did you decide to become a counselor?

I decided to become a counselor after being in the fire department EMS division for several years and seeing how often my patients just wanted to talk. I also saw the toll the job took on me and my co-workers. It seemed like a natural progression from being a middle school teacher, to firefighter/paramedic to a licensed professional counselor (LPC).

How and why did you transition to working with firefighters and managing a resiliency program?

I was in the middle of my firefighter/EMS career when I went back to school for my master’s in counseling. I experienced the stressors, trauma and ill-effects of my first responder career and saw it in many people around me. It was my goal to help first responders and try to reduce the stigma of seeking help.

As I neared retirement, with my full LPC, I started a private practice and worked part-time at a residential treatment center exclusively for veterans and first responders and got even more experience with this population. I met with the local fire chief’s association to encourage the adoption of more proactive behavioral health initiatives and did some free psychoeducation for fire departments in my area.

In 2024, I joined the Bexar County ESD7 as their full-time resiliency director. I collaborate with the administrative staff to decrease stigma, build self-awareness, resiliency and long-term wellness. Because of my background, I have built rapport with the department’s members and provide counseling, training and lead general employee assistance program activities with them.

What do your licenses mean and who does it qualify you to provide counseling to?

I am a licensed professional counselor in the state of Texas. I can provide counseling to anyone in the state, but I focus my practice on adults. Working with the fire department allows me to collaborate with other departments and offer them consultation, training, peer support, counseling and crisis intervention. I was deployed with the Texas Emergency Medical Task Force to the floods in Kerrville, Texas, in July 2025, as part of a peer support team for the first responders involved in the disaster.

If someone is searching for a counselor with expertise in working with first responders, how would they find someone with your experience?

It can be tricky due to stigma, but there are agencies like the 100 Club of San Antonio that serves first responders and their families and provides a list of specialized providers for its members. Online searches can also provide many counseling groups focusing on first responders and veterans. In my department, we are building relationships with local counseling groups and encouraging them to both take classes in first responder familiarization and get to know our members — by visiting the fire station, doing ride alongs, etc. — to build rapport and decrease the stigma.

How do you think your work with first responders helps them cope with their obstacles?

My work with first responders is very personal because I’ve been one and I know the struggles. I don’t want others to suffer the consequences of a job with high stress, trauma and grief. I try to prepare them with knowledge, skills and strategies to deal with obstacles. I address their mind, body and spirit. They need to know themselves so that they can manage the demands of their job but also their life. The more whole and well-rounded they are, the better able they are to handle the difficult job of taking care of others.

What gives you the most satisfaction in being a counselor and serving first responders?

I get the most satisfaction in being a counselor when I see my clients change their view of themselves. People are so down on themselves and see themselves as failures. To see a client realize they have value and deserve love, respect and compassion is a gift to me. First responders tend to be more critical of themselves than the general population, so it’s even more special when they make that shift in perspective.