Andrea Montero-Vasquez, Intern

About Andrea

Andrea Montero-Vasquez is a Clinical Mental Health Counseling Intern at Olive Tree, currently completing her Master's in Counselor Education at East Carolina University, where she also earned her undergraduate degrees in Psychology and Hispanic Studies. Born in Los Angeles, she moved to eastern North Carolina as a teenager and has called it home for over 20 years.

Andrea brings nearly a decade of experience working within the Department of Social Services, having served as a receptionist, Spanish interpreter, Family and Children's Medicaid caseworker, and Child Support Agent. She has also worked as a Spanish medical interpreter at ECU Health. That background gives her a practical understanding of how systems affect individuals and families, and she draws on it to help clients navigate those systems when needed. She provides services in both English and Spanish.

Her Approach

Andrea believes people are shaped by their experiences, and she approaches counseling with a genuine interest in understanding each person as an individual while also considering the broader systems that influence their lives. In session, she uses practical, skills-based strategies to help clients identify patterns, regulate emotions, and build effective coping skills, while also creating space for deeper reflection when that's what the work calls for.

She recognizes that growth doesn't always look the same. Sometimes it means building forward. Other times it means slowing down to address what's underneath. Her goal is to meet clients where they are and create a supportive, down-to-earth environment where they feel genuinely heard.

Her faith and personal values guide her commitment to caring for others. She does not impose her beliefs but is open to incorporating faith into sessions when it is meaningful to the client.