Influential Woman · Substance abuse treatment

Nashali Covello

Substance Abuse Counselor II, Northern Nevada Adult MH Services

Sparks, NV

2Awards received

Certifications · Degrees · Memberships

Degree College degree (institution not specified) Cert Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor License License No. 07507-C

Her Story

About Nashali

I never intended on going into this field. My father is an alcoholic, and I had this passion to work with troubled youth. I started as a corrections officer for the Juvenile Detention Center in Elko. When we moved back to Reno, I got a job as a case manager for the mentally ill and people that have substance use. Then I was offered a substance abuse counselor position at a medication-assisted treatment facility, where I did my internship. After that, I went to a men's transitional living facility and was the on-site substance abuse counselor there. Now I am at Northern Nevada Adult Mental Health Services, where I do substance abuse counseling for their inpatient psych hospital and outpatient services. I have a passion to help people that suffer from addiction and be that supportive person for them, because especially in today's world and the current administration, it's shunned upon. They just need someone that cares and will be there for them. In August, I will be eligible to become an internship supervisor, which has been a goal of mine so I can share the knowledge with other people that want to come into the profession. I also have a goal of stepping into more of a management role. But right now, in the next 5 years, I just want to continue to do my job, be that advocate for my clients, help them, and be the voice for them. A really big thing too is I have a little one, and I want him to be proud of me.

Her Interview

Ten minutes with Nashali

01What do you attribute your success to?

For me, it's being able to help the people and to make my younger self proud, because I do have a lot of trauma. I feel like I'm finally the person that is able to protect the little me. The best way that you can advocate for others is first starting with you, being that advocate for yourself and then paying it forward. I also have an amazing support group. My internship supervisor always had faith in me. Marshall Gledhill and Heather Eaton have always been such a huge support in my career and have been great mentors as well. Cassie Wyllie is always someone that I have looked up to because she is the definition of woman power. My sister Nilzara Rivera has always supported me since day one and always pushes me to be my best. My girls Broghan Mullins, Stephanie Frykberg, Casey Joyner, Amanda Scudder and Jamie Quilici have been always supportive of me in anything and everything that I do. They always cheer for me. Last but not least, my husband is always supportive of me and my career. He definitely is my balance in life.

02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?

The best advice I have received was being okay with not knowing everything because of our jobs we feel the pressure of feeling like we have to know everything.

03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?

It just depends if this is something that you want to do, and to be able to have boundaries with this field, because you can get sucked in really quick. You have to pour back into yourself. You cannot pour from an empty cup. I'm very big on self-care, especially with my clients, because their only form of self-care was using, and so we're trying to relearn healthy habits. On my days off, I wake up usually before my son and my husband, and I enjoy my cup of coffee, I enjoy my breakfast, and whatever book I'm reading, and that kind of grounds me for the day.

04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?

The resources for it in our area and people not being educated on substance use and mental health.

05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?

Respect, family, love, and integrity are very important to me. Integrity ties in with our job and things of that sort, and then the respect for the clients and all of that. When you lead with integrity, you continue to make sure that those boundaries do not get crossed. You do create a relationship with each patient, so it's important to maintain those boundaries.

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