For Brianna Coque, Brea Olinda High School’s new social worker, it was her own struggles with childhood anxiety and limited mental health support that motivated a career in teen mental health advocacy.
“I want to be a support to other people that I wished I had growing up,” Coque said.
Coque aims to reach students and families, especially those who feel uncomfortable seeking help due to language, cultural barriers, or the stigma that surrounds mental health, and provide students with the kind of care and connection she once needed.
“Growing up in a Hispanic household, mental health was not a topic that was talked about,” Coque said. She struggled to express her emotions, and with no one around to understand how she felt, she often kept her feelings to herself.
Her experience is far from unique. Research shows that a large number of Hispanic students face stressors when it comes to accessing mental health care. Some of these factors include immigration stress, racism, and the historical stigmatization within the Hispanic community, which may discourage students from therapy, counseling, or other resources.
After graduating from Chino Hills High School in 2016, Coque went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Criminology from the University of California, Irvine. From there, she earned a master’s degree in social work from California State University, Fullerton. After a stint as a social worker at La Vista/La Sierra High School, an alternative continuation school in Fullerton, Coque joined the BOHS staff.
Coque is aware that the title “social worker” comes with misconceptions and negative connotations. In popular culture and shows like Grey’s Anatomy, social workers are sometimes depicted as intrusive and untrained, reinforcing stereotypes about the profession and distorting the extensive training and vital responsibilities that define the field. One of Coque’s missions is to erase negative stereotypes by educating students about the value of social work, and providing resources in a space where they — and their families — feel at ease enough to receive the support they need.
“In times of crisis or high-risk situations, I work closely with students and families to provide guidance and support,” Coque said.
One of Coque’s most visible roles is supporting the PAWS WellSpace in room 200. The room, which opened in 2024, features mental health apps, a record player, a painting station, aromatherapy to relax, and ultimately supports Coque’s mission to reframe mental health as an everyday priority, instead of something to address only during a crisis.
Coque stresses that mental health deserves just as much attention as physical health.
“Mental health should be integrated into the students’ day-to-day routine by including small strategies like meditation, journaling, talking to a friend, or visiting the PAWS WellSpace,” Coque said.
A highlight of Coque’s work at BOHS is when a student walks through the WellSpace doors.
“I understand the courage it takes to walk into someone’s office and ask for help,” Coque said.
Coque is also developing creative ways of encouraging teens to talk about and deal with mental health, thereby helping to break the stigmas associated with it. Her goal is to make mental health feel less intimidating and to ensure that resources are more accessible. Some of her plans for this year are to “provide individual and group counseling, and support students through challenges that may affect [them] at school, such as anxiety, stress, conflicts, and emotional regulation.” She also aims to lead campus-wide campaigns focused on mental health and social-emotional growth, such as this month’s Suicide Prevention Month.
As a school counselor with a background in social work, Jennifer Cormier identified a need for an on-campus social worker. “We discovered the need for [a social worker] during Covid, as all families were suffering,” Cormier said. “Ms. Coque has a quiet but strong energy; she is already putting together presentations and groups.”
Cecillia Story, assistant principal, noted Coque’s value to the BOHS campus, including the social worker’s commitment to hosting group and individual counseling. “It is important to engage our families as well as our students, and help support them through the high school process,” Story said.
Above all, Coque wants students, especially those who are quietly struggling, to know that they are not alone, that there’s someone on campus they can talk to — about stress, about anxiety, about difficult home situations, or even just to chat — in confidence and in safety. Coque has an open-door policy to her office, which is located in the library and the PAWS Wellspace.
“Find someone you can confide in,” Coque said, “and if you don’t have that someone, then start those connections.”
While Coque is passionate about helping others, she prioritizes her own mental health outside of work with routines that keep her grounded, like taking walks, exercising, and unplugging from work by playing with her family’s dogs. She strongly believes in setting boundaries between work and personal life, which is something she encourages students and staff to do as well.
Exuding empathy and a commitment to helping others, social worker Brianna Coque is already an essential member of the Wildcat community.
