Therapist Impact Fund: Legacy Loan Relief

Community Impact Throughout my career, I have dedicated myself to serving others through counseling, advocacy, and education. My work has reached diverse communities from patients and families navigating cancer and trauma, to students, faith groups, and professional organizations. As a 15-year breast cancer survivor, and a mother who has walked alongside other survivors in my own family, I bring lived experience that deepens my empathy. This allows me to connect with patients and families in ways that combine clinical skill with authentic understanding. I’ve spoken at health conferences and advocacy events, raising awareness about mental health as part of healing. I’ve written a book about cancer as well and helped release stigma about mental health through published articles in magazines, podcasts, radio, and tv. In schools and colleges, I’ve encouraged young people to prioritize their mental well-being, manage stress, and build resilience. In churches and faith-based settings, I’ve shared messages of hope and practical tools for navigating grief, illness, and relational struggles. Within business groups and community organizations, I’ve taught strategies for communication on mental health, stress management, and fostering healthier environments. Through BetterHelp, I’ve expanded that impact further, providing accessible therapy to clients across the globe and consistently ranking among the platform’s top ambassadors for Therapists Voices. This reach has allowed me to support countless individuals who may not have had access to mental health care otherwise through the Brand Ambassador Program. It's our mission to lessen the stigma through social media articles and videos. At the core of all I do is the desire to help people feel less invisible and more empowered. Whether in therapy, at a podium, or within a community group, my mission is always the same: to bring hope, healing, and strength to those who need it most. Financial Need Carrying student loan debt while raising my daughter as a single mother has been one of my greatest challenges. As a 15-year breast cancer survivor, much of my financial journey has included medical cancer costs, caregiving responsibilities, and rebuilding stability. Despite working full-time as a therapist and serving a large caseload through BetterHelp, the remaining $12,000 + of my student loans has been a heavy weight. Next Spring my only child will begin her college journey into a Doctorate Program. While I am deeply proud of her advancement (she's still a Senior in highschool), preparing to support tuition, housing, and her new chapter brings financial pressures/burdens at the same time I am still repaying my own education. The overlap of these obligations often feels overwhelming, especially being a single parent. This award would reduce my student loan and would be life-changing. It would lift the constant stress of repayment and allow me to focus more fully on supporting my daughter’s education. It would also free me to pursue continued professional development, and resources that enhance my ability to serve clients. As a single mother, survivor, and counselor, I have poured my heart into helping others heal, even while carrying extreme personal financial hardship. This relief would honor that effort and empower me to keep giving back at a higher level. More than financial assistance, it would represent hope proof that the work of helping others is valued and supported.

1. - I am a therapist with BetterHelp and I have also started my own private practice. I work in Florida in Columbia County. When I started out as a therapist, I worked with some companies that tend to view clients as if they are like any other type of customer. The mental health professionals were being be pushed out of our town because they wanted better jobs, better pay, and the ability to help their clients. As a result, people in need are often left without an option. I decided to start this company with the mission: "The mission of Oasis of Hope Therapy, LLC is to provide high quality clinical and social services to the people of our communities regardless of their financial situation." This is how BetterHelp helped me on my journey toward Social Work Entrepreneur. In order to start my company, Oasis of Hope Therapy - a collaborative, clinician led organization - in 2021, I needed income and resources to help bridge the gap from the job I was leaving into the world of being self-employed. I had very little knowledge of how I was going to get there. I applied to BetterHelp and worked with them part time while I was finishing out my other job. Then, when I was ready to start my own organization, I increased my BetterHelp hours to cover all expenses. It was so easy and convenient. I took Better Help clients before and after my regular work day and it helped me get through months of uncertainty. And for over a year, we literally didn't know which clients would be paid for based on insurances, finances, etc. 2. - Today, my income is derived in my day-to-day business which I have built in my home town. We have really made something to be proud of here. We are reaching more clients each day in Columbia and Suwannee Counties. We are also planning, in the near future, to expand beyond these offices. My student loans are $33,000+ at this time. I have previously used National Health Service Corps to assist in paying them down to this level. However, this year, when I applied again to NHSC, I was rejected. This debt weighs on me and I want to get it paid off. In the future, I may pursue a Doctorate of Social Work program but I will not proceed with that until my student loans are paid. Thank you for your consideration.

After the unexpected death of my husband in 2020, I lost my passion for life. It was hard to continue to provide strength and guidance to his two children, stability and perspective to my clients, or for me to feel like I had anything to offer when I was hurting so much. It was in the depths of grief and despair that someone suggested that I could take the experience of loss and the resilience I found for myself and use that to help others. Betterhelp offered me a way to connect with people that were going through difficult times, struggling with loss, or who just needed a compassionate ear to hear them. By widening my community of clients, I was afforded not only the opportunity to connect with unique and inspiring individuals, but it also allowed me to continue to heal myself. I met people from all walks of life, people who were different from me and eager to share their stories, and through our time together, we have created deep and impactful therapeutic spaces to lift each other up and help each other through tough days. Without Betterhelp, we may have not ever connected or come into each others' lives, and my life would be less rich without them. I have been able to help the struggling artist who lost her brother, the married couple who were empty nesters and found their way back to each other in therapy, the new mother who struggled with the anxiety of a first time pregnancy, the young woman recovering from the trauma of religious abuse, and the young man who is learning who he is and how to share that person authentically with the world. Each of their stories and healing journeys has done more to fill and renew this therapist's heart than any medicine. I was ultimately encouraged through my experience of loss and learning to live again to complete my PhD in Psychology with an emphasis in Victimology, to continue to serve my community by helping those who find themselves in recovery after a traumatic event. I work closely with the local court systems to offer services to those who are unable to afford them and donate my time and expertise to help fill the gap in services until long term help can be established. Being gifted a scholarship would directly impact the amount of time I continue to give these individuals and allow me to connect with additional community resources to expand my reach. There are not many clinicians with my credentials in my corner of rural Georgia and so to offer my services to the benefit of my community is a privilege and responsibility I take to heart. However, as a single income household now, I have a responsibility to my family to care for them as well. Working part time for Betterhelp, in addition to my full time job, has allowed me to take care of my family in a way I know would make my husband proud. Helping those in my community that need it allows me to honor his memory as a humanitarian.

For nearly three years, I’ve provided affirming, accessible counseling through BetterHelp for clients navigating questions of identity, belonging, and purpose. Roughly half identify as LGBTQ and come to therapy with deep uncertainty about who they are, as well as stories of rejection and judgment. Many live in South and West Texas, where affirming counseling is limited or unavailable. Through telehealth, I reach clients who might otherwise go without care. Often the first thing I notice is the quiet exhale that comes when they finally feel accepted. BetterHelp allows them to seek support without fear of exposure, creating a bridge to care that traditional settings cannot always provide. That commitment to safety became real a few months into my work, when I received a message from a new client. He wrote, “I’ve never told anyone this before.” What followed was a story of the painful tension between who he had been told to be and who he really was. That message captures why I do this work. I’ve heard many similar stories since, each marked by quiet bravery. My own memory of searching for a safe space to be honest, but never finding one, guides how I listen now. My practice integrates spirituality and identity, two parts that often feel in conflict, especially within the LGBTQ community. Through a calm, reflective process, clients learn that authenticity and faith are not mutually exclusive. I see my role as helping people reclaim peace and dignity where shame and inauthenticity once stood. In a time when many still feel unsafe being themselves, offering safety, respect, and understanding remains both my calling and my community impact. Equitable, accessible care should never depend on geography, finances, or social acceptance. My contribution to this mission lies in quietly expanding that access through consistent, compassionate presence. The same commitment to accessibility that defines my work with clients also shapes the realities of my professional life. Like many counselors, I entered this field out of a deep sense of purpose rather than financial expectation, but the weight of my educational debt remains a substantial burden. These obligations limit my ability to pursue advanced training and continuing education that would expand my clinical expertise and strengthen the quality of care I provide. Support from the Therapist Impact Fund would do more than ease that burden. It would provide the freedom to grow by reducing my student loan debt and allowing me to invest in advanced training such as EMDR certification and group therapy facilitation, expanding both the depth and reach of my clinical work. It would also free me to offer more reduced-fee sessions and community groups that make therapy attainable for clients with limited means. In the long term, I hope to contribute through research, writing, and teaching, helping other therapists integrate trauma-informed and identity-affirming care into their practices. Just as importantly, it would reduce the stress and anxiety that accompany long-term financial strain, creating space for greater focus and balance in my work and life. This grant represents more than financial assistance; it represents the chance to continue serving my clients with renewed stability, gratitude, and purpose while sustaining the mission that BetterHelp advances every day, removing barriers, expanding access, and empowering people to seek care in a space built on safety and respect.

As a clinical social worker, I serve individuals and families who face systemic barriers to mental health care—especially those navigating complex, misunderstood conditions like Functional Neurological Disorder (FND), somatic conditions, and panic disorder. These diagnoses are often dismissed or misinterpreted, leaving clients without adequate support or treatment. I believe equitable access to mental health care includes access to providers trained to understand and treat these conditions with compassion and clinical expertise. I also work with individuals and families who have neurodegenerative conditions who are navigating complex medical conditions with no known cure or treatment. Through BetterHelp, and working at the University of Cincinnati Gardner Neuroscience Institute I’ve been able to reach clients who might otherwise go without care as many of the available providers do not accept insurance, and are not trained in specialized cognitive behavioral therapy need to resolve symptoms. The BetterHelp platform removes barriers like transportation, scheduling conflicts, and stigma, offering flexible, affordable, and confidential therapy. This accessibility is especially critical for people in underserved areas, caregivers, and those balancing multiple jobs or responsibilities. My work is rooted in meeting people where they are—emotionally, culturally, and practically. BetterHelp allows me to do that in a way that traditional settings often cannot. I provide cognitive behavioral therapy, treatment of somatic conditions, OCD, panic disorder, and I provide affirming care that helps clients feel safe, seen, and supported. Every session is an opportunity to break cycles and build resilience. Mental health care should not be a luxury. It should be a lifeline. I’m proud to be part of a movement that prioritizes equity and expands access to those who need it most. While I am paid for my work through BetterHelp, my other counseling sessions are provided at no cost through a grant program at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center. A vital need for families who are already financially burdened by disease. I work with families who are diagnosed with the same genetic condition that runs in my family, Huntington's Disease a rare terminal condition with no treatment or cure. My volunteer work with the Huntington's Disease Society of America also supports needed support for local families suffering from this condition. I am currently self-paying for my graduate education while supporting three other family members who are also in school. This financial responsibility has placed a significant strain on my resources and limits my ability to invest in professional development and clinical growth. Receiving this grant would help ease the burden of student loan repayment and allow me to pursue specialized training in treating Functional Neurological Disorder, OCD, TIC disorders, and areas where mental health providers are critically lacking. These conditions are often misunderstood, and clients are left feeling invalidated or misdiagnosed. I want to change that by completing my Doctor of Social Work degree, adding to the accessibility and research knowledge base for these conditions and increasing access to mental health training for providers to more adequately treat these conditions. This grant is not just an investment in me—it’s an investment in the communities I serve. It would allow me to continue showing up with compassion, increased skill, and add to the research knowledge in our mental health community to demystify these conditions, ensuring that mental health care remains accessible to those who need it most.

I began my career in rural Ohio, working for a dual-county public children’s services agency after graduating with my bachelor’s degree in 2014. I had interned there during college and immediately fell in love with helping families reunify and supporting children in finding safe, high-quality foster homes. I was so passionate about the work and the community that, during my internship, I even left my résumé in my director’s private bathroom so he would have no choice butt to review it—see what I did there? For the first few years, I felt fulfilled and overjoyed. However, I quickly learned what my SW101 class had always warned about: burnout. Twelve to fourteen-hour days, on-call nights and weekends, and week-long permanency trials for four straight years took a toll on me both physically and emotionally. Despite all my efforts, I often felt like no matter how many families I investigated or reunified, I could never truly “help” them. In 2018, I decided to return to school to obtain a Master’s degree and pursue a clinical focus so I could better serve the people of Cleveland, where waitlists for services were growing so long that individuals were waiting three to four months just for an assessment. After graduation, I began working at an agency offering assessments, and in 2023, I also started my work with BetterHelp. Being able to not only serve the Cleveland area but also the entire state of Ohio was exhilarating. I was thrilled to find a platform that offered not only talk therapy but also worksheets, assessments, and journaling tools that few others provided. BetterHelp has also done something truly remarkable for me personally by offering free therapy to its providers. There is a saying that “every therapist needs a therapist”—and it’s true. Having access to this care, outside of my workplace, in an unbiased and confidential way, has been invaluable. It allows me to function at my best, which in turn means I can give my clients the very best. And that is exactly what they deserve. This scholarship would make a significant difference in my loan repayment journey. I graduated with my Master’s degree in 2020 and began repaying my student loans, but when I finally saved enough to make an extra payment, I discovered my balance had grown from $74k to $86k due to a 6.8% interest rate. As the first in my family to attend college, I had no idea that making monthly payments could still result in my balance increasing. At 18 years old, I did not fully understand what I was agreeing to when I accepted the loans. I do not regret taking them, as they allowed me to leave my low-income home and escape my family’s struggles with substance abuse. However, I want to be able to live my life without this constant burden hanging over me. Even now, five years after graduate school, BetterHelp remains my second job and continues to help me supplement my income. For that, I am deeply grateful.

1. Community Impact (300 words or less) Throughout my career, I have dedicated myself to creating safe and empowering spaces for individuals, couples, and families to heal and grow. As a mental health therapist, I serve diverse communities—people who often come from backgrounds where mental health care is stigmatized, under-resourced, or entirely inaccessible. Many of my clients are navigating trauma, systemic inequities, and the weight of unhealed generational wounds. Equitable access to mental health care matters to me because I grew up in an environment where help was neither encouraged nor available. I understand how isolation, cultural stigma, and economic hardship can delay healing. This understanding fuels my commitment to make mental health care approachable, compassionate, and rooted in dignity. My work with BetterHelp allows me to reach individuals who may otherwise face barriers to accessing therapy—whether due to transportation challenges, scheduling conflicts, privacy concerns, or stigma. The platform provides clients with a confidential, user-friendly space where they can be matched with someone who genuinely cares. By meeting clients where they are, I help normalize mental health support and encourage people to prioritize their well-being without shame. I believe healing is both personal and communal. Each individual I support creates ripple effects of wellness within their families, communities, and workplaces. Providing equitable access to care means removing barriers and giving people the chance to become the healthiest version of themselves. My role as a therapist is not just to help individuals heal, but to help communities thrive. 2. Financial Need (250 words or less) As a young mom with no parents in the home and little guidance, I entered higher education without a clear understanding of the financial implications of my choices. I accrued significant student loans pursuing degrees that I believed would secure a better future for my family. While those degrees allowed me to serve others, the financial burden has remained a constant weight. These loans have required me to work longer hours and focus on financial survival rather than fully leaning into my calling—to use my skills and training to help heal others. I have spent over 20 years serving in nearly every facet of the mental health field, and my passion has only grown stronger. However, the economic strain has limited the freedom to expand my impact, pursue additional certifications, or invest in creative therapeutic approaches that reflect my vision as a clinician. Receiving this student loan repayment grant would be life-changing. It would not only relieve a financial burden but also give me more space to focus on my clients, further my education in creative arts therapy, and expand access to services for underserved communities. This opportunity would allow me to stand more firmly in my purpose and continue offering healing without the constant weight of debt shaping my professional choices.

1. As a licensed therapist in Ohio with over 12 years of experience, I’ve been honored to walk alongside individuals who feel stuck, overwhelmed, or unseen. Over the years, I’ve met clients who waited years to reach out for help—often because therapy felt out of reach due to stigma, cost, or lack of access. Those moments remind me why equitable mental health care matters so deeply: no one should have to struggle alone simply because support wasn’t accessible. My work is grounded in the belief that every person deserves kindness, respect, and the opportunity to heal. I strive to create a person-centered, solution-focused space where clients can rediscover hope and learn practical skills to move forward. Whether it’s someone healing from trauma, managing anxiety, or rebuilding self-esteem, I aim to provide not only tools but also the safety and compassion needed to use them. Working with BetterHelp has expanded my reach beyond traditional therapy settings, allowing me to meet clients where they are—geographically and emotionally. Online therapy removes barriers like transportation, childcare, or the fear of being seen walking into a clinic. It gives individuals the freedom to access care in a way that fits their lives. I believe mental health care should not be a privilege reserved for a few, but a right for all. Through my work, I hope to continue bridging that gap—offering every person, regardless of background or circumstance, the chance to find healing, connection, and a brighter future. 2. As a licensed therapist and a mother of two young children, I am deeply committed to providing accessible, high-quality care to my clients while also striving to create balance and be fully present with my family. Like many clinicians, I carry significant student loan debt from the years of education and training it took to enter this field. Balancing financial obligations, continuing education, and family responsibilities while keeping therapy affordable for clients can be challenging. Receiving this grant would directly support my ability to sustain and grow my practice without compromising accessibility for those I serve. Specifically, it would help me continue making consistent payments toward my student loans while reinvesting in professional development—through specialized trauma-informed training, certifications in evidence-based modalities, and additional continuing education courses. These opportunities not only enhance my clinical skills but allow me to offer a higher level of care to diverse and underserved populations. Financial relief through this grant would also give me the flexibility to dedicate more time to clients in need and maintain the balance necessary to be fully present with my children. My goal is to remain a long-term, stable resource in my community while modeling resilience, balance, and intentional self-care for my family. This grant would be an investment not only in my growth as a clinician but in the well-being of the individuals and families I serve—and in the example of balance and purpose I strive to demonstrate for my own children.

1. I live and work in rural Georgia, serving within the mental health community since 2012. I work with low-income families, whose access to services is often limited by lack of transportation, lack of insurance, lack of co-pays, lack of family support, lack of availability, and other challenges. In rural Georgia, it is often a reality that the provider will be someone that you or someone in your family knows, leading to some reservations and fears that confidentiality will be broken or judgment. Being in rural Georgia also increases the anticipation of discrimination by clients who do not fit the norm within the community, or who fear the repercussions for seeking help from those within their own community. Equitable access to mental health support is important to me because, without access, too many people end up without the support and help that they need, resulting in things like the Know Your Worth Campaign, which was started in my hometown after numerous teenage suicides. BetterHelp enables me to work with people anywhere and at any time, provided they have access to an electronic device. Working with BetterHelp, I have been able to provide short-term, solution-focused therapy for those who needed immediate relief and provide longer-term care for those working to address more in-depth challenges with mental health at an affordable cost to clients. BetterHelp allows clients to seek help without having to go to an office, fearing being seen, or fearing rejection. BetterHelp offers a variety of ways in which to work with your therapist to increase confidence and rapport within the therapeutic setting. For instance, I have had several clients begin with text sessions, then transition to phone calls, and finally move to video when they felt confident that they could trust me. BetterHelp offers an opportunity to access and provide care easily. 2. I was called to be a mental health counselor to help people. My mission statement for counseling is to be the person that I needed at various stages of my life. As a counselor, I am committed to serving my community and providing consistent, quality, genuine care. Student loan debt is a burden that has limited my financial flexibility and my ability to invest in myself by continuing my education and attending professional development. Receiving this grant would directly support my ability to reach the goal of being paid in full in half the anticipated time of the current estimate. By paying off my student loan debt, I would be able to pursue my doctorate in counseling, along with other advanced trainings and certifications that are essential for mental health. My goal is to become certified in EMDR, Addiction, CBT, DBT, and CPT, to name a few of my goals. Due to the current financial constraints of student loan debt, these goals are unachievable in the near future. The high costs of these opportunities is also prohibitive. These certifications and my doctorate would enhance my clinical skills, expand my scope of expertise, services, and the modalities that I offer clients. This grant would help relieve the financial stress of student loan debt that forces counselors to delay and forgo professional development and higher education. This grant would allow me to remain in low-income, high-need areas while maintaining affordable care costs and still investing in myself.