Anxiety has played a large role in my life and how I dealt with challenges, relationships and Self-development. It has been the cause for many a hardship and light of self growth, showing me strength lessons in spirituality and how to lookup. A master's degree is so much more than a hurdle of academia to jump over — it's my chance at redemption, filling in the blanks where inherent ability and unwavering passion failed me. It has been an interesting roller-coaster journey going through it aspect of anxiety. Both subtle and aggressive manifestations of fear, anxiety encompass my daily routine. Basic tasks like speaking in class and meeting people have at times felt impossible for me, my mid would go through all the worst scenarios possible or say everything wrong to myself. This has made social situations a challenge at times and in some instances, I have avoided being around people because it makes me feel vulnerable or judged. But anxiety has also been a great teacher. It has pushed me to become someone who develops coping mechanisms and strategies as I can no longer afford the hold stress and uncertainty that they will take. Mindfulness; A lesson I am still practicing that keeps me in the present rather than clouding my mind with thoughts of what might be. When I feel like my anxiety will never calm down, deep breathing and meditation have become the things that keep me alive. Over the past year and a half I have been doing some therapy and self-reflection, which has helped me understand why those things trigger me so much. It has not been easy but this journey transformed me and made me more resilient, self-aware. My career goals also hinge on my ability to earn a college degree. While it is true that a degree can be advantageous in the competitive job market today, I understand. It equips the recipient with actual specialized knowledge, in addition to developing those all important critical thinking/problem solving/communication grounds that employers tend to value. A degree will help me provide a foundation for working in fields that I am passionate about while allowing me to be of service. It is also a structured environment where I can practice the coping mechanisms and strategies that have helped me deal with anxiety syndrome. What I need are the support services offered on campus (counseling, accessibility services and academic advising) to help me learn how to deal with college stuff while still keeping my sanity. Moreover, by obtaining a degree I invest in my own education and in me as an individual through having the support to make sure that everything will go well not only academically but also personally. My experience with anxiety has stretched me more than almost anything else in this life, it helped to mold the person I am today by teaching resilience, self awareness and connecting me deeply long lasting friendships. Some ways it changed my goals was just that: reinforced something I already felt for instance; one day doing a college degree. To me an education means more than just earning a degree; it is accepting the challenges of academics, recognizing my personal worth and potential, as well as setting myself onto course for not only personal prosperity but also success in whatever processions I wish to pursue.

Mental health is an essential element of the general well being influencing our perceptions, emotions and behavior while we go through with everyday life. Stress management, social bonding and decision-making: it is so important. As much as we do for our body, the same amount of importance should give to mental health. I think mental health is so important because it plays a huge role in our capability to lead a well balanced fulfilled life. For wellness goals, it is taking strides to stay well that I another example could be demonstrating self-love then that falls under mental health. Because it snowballs and effects literally every part of your life, I see mental health as a big deal. Our mental wellness is everything as most challenges in relation to living a meaningful life usually stem from compromised mental health. Disorders such as anxiety and depression can interfere with focus, decision-making, or being social. Chronic stress and emotional troubles can cause physical health to deteriorate, such as heart disease, sleep issues or other weakened states of the immune system. The fact that mental and physical health are so closely intertwined means you can not ignore one without it adversely affecting the other. A high quality of life can only be sustained by taking care of mental wellness. In my case, this means work on habits that keep me emotionally balanced and resilient and with a positive outlook. I achieve it through self-awareness and meditation. These practices keep me grounded and get rid of anxiety in addition to disagreeable thoughts. I try to practice mindfulness at least once a day and in doing so, I can deal with my emotions more effectively and confront challenges head on. Part of safeguarding your mental wellness is being able to juggle work, social time and personal space. I think that overcommitting anywhere can lead to burnout and stress. In order not to let the wheel roll too fast and catch up on everything, I draw thick lines & create time for things that make me happy or other relaxing activities like reading, nature walks within my urban jungle or creativity. The activities help me to reconnect with myself and shine a light on the world around me in new ways. Having social relationships is also incredibly important for our mental health. I do my best to maintain key relationships with family and friends, these are the people that make me feel like I belong with them but also help provide perspective when needed. I will always need someone to tell during bad stuff that I am feeling and trouble which results in finding a solution. I also realize the need to get help when you are really down. Speaking to a therapist or counselor when feeling down is not a weakness, and it gives you skills on how to manage your mental health. I am conscious of keeping my physical health in tact as well which is a big part of mental wellness. Regular physical activity, a proper diet and adequate sleep are important ways to preserve mental wellness. Exercise, in general tends to be a very beneficial way to handle anxiety and depression because it naturally elevates your endorphins which are the body's mood enhancer. I found that for me, part of the balance is keeping my body healthy so I have a solid base on which to hang everything else — including mental well-being.

My personal experiences, in particular the case of my friend's brain injury and the subsequent need for speech therapy, encouraged me to study speech and language pathology. As a full-time Speech-Language Pathology Assistant (SLPA) working in a private clinic specializing in pediatric care, I have observed the remarkable improvement resulting from therapy, and I am excited to grow by obtaining a graduate school education. Similar to Brittany, I experienced the first step in the evolution of my career as an SLP while growing up. My best friend and next-door neighbor suffered a traumatic brain injury after a drunk driving incident. The speech impediment she faced left me distraught, as if I had known an old friend with gifts and talents, only to have them taken away from her. Seeing her fight to express herself and the emotional distance it establishing between us ignited a spark in my soul that fueled the passion to assist other children in their battle with the same communication obstacle. In hindsight, this life-changing situation made me have a deeper understanding of the power of speech therapy to put people not only back on track of learning their communication skills, but helping them regain confidence. Understanding that my purpose is not to save the world, but to assist individuals with communication disorders in leading a better quality life, ignited the flame within me to pursue a career in speech-language pathology. Having the privilege of working in special education with eight years of experience has brought me a lot of joy and numerous learning opportunities. I have hands-on experience in schools, private clinics, and in-home services. Having earned certification in alternative and augmentative communication (AAC) and over one hundred-eighty five clinical hours, I’ve had the privilege of working with committed professionals through therapy sessions. Immersing myself in the speech-language community and children's different speech and communication needs has enriched my perception of what people go through, and I have only made it my duty to help them. I have watched children progressively overcome communication obstacles, become self-assured again, and form important relationships with their loved ones. These humbling experiences have made me realize that I have embarked on the right path for a career in which rehabilitation can have a life-changing effect on people's lives. Teaching kids with special needs calls for a range of approaches tailored to each student's requirements ways of learning, and skills. Key tactics include creating an Individualized Education Program (IEP) to spell out specific aims to help, and using varied teaching to adapt lessons through different methods like pictures and hands-on tasks. Using helpful tech such as programs that turn speech into text, and learning through multiple senses with objects and music, are also key to get students involved. Positive Behavior Support (PBS) helps push good actions, while scaffolding gives the backup kids need to become more independent. Learning together helps social skills, and clear, step-by-step teaching makes lessons easy to follow. Plans to change behavior tackle specific issues, and keeping an eye on progress makes sure teaching stays on track. Getting families involved is crucial to keep learning going at home, and Universal Design for Learning (UDL) makes classrooms open to all by offering many ways for students to join in and show what they know. Mixing these methods creates a helpful and strong learning space for special education students and their family. Special education needs can take a toll on the individual and their caregivers, and it is important to have a supportive team that will provide emotional stability, advocacy, consistency, education, and empowerment as I'm sure Brittany did for her sister Sydney. Rest in paradise Brittany, I will continue to help those in need.