When I applied to graduate school, I was planning to contribute to the immigrant community in our public schools as a qualified school counselor. Although I still aspire to continue working with children and adolescents, I chose to switch programs from school counseling to clinical mental health counseling after personally experiencing grief. I am currently a clinical mental health counseling student and a licensed professional counselor candidate working with the Hispanic community in metro Denver. One of my goals as a therapist is to assist my clients and their families in diminishing the stigma associated with mental illness and addiction. For many of our Hispanic clients, the fear of being labeled or ostracized often leads them to hide their struggles and opt for the perceived acceptability of physical ailments. This phenomenon creates a barrier to understanding mental health symptoms, perpetuates harmful stereotypes, and fosters an environment where individuals feel compelled to conceal their struggles, hindering progress toward a more inclusive and supportive society. Feelings of shame cause people to use a physical ailment over admitting to a mental health condition that disrupts daily functioning, so people do not seek help. Stigma impedes an understanding of symptoms, reduces help-seeking intention, and more importantly, denies hope for treatment. I work primarily with kids and adolescents from ages three to seventeen. I love working with this population because children and teens due to their rapid phase of development are in a vulnerable stage and when trauma occurs, their physical, cognitive, emotional and social needs are impacted. By addressing mental health challenges early in life, I hope to mitigate the long-term effects of stigma and contribute to the cultivation of a generation that views mental health with greater understanding and acceptance. An essential aspect of my therapeutic approach is collaborative goal-setting with clients and their families to develop goals that lead to healing and personal growth. I believe in fostering a sense of agency and ownership which may in turn contribute to breaking down the barriers of shame and stigma that often surround mental health discussions. At my workplace, we strive to advocate for our Spanish-speaking community by offering counseling services that integrate culture and client's personal needs into the therapeutic interventions. Most importantly, I take pride in being able to offer mental health services to our Spanish-speaking population and reduce linguistic barriers in processing trauma as mental health is a challenge that continues to impact bilingual and bicultural communities. In my role as a therapist, I hope to continue serving the Hispanic community, particularly children who deserve to be a part of a culture of acceptance, hope, and healing.

Community service, to me, means actively contributing to the well-being and improvement of the community in which I live and work. As a clinical mental health counseling student and a licensed professional counselor candidate, my approach to community service is deeply intertwined with my commitment to breaking down the stigma surrounding mental health issues. In my current role working with the Hispanic community in metro Denver, my community service involves addressing the unique challenges faced by this population. The essay underscores the fear of being labeled or ostracized, leading individuals to hide their mental health struggles and opt for the perceived acceptability of physical ailments. As a therapist, my goal is to diminish this stigma associated with mental illness and addiction, creating an environment that encourages open dialogue and support. Stigma not only limits the understanding of symptoms but also discourages people from seeking help, ultimately denying themselves hope for treatment. I chose the field of work to promote in my community awareness, empathy, and acceptance of mental health challenges. I primarily work with children and adolescents since the vulnerability of this age group, coupled with the impact of trauma on their physical, cognitive, emotional, and social needs, emphasizes the importance of early intervention. I deeply believe in offering children a safe and reliable support system so they can develop trust in their community, and eventually, become active contributing members of the community that provided care for them. By addressing mental health challenges at this critical stage of development, I aim to contribute to breaking the cycle of stigma and fostering a generation that views mental health with understanding and acceptance. The collaborative goal-setting approach with clients and their families is a key aspect of my community service strategy. This approach empowers individuals to take ownership of their mental health journey, contributing to growing in their autonomy and sense of agency. Moreover, the commitment to offering mental health services to the Spanish-speaking population addresses linguistic barriers and recognizes the diverse needs of bilingual and bicultural communities. In conclusion, my community service is not just a set of actions but a dedicated effort to create a culture of acceptance, hope, and healing within the Hispanic community. By combining therapeutic interventions, cultural sensitivity, and a commitment to reducing stigma, I aim to contribute to a more inclusive and supportive society where individuals feel empowered to seek help for their mental health challenges without fear of judgment or shame.

Feelings of shame cause people to use a physical ailment over admitting to a mental health condition that disrupts daily functioning, so people do not seek help. Stigma impedes an understanding of symptoms, reduces help-seeking intention, and more importantly, denies hope for treatment. I am currently a clinical mental health counseling student and a licensed professional counselor candidate working with the Hispanic community in metro Denver. One of my goals as a therapist is to assist my clients and their families in diminishing the stigma associated with mental illness and addiction. For many of our Hispanic clients, the fear of being labeled or ostracized often leads them to hide their struggles and opt for the perceived acceptability of physical ailments. This phenomenon creates a barrier to understanding mental health symptoms, perpetuates harmful stereotypes, and fosters an environment where individuals feel compelled to conceal their struggles, hindering progress toward a more inclusive and supportive society. I work primarily with kids and adolescents from ages three to seventeen. I love working with this population because children and teens due to their rapid phase of development are in a vulnerable stage and when trauma occurs their physical, cognitive, emotional and social needs are impacted. By addressing mental health challenges early in life, I hope to mitigate the long-term effects of stigma and contribute to the cultivation of a generation that views mental health with greater understanding and acceptance. I recently joined the Association for Play Therapy with the goal of becoming a registered play therapist post-graduation. I am interested in opportunities where I can work with children and utilize play therapy to foster communication of feelings, emotional regulation, and problem-solving strategies. I believe play therapy is very beneficial for children because when abstract reasoning skills are yet to be developed, play can help children explore and express feelings, thoughts, and concerns. An essential aspect of my therapeutic approach is collaborative goal-setting with clients and their families to develop goals that lead to healing and personal growth. I believe in fostering a sense of agency and ownership which may in turn contribute to breaking down the barriers of shame and stigma that often surround mental health discussions. At my workplace, we strive to advocate for our Spanish-speaking community by offering counseling services that integrate culture and client's personal needs into the therapeutic interventions. Furthermore, being Latina and Spanish-speaking allows me to understand and empathize with different cultural factors and issues that come with leaving our home country. I am passionate about working with children and adolescents dealing with anxiety, grief, adjustment disorders, and depression. I want to serve the Hispanic community in Colorado, especially those impacted by trauma, grief, and separation. Most importantly, I take pride in being able to offer mental health services to our Spanish-speaking population and reduce linguistic barriers in processing trauma as mental health is a challenge that continues to impact bilingual and bicultural communities. In my role as a therapist, I hope to continue serving the Hispanic community, particularly children who deserve to be a part of a culture of acceptance, hope, and healing.

Feelings of shame cause people to use a physical ailment over admitting to a mental health condition that disrupts daily functioning, so people do not seek help. Stigma impedes an understanding of symptoms, reduces help-seeking intention, and more importantly, denies hope for treatment. I am currently a clinical mental health counseling student and a licensed professional counselor candidate working with the Hispanic community in metro Denver. One of my goals as a therapist is to assist my clients and their families in diminishing the stigma associated with mental illness and addiction. For many of our Hispanic clients, the fear of being labeled or ostracized often leads them to hide their struggles and opt for the perceived acceptability of physical ailments. This phenomenon creates a barrier to understanding mental health symptoms, perpetuates harmful stereotypes, and fosters an environment where individuals feel compelled to conceal their struggles, hindering progress toward a more inclusive and supportive society. I work primarily with kids and adolescents from ages three to seventeen. I love working with this population because children and teens due to their rapid phase of development are in a vulnerable stage and when trauma occurs their physical, cognitive, emotional and social needs are impacted. By addressing mental health challenges early in life, I hope to mitigate the long-term effects of stigma and contribute to the cultivation of a generation that views mental health with greater understanding and acceptance. An essential aspect of my therapeutic approach is collaborative goal-setting with clients and their families to develop goals that lead to healing and personal growth. I believe in fostering a sense of agency and ownership which may in turn contribute to breaking down the barriers of shame and stigma that often surround mental health discussions. At my work place, we strive for advocating for our Spanish-speaking community by offering counselling services that integrate culture and client's personal needs into the therapeutic interventions. Most importantly, I take pride in being able to offer mental health services to our Spanish-speaking population and reduce linguistic barriers in processing trauma as mental health is a challenge that continues to impact bilingual and bicultural communities. In my role as a therapist, I hope to continue serving the Hispanic community, particularly children who deserve to be a part of a culture of acceptance, hope, and healing. In my role as a therapist, I hope to continue serving the Hispanic community, particularly children who deserve to be a part of a culture of acceptance, hope, and healing.

As part of my clinical mental health counselor training, I was encouraged by professors and faculty to design a self-care plan to establish habits that will help me manage my personal wellness. This wellness plan is also meant to promote establishing healthy coping schools when dealing with work-related dilemmas that I might encounter as a clinical counselor. My personal wellness plan was mainly designed to promote a healthier life and effective coping strategies during tough times. I follow my self-care plan every day by engaging in activities that focus on my physical, emotional, cognitive, social, and spiritual well-being. For physical wellness, I have worked on maintaining habits such as drinking at least 6 glasses of water a day, taking vitamins and supplements, and stretching for 15 minutes in the morning. To cultivate my emotional well-being, I maintain a clean and decluttered workspace, cuddle with my pet, and engage in personal therapy. For cognitive wellness, I read for 20 minutes daily, listen to podcasts or audiobooks for 20 minutes on topics that interest me, and try to sleep at least 7 hours every night. I maintain social wellness, I make time to connect with family or friends to spend quality time and I also dedicate time to talk to my partner without phones or media distractions. Lastly, I maintain my spiritual well-being by embracing personal reflection through practicing grounding meditation techniques and praying. With my self-care plan, I have experienced changes in mood, attitude, and overall perspective about life and everyday stressors. Maintaining my wellness plan has helped me succeed as a student because it has allowed me to improve my time management skills, and I have experienced a reduction in anxious thoughts and patterns of behavior. Since I have incorporated a list of tasks to accomplish throughout my day, I have felt more motivated to not procrastinate and instead take advantage of time and complete my school work promptly. I have noticed I am more present during lectures or class discussions because I am feeling less stressed out about assignments or grades. I think the quality of my work has also improved because I feel more organized which in turn allows me to prepare in advance and review my work before submitting it. Ultimately, managing my personal wellness has allowed me to take control of my time, my emotional regulation, and my sense of ownership over my responsibilities with school and motivation.

I was born and raised in Colombia in a family that consisted of two parents, my mom and dad, and my three older sisters. I am the youngest. My father was a truck driver, and my mother was a housewife. Growing up in Colombia, I was always determined to learn English and seek opportunities to practice constantly. Since I was very young, I knew that learning a second language would open opportunities to live and work overseas; therefore, I decided to major in English and French at Universidad de Nariño. It was challenging to learn English in a foreign setting because it could be rather rare to meet people who speak English fluently. I had to take full advantage of my college classes to interact with my native English-speaking professors to practice. No one in my family speaks English either, so I tried to emerge in the language and culture through TV, music, and literature. After completing my bachelor’s degree, I moved to the United States to work as an Au Pair, which allowed me to meet and interact with people from different nationalities, and I realized that being bilingual is in high demand because there is always a need for businesses and institutions to provide accurate information to all members of the community, especially those with limited English proficiency. Even though living in the United States was a dream of mine, the first months were not easy. I think I took for granted the comfort that home and family can provide. But through determination and resilience, I have pushed through difficult times. More importantly, I have learned to appreciate this country that has given me so much. I believe the United States has allowed me to access career opportunities I never thought were possible. I am a believer in the American dream, and I have experienced firsthand the compassion and kindness of the American people. When I applied to the University of Northern Colorado graduate school, I was planning to contribute to the immigrant community in our public schools as a qualified school counselor. Although I still aspire to continue working with children and adolescents, I have decided to switch programs from school counseling to clinical mental health counseling. Experiencing grief and seeing how others deal with grief and loss motivated my career goals. I plan on making a positive impact on the world by becoming a licensed play therapist to work with children and foster communication of feelings, emotional regulation, and problem-solving strategies. I would love to work with children and adolescents impacted by trauma, grief, and separation.

When I applied to UNC graduate school, I was planning to contribute to the immigrant community in our public schools as a qualified school counselor. Although I still aspire to continue working with children and adolescents, the experience of supporting my friend through the grief and loss of her husband and father of her child to a senseless act of crime, motivated me to switch programs from school counseling to clinical mental health counseling. I am interested in working with children utilizing play therapy to foster communication of feelings, emotional regulation, and problem-solving strategies. I recently joined the Association for Play Therapy with the goal of becoming a licensed play therapist post-graduation. Furthermore, given my bilingual and bicultural background, I want to serve the Hispanic community in Colorado, especially those impacted by trauma, grief, and separation. As an ESL teacher and an immigrant myself, I have seen firsthand how having a sense of belonging can help boost one’s agency and resiliency. I plan on working with children and adolescents by advocating for changes to diminish the stigma associated with mental illness and addiction. Ultimately, my most important responsibility will be to use protective factors including promoting high academic achievement, positive self-image, career development, and positive peer/social interactions to lessen the risks of substance use and promote healthy coping skills to manage distress and anxiety that comes with all the changes of growing up and finding one's identity.

To be independent means knowing yourself well enough and being confident in who you are to be able to make your own decisions. To be independent we need to reflect on where we come from, our support system, our challenges, and the values we hold, so we can prioritize goals, set expectations for ourselves and others, and use self-agency to advocate for our needs. Independence is not a synonym of isolation. We are social creatures who thrive when our sense of belonging and connectedness is fulfilled. I have come to understand that independence is a commitment to self-knowledge and emotional control. Seeking help and accepting our shortcomings do not make us less independent; it makes us more thoughtful and balanced as human beings.

Feelings of shame cause people to use a physical ailment over admitting to a mental health condition that disrupts daily functioning. Stigma impedes an understanding of symptoms, reduces help-seeking intention, and more importantly, denies hope for treatment. Exploring the negative effects of public stigma and self-stigma and engaging in group discussions could help raise a new generation of mental health clinicians and school counselors who will advocate for services that remove stigma and discrimination, as well as promote the humane treatment of people struggling with mental health illnesses and substance use disorders. I aspire to contribute to the Hispanic community in our public schools as a qualified school counselor, and I intend to design a comprehensive school counseling program that advocates for systematic change to diminish the stigma associated with mental illness and addiction. Ultimately, my most important responsibility will be to use protective factors including promoting high academic achievement, positive self-image, career development, and positive peer/social interactions to lessen the risks of substance use and provide students with coping skills to manage distress. My goal is also to become a Licensed Professional Counselor and work closely with the Hispanic community and take advantage of my bilingual and bicultural background to serve immigrant or first-generation populations.

As part of my training as a school counselor, I was encouraged by professors and faculty to design a self-care plan in order to establish habits that will help me navigate work-related dilemmas that I might encounter in my work as a school counselor. My self-care plan was mainly designed to promote a healthier life and effective coping strategies during tough times. I follow my self-care plan every day by engaging in activities that focus on my physical, emotional, cognitive, social, spiritual well-being such as: For physical wellness, drinking at least 6 glasses of water a day, taking vitamins and supplements, and stretching for 15 minutes in the morning. To cultivate my emotional wellbeing, I maintain a clean and decluttered workspace, cuddle with my pet, and engage in personal therapy. For cognitive wellness, I read for 20 minutes, listen to podcasts or audiobooks for 20 minutes, and try to sleep at least 7 hours every night. I maintain social connections by calling or messaging family or friends and talking to my husband without phone or media distractions. Lastly, I maintain my spiritual well-being by embracing personal reflection through practicing grounding meditation techniques. With my self-care plan, I have experienced changes in mood, attitude, and overall perspective about life and everyday stressors. I have mostly noticed that I can remain calmer when I ask myself a very simple question that leads me to find something to be grateful for and maintain a more differentiated emotional state, “is this situation the worst that could happen to me today?”

Being patient helps build relationships, develop consistency, practice self-compassion, and grow in gratitude. Being patient is important to me because it is one value that you can find opportunities to practice daily. Being patient with those around us allows us to learn more effective ways to communicate, teach, forgive and show empathy as we do with children who are learning. Patience takes us through hardships and helps us work consistently to achieve a personal or professional goal. I think that patience with ourselves gets overshadowed frequently by self-criticism and self-loathing. Being able to practice self-compassion and accept our limitations is the first step to improvement. Lastly, patience to accept what we cannot change or control is an opportunity to be grateful for what is available to us. Perhaps to look at things from a glass-half-full perspective.

Being patient is important to me because it is one value that you can find opportunities to practice daily. Being patience helps build relationships, develop consistency, practice self-compassion, and grow in gratitude. Being patient with those around us allows us to learn more effective ways to communicate, teach, forgive and show empathy as we do with children who are learning. Patience takes us through hardships and helps us work consistently to achieve a personal or professional goal. I think that patience with ourselves gets overshadowed frequently by self-criticism and self-loathing. Being able to practice self-compassion and accept our limitations is the first step to improvement. Lastly, patience to accept what we cannot change or control is an opportunity to be grateful about what is available to us, "I lost my sunglasses at the park, but I'm grateful for the day I got to spend with my friends." Perhaps a chance to look at things from a glass-half-full perspective.

As part of my training as a school counselor, I was encouraged by professors and faculty to design a wellness plan to establish habits that will help me navigate work-related dilemmas that I might encounter in my work as a school counselor. My wellness plan was mainly designed to promote a healthier life and effective coping strategies during tough times. I follow my wellness plan every day by engaging in activities that focus on my physical, emotional, cognitive, social, spiritual well-being such as: For physical wellness, drinking at least 6 glasses of water a day, taking vitamins and supplements, and stretching for 15 minutes in the morning. To cultivate my emotional wellbeing, I maintain a clean and decluttered workspace, cuddle with my pet, and engage in personal therapy. For cognitive wellness, I read for 20 minutes, listen to podcasts or audiobooks for 20 minutes, and try to sleep at least 7 hours every night. I maintain social connections by calling or messaging family or friends and talking to my husband without phone or media distractions. Lastly, I maintain my spiritual well-being by embracing personal reflection through practicing grounding meditation techniques. With my wellness plan, I have experienced changes in mood, attitude, and overall perspective about life and everyday stressors. I have mostly noticed that I can remain calmer when I ask myself a very simple question that leads me to find something to be grateful for and maintain a more differentiated emotional state, “is this situation the worst thing that could happen to me today?”.

I was born and raised in Colombia in a family that consisted of two parents, my mom and dad, and my three older sisters. I am the youngest. My father was a truck driver, and my mother was a housewife. Growing up in Colombia, I was always determined to learn English and seek opportunities to practice constantly. Since I was very young, I knew that learning a second language would open opportunities to live and work overseas; therefore, I decided to major in English and French at Universidad de Nariño. After completing my bachelor’s degree, I moved to the United States in 2011 working as an Au Pair, which allowed me to meet and interact with people from different nationalities in a variety of social gatherings and cultural events. Even though living in the United States was a dream of mine, the first months were not easy. I think I took for granted the comfort that home and family can provide. But through determination and resilience, I have push through difficult times. More importantly, I have learned to appreciate this country that has given me so much. I believe that being bilingual in the United States has allowed me to access career opportunities I never thought were possible. I am a believer in the American dream, and I have experienced firsthand the compassion and kindness of the American people. I believe that being bilingual is in high demand because there is always a need for businesses and institutions to provide accurate information to all members of the community, especially those with limited English proficiency. This led me to my first professional job as a program specialist at Experiential Learning International where I worked with potential volunteers and interns from Latin America and Spain, and I also assisted in relaunching and maintaining the Spanish language version of the website. After this experience, I decided to obtain my teaching license in Spanish and English as a second language. In my experience working as a public-school teacher, I have collaborated with staff in several situations where my bilingual skills have been useful when communicating with families regarding their child’s academic and social/emotional strengths or concerns. These opportunities for collaboration have deepened my desire to obtain a master’s degree in school counseling. Sometimes, parents or guardians are not involved in their child’s education because they also feel strange to the school system, or their English skills may impede effective communication. I have found that sharing my personal experience of being a non-native English speaker and an immigrant in this country helps create meaningful connections with families and students. I aspire to contribute to the immigrant community in our public schools as a qualified school counselor. Interacting with children and adolescents and knowing that I can make a difference one child at a time, gives me a purpose in life to present my better self to them, and obtaining a scholarship would be of great financial help to achieve my goal.

Since I left my home country of Colombia in 2011 and moved to the United States, I have worked hard in achieving many professional goals; these include learning a new language and becoming a licensed teacher in two different states. Working full-time while I complete my master's degree is proof of my determination in achieving my professional goals. I was born and raised in Colombia in a family that consisted of two parents, my mom and dad, and my three older sisters. I am the youngest. My father was a truck driver, and my mother was a housewife. Growing up in Colombia, I was always determined to learn English and seek opportunities to practice constantly. Since I was very young, I knew that learning a second language would open opportunities to live and work overseas; therefore, I decided to major in English and French at Universidad de Nariño. It was challenging to learn English in a foreign setting such as Colombia because it could be rare to meet people who speak English fluently. I had to take full advantage of my college classes to interact with my native English-speaking professors to practice. No one in my family speaks English either, so I tried to emerge in the language and culture through TV, music, and literature. After completing my bachelor’s degree, I moved to the United States working as an Au Pair, which allowed me to meet and interact with people from different nationalities in a variety of social gatherings and cultural events. Even though living in the United States was a dream of mine, the first months were not easy. I think I took for granted the comfort that home and family can provide. But through determination and resilience, I have push through difficult times. More importantly, I have learned to appreciate this country that has given me so much. I believe that being bilingual in the United States has allowed me to access career opportunities I never thought were possible. I am a believer in the American dream, and I have experienced firsthand the compassion and kindness of the American people. As a graduate student, I have stood out for my ability to think critically, problem-solve and produce quality work. I aspire to contribute to the immigrant community in our public schools as a qualified school counselor. I have been able to create strong relationships with Hispanic students and families and obtaining a scholarship would be of great financial help to achieve my goal.

To me, generosity means carrying an attitude of kindness and willingness to be there for others. I think generosity is an attitude because having a generous spirit is reflected in someone's behavior. Oftentimes, generosity is merely associated with monetary donations, but generosity can also be demonstrated by giving compliments to others, giving out your time to listen to a loved one, random acts of kindness, or showing up for a friend who needs it. To be generous you do not need to belong to a group, e.g., teacher, firefighter, doctor, American, etc., all you need is to be mindful of what positive impact you can have on someone’s day by simply showing your best self. Besides, generosity does not distinguish age, race, ethnicity, nationality, or sexual orientation. You can be who you are and still be a beacon for those who come in contact with you. I think generosity is a VALUE that we can choose to practice to guide our outlook of interacting with others and the world. Lastly, we can also be generous toward ourselves by allowing our bodies to rest, appreciating and growing in our strengths, and fueling our souls and minds with positive thoughts despite our shortcomings.

My life goal is to continue working in the public school system. Interacting with children and adolescents and knowing that I can make a difference one child at a time, gives me a purpose in life to present my better self to them. As a graduate student in school counseling, I intend to put tremendous effort to prepare myself to serve all students, particularly hispanic families and students. I have worked with English language learners at the middle school and high school level in the states of Maryland and Colorado. I have taught Newcomer classes designed for students who recently arrived in the United States and have limited English proficiency. Often, Newcomer students can experience anxiety because of their unfamiliarity with the American school system, and the language barrier can cause discomfort when they are unsure who or how to ask for help. I love assisting them in locating their classrooms, meeting their teachers, and finding a “buddy” who can show them around school and make them feel welcome. I also initiate collaboration with school counselors to ensure that newcomer students are placed in classes where they will receive appropriate language support. In addition, I facilitate communication between their families and teachers. Sometimes, parents or guardians are not involved in their child’s education because they also feel strange to the school system, or their English skills may impede effective communication. I have found that sharing my personal experience of being a non-native English speaker and an immigrant in this country helps create meaningful connections with families and students. All my efforts in providing support to language learners and their families are based on my firm belief in promoting inclusion and valuing diversity at school. But most importantly, I believe in empowering diverse populations. Moreover, as a future school counselor, I intend to design a comprehensive school counseling program that advocates for systematic change to diminish the stigma associated with mental illness and addiction. Ultimately, my most important responsibility will be to use protective factors including promoting high academic achievement, positive self-image, career development, and positive peer/social interactions to lessen the risks of substance use and provide students with coping skills to manage distress.

As a society, we lack understanding and awareness of what mental illness is, and there is a reluctance to admit to it. Stigma impedes an understanding of symptoms, reduces help-seeking intention, and more importantly, denies hope for treatment. Exploring the negative effects of public stigma and self-stigma and engaging in group discussions could help raise a new generation of mental health clinicians and school counselors who will advocate for services that remove stigma and discrimination, as well as promote the humane treatment of people struggling with mental health illnesses and substance use disorders. Feelings of shame cause people to use a physical ailment over admitting to a mental health condition that disrupts daily functioning, so people do not seek help. Stigma has definitely impacted how I approach my own mental health and what I communicate to people. It is certainly easy to explain your behavior or mood on a migraine or headache. I found most people tend to sympathize with you by allowing you time to be alone and rest. But growing up, whenever I showed signs of having a panic attack, it prompted my immediate family to suggest that I am not living according to our Christian values. This made me feel isolated and guilty for what I was experiencing. As a k-12 teacher, I think we need more school-based mental health support in order to take advantage of children and adolescents’ developing years to diagnose and treat mental illnesses and learning disabilities and ensure that students and their families receive resources and services that could potentially elevate students’ self-esteem and self-agency. Stigma has driven society to alienate people who act “out of the norm”, so they are avoided, seen as dangerous, incompetent, and weak, which triggers anger towards a society that has shown no regard or compassion for them. After attending three different Twelve Step meetings such as AA, NA, and OA, during the Assessment and Treatment of Substance Abuse course, I learned that participants in these support groups were frank, outspoken, compassionate, and approachable. People were extremely open about their hardships and shared their stories with ease because being a part of these programs, gave them a sense of purpose. Many mentioned how they wished their stories inspired people with substance use disorders to seek help to continue their recovery journeys. I think that the sense of community and fellowship that support groups foster cannot be underestimated, considering that the stereotype about people with substance use disorders and mental illness is that they are to blame for their condition, and in turn perceived as dangerous. As a future school counselor, I intend to design a comprehensive school counseling program that advocates for systematic change to diminish the stigma associated with mental illness and addiction. Ultimately, my most important responsibility will be to use protective factors including promoting high academic achievement, positive self-image, career development, and positive peer/social interactions to lessen the risks of substance use and provide students with coping skills to manage distress.