With the onset of COVID-19, mental health professionals experienced an accelerated pursuit of individuals seeking mental health services for themselves, their families and their relationships as this virus interrupted and impacted our daily functioning, including cognitive and behavioral impairments and the way in which we lived life. As the world stopped, unfortunately, life continued in the most devastating ways possible. The world experienced high-rise cases of suicide, substance abuse, domestic violence, and mental instability, onset by or even heightened by the crisis. The profession of mental health highlighted the breakdown of mental and behavioral distress, serving as a colossal saving grace for the community and finally displayed the unique and necessary services provided by and within the profession while normalizing mental health illness and distinguishing it from its stigma. The profession is greatly needed. My name is Anthony Ards and I am pursuing my Doctorate degree in Marriage and Family Therapy in continued pursuit of my career within the mental health profession. My life goal is to make a difference in the lives of those within my surrounding community and hopefully across the nation. Helping individuals find healing, restorative and healthy relationships, and true concepts of themselves to lead their best lives, drives my passion in my current practice and pursuit as a mental health professional. I am very passionate about my work as a clinician because it is more than work. It is both a calling and a ministry for me. I get the amazing opportunity to encounter very unique individuals who desire to live their best life but, may feel plagued with mental disorders and distress that impair functionality and relational dynamics. I get to be a part of the healing and exploration experience undergone by these individuals to help them heal from past hurts, pains, and traumas, which ultimately help them to find themselves. With experiencing my own troublesome family dynamics, I bared witness to mental health dysfunctions and distress, displayed through irrational and volatile behaviors, masked with substance abuse that impacted not only myself but the foundation of my family, including parents who at one point were on the verge of divorce. Due to this, I have taken a vast interest in understanding the human psyche and how cognitive disorders create complex and challenging family relationships and dynamics that often impact all areas of life, including that of the marital union. It is why I have decided to further advance my knowledge and skills by continuing my education through my doctoral studies. I believe this educational opportunity will not only enhance my knowledge and skillset but contribute to my confidence and ability as a practitioner to sit with clients in crisis, meet them where they are and guide them through the clinical process in hopes of bettering themselves and their relational and family units, using evidenced-based techniques, data, and research. As a current clinician, I work with a variety of clients who bring varied, complex, and interesting issues to the therapeutic environment, allowing me to build healthy working relationships with those clients who are focused on doing the work necessary to achieve their clinical goals and enhance their lives and their relationships. I am determined to meet the mental health needs of my community and of the United States population. I believe I am a great candidate for this scholarship, due to the passion I have for this profession and the representation adhered to daily through determination, motivation, drive, and passion to do something great and meaningful each day that will help lead the community, the country, and the state of the mental health profession forward.