I want to dedicate my life to serving others and providing help for individuals, specifically those who suffer from mental health conditions, battle with depression, thoughts of suicide, and addiction. I want to provide a healing form to help release pain constructively and holistically, ultimately improving physical, mental, and emotional well-being. I think most of society does not recognize or understand the severity of mental illness within our communities. That lack of understanding leads people to believe mental health conditions are non-existent or view them as a deficiency from which someone suffers. By obtaining the knowledge necessary to become a mental health therapist, I can contribute to my family and community by raising awareness and educating individuals on early detection and effective intervention methods. The main attribute I possess that I feel would help me become a great mental health therapist is my personal experience and interactions. I have watched family members suffer a never-ending battle with suicidal ideation, anxiety, and depression. When individuals suffer from a mental health condition, they feel alone, as if no one cares or understands exactly what they are going through. Specifically, within the Black/ African American community, mental illness's negative stigma further drives individuals to suffer through their struggles alone. This is not always by choice, but by force. Often families exile the member who has a mental illness and leave him/her to deal with the condition along with a lack of support and housing. I understand this state of mind because I have experienced it first hand, which makes me empathetic and will help me develop trusting relationships with individuals. Relating to the individual allows me to provide hope and encouragement through their struggle with mental illness. A facet of my nature that I believe I will need to modify to be a leading mental health therapist is limiting my emotional investment. I am willing to go above and beyond to help others if paired with spending a large quantity of time interacting with the patient person-to-person and becoming personally invested. I know it is a matter of setting boundaries, but I believe that it could be a challenge for me when listening to patients recall traumatic experiences that he or she has been through. Listening to these stories day in and day out without becoming too emotionally invested will be extremely challenging. I know that I want my life’s work to be based on serving others' needs, and I plan to exceed all expectations that I have for myself in achieving that goal. I am passionately pursuing this career path that has always been a dream of mine, and I have taken all necessary actions to achieve my goal. I have come to the point in life where I know what I want to do career-wise and find what will make me feel fulfilled. I will only be able to accomplish this goal when I can provide optimism and support to others. Within the next two years, I want to complete my Master of Science in Clinical/Counseling Psychology. Receiving this degree will put me on the fast track to becoming a licensed mental health therapist specializing in art therapy. I prefer to work in a clinical setting, helping to counsel individuals with various problems. Furthermore, my ideal path would include working or possibly developing a community organization/ non-profit organization whose mission is to bring the healing power of art to the public with a voice to advocate for the resources and attention necessary for individuals suffering from mental health conditions.

In March 2016, I graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts. Art has been my passion since I was an adolescent. As an artist, my craft is a form of expression and stimulation. It has always been a way for me to come alive and release my vision and feelings all at once. That feeling, and that feeling alone, is what drove me to major in Fine Arts. I soon realized that even though I was studying my passion, I was often left feeling unfulfilled and without purpose. Robert F. Kennedy said it best, “The purpose of life is to contribute in some way to making things better.” I initially became interested in mental health when I took a psychology course during my junior year. I grew fascinated with learning about human behavior and understanding how I could contribute and help those in need. After graduation, I decided that I wanted to use my knowledge and passion for art as a form of therapy. I want to dedicate my life to serving others and providing help for individuals, specifically those who suffer from mental health conditions, battle with depression, thoughts of suicide, and addiction. I want to provide a healing form to help release pain constructively and holistically, ultimately improving physical, mental, and emotional well-being. I think most of society does not recognize or understand the severity of mental illness within our communities. That lack of understanding leads people to believe mental health conditions are non-existent or view them as a deficiency from which someone suffers. By obtaining the knowledge necessary to become a mental health therapist, I can contribute to my family and community by raising awareness and educating individuals on early detection and effective intervention methods. The main attribute I possess that I feel would help me become a great mental health therapist is my personal experience and interactions. I have watched family members suffer a never-ending battle with thoughts of suicide, depression, and addiction. When individuals suffer from a mental health condition, they feel alone, as if no one cares or understands exactly what they are going through. Specifically, within the Black/ African American community, mental illness's negative stigma further drives individuals to suffer through their struggles alone. This is not always by choice, but by force. Often families exile the member who has a mental illness and leaves him/her to deal with the condition along with a lack of support and housing. I understand this state of mind because I have experienced it first hand, which makes me empathetic and will help me develop trusting relationships with individuals. Relating to the individual allows me to provide hope and encouragement through their struggle with mental illness. A facet of my nature that I believe I will need to modify to be a leading mental health therapist is limiting my emotional investment. I am willing to go above and beyond to help others if paired with spending a large quantity of time interacting with the patient person-to-person and becoming personally invested. I know it is a matter of setting boundaries, but I believe that it could be a challenge for me when listening to patients recall traumatic experiences that he or she has been through. Listening to these stories day in and day out without becoming too emotionally invested will be extremely challenging. Nelson Mandela stated, “There is no passion to be found playing small - in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living.” I know that I want my life’s work to be based on serving others' needs, and I plan to exceed all expectations that I have for myself in achieving that goal. I am passionately pursuing this career path that has always been a dream of mine, and I have taken all necessary actions to achieve my goal. I have come to the point in life where I know what I want to do career-wise and find what will make me feel fulfilled. I will only be able to accomplish this goal when I can provide optimism and support to others. Within the next two years, I want to complete my Master of Science in Clinical/Counseling Psychology. Receiving this degree will put me on the fast track to becoming a licensed mental health therapist specializing in art therapy. I prefer to work in a clinical setting, helping to counsel individuals with various problems. Furthermore, my ideal path would include working or possibly developing a community organization/ non- profit organization whose mission is to bring the healing power of art to the public with a voice to advocate for the resources and attention necessary for individuals suffering from mental health conditions.