I remember when I was 13 years old and I was diagnosed with depression. It was no shock to me that something was wrong but hearing that I would be “treated” for it was hard to process. I had felt as if something was wrong with me, that because of my mental health, I was messed up and needed fixing. Looking back, I know that is not the case. For a long time I struggled with depression, believing that things could never get better. I was always going to be adopted, always going to be a Guatemalan girl with two white parents and felt as though I would never fit in and find my true self. However, that was not the case. I have a support system, family and therapist who wanted me to get better. I did not need to be fixed, I needed help working through depression. I have firsthand experience witnessing the positive and lasting effects of therapy. Therapy helped save me and I want to help others and provide the same chance at recovery and self-discovery. When I was diagnosed with depression my parents made the executive decision that I would see a psychologist until I no longer needed professional help. At the time I would have rather died than talk about my feelings. I had put the idea in my head that talking about my feelings would make me feel worse with no benefit. When I was introduced to Dr. Frazier I had a lot of prejudice against her. Yet she slowly started to break down walls I had built up. She taught me that my feelings are real and okay to talk about. I learned that the stigma around struggling with mental health, specifically depression, is not real and is a problem that can be solved with the right treatment and toolkit. Together with Dr. Frazier, I learned about myself and started to face the problems I had hidden away. To this day, though I completed therapy over two years ago, I use the tips she taught me for days when I feel as if life is fighting back harder than usual. When I was 13 sitting in her office, I could not have possibly understood all the good that she would do for me. The lasting impact she had on me shapes who I am today and still inspires me. I am lucky to have received help and have such a great recovery. However, I have become more aware of the reality of mental health and I know that not everyone is as lucky. There is a stigma around diagnosis and treatment for mental health issues and not enough awareness of these problems. I am passionate about shedding light on this topic and want those who need help to be able to easily find it. This passion has led me to pursue the path of becoming a psychiatric nurse practitioner. I will major in nursing with a minor in psychology. Once I graduate with my BSN I intend to go back to graduate school to become a nurse practitioner. From there I will start the journey of becoming an official psychiatric nurse practitioner. I have never doubted that my calling is to help those struggling with mental illness. I have been the patient, the girl who needed someone to believe in her, the one who needed a push to find the best version of herself. I am devoted to helping people and encouraging treatment of mental health issues through my education so that I have the chance to be someone else's Dr. Frazier.

I remember when I was 13 years old and I was diagnosed with depression. It was no shock to me that something was wrong but hearing that I would be “treated” for it was hard to process. I had felt as if something was wrong with me, that because of my mental health, I was messed up and needed fixing. Looking back, I know that is not the case. For a long time I struggled with depression, believing that things could never get better. I was always going to be adopted, always going to be a Guatemalan girl with two white parents and felt as though I would never fit in and find my true self. However, that was not the case. I have a support system, family and therapist who wanted me to get better. I did not need to be fixed, I needed help working through depression. I have firsthand experience witnessing the positive and lasting effects of therapy. Therapy helped save me and I want to help others and provide the same chance at recovery and self-discovery. When I was diagnosed with depression my parents made the executive decision that I would see a psychologist until I no longer needed professional help. At the time I would have rather died than talk about my feelings. I had put the idea in my head that talking about my feelings would make me feel worse with no benefit. When I was introduced to Dr. Frazier I had a lot of prejudice against her. Yet she slowly started to break down walls I had built up. She taught me that my feelings are real and okay to talk about. I learned that the stigma around struggling with mental health, specifically depression, is not real and is a problem that can be solved with the right treatment and toolkit. Together with Dr. Frazier, I learned about myself and started to face the problems I had hidden away. To this day, though I completed therapy over two years ago, I use the tips she taught me for days when I feel as if life is fighting back harder than usual. When I was 13 sitting in her office, I could not have possibly understood all the good that she would do for me. The lasting impact she had on me shapes who I am today and still inspires me. I am lucky to have received help and have such a great recovery. However, I have become more aware of the reality of mental health and I know that not everyone is as lucky. There is a stigma around diagnosis and treatment for mental health issues and not enough awareness of these problems. I am passionate about shedding light on this topic and want those who need help to be able to easily find it. This passion has led me to pursue the path of becoming a psychiatric nurse practitioner. I will major in nursing with a minor in psychology. Once I graduate with my BSN I intend to go back to graduate school to become a nurse practitioner. From there I will start the journey of becoming an official psychiatric nurse practitioner. I have never doubted that my calling is to help those struggling with mental illness. I have been the patient, the girl who needed someone to believe in her, the one who needed a push to find the best version of herself. I am devoted to helping people and encouraging treatment of mental health issues through my education so that I have the chance to be someone else's Dr. Frazier.

Growing Sideways My Passion, Goals and Life Plan By Celia Heeschen I can still remember when I was 13 years old and I was diagnosed with depression. It was no shock to me that something was wrong but hearing that I would have to be “treated” for it was just the cherry on top of everything else going on in my life. I had felt as if something was wrong with me, that because of my mental health I was messed up and needed fixing. As I look back, I know that is not the case but it's hard to see the big picture in the middle of a storm. For a long time I had struggled with depression and seeing no answer to the problem, I believed that things could never get better for me. I was always going to be adopted, always going to be a Guatemalan girl with two very white parents and felt as though I was always going to struggle to fit in and find my true self. However, that was not the case and I am in a much better place now, because of my constant support system, family and therapist who wanted to see me get better. I did not need to be fixed, I needed help working through some difficulties and as a result I got firsthand experience witnessing the positive and lasting effects of therapy. Therapy helped save me and I want to help other people and provide the same chance at recovery and self-discovery for them. When I was diagnosed with depression my parents made the executive decision that I would go see a psychologist until I no longer needed to have professional help. At the time I would have rather died than go weekly to talk about my feelings. I had put the idea in my head that talking about my feelings would make me feel worse and no benefit would come from it. When I was introduced to Dr. Natalie Frazier I had a lot of prejudice against her. Yet she slowly started to break down the walls I had built up around me. She taught me that my feelings are real and okay to talk about. I learned that all the bad stigma around struggling with mental health, specifically depression, is not real and can be a problem that can be solved with the right treatment and toolkit. Together with Dr. Frazier, I was able to learn a lot about myself and started to face all the problems I had hidden away. Even to this day, though I completed therapy over two years ago, I still use the tips she taught me for the days where I feel as if life is fighting back harder than usual. While I was 13 sitting in her office, I could not have possibly understood all the good that she would do for me. The lasting impact she has had on me shapes who I am today and still inspires me. I am lucky to have received the help that I did and have such a great recovery. Though, as I have become more aware of the reality of mental health, I know that not everyone is as lucky as me. There is still a stigma around diagnosis and treatment for mental health issues and not enough awareness of a very real problem. I am very passionate about shedding light on this topic and want those who need help to be able to reach out and easily find help. This passion has led me to pursue the path of becoming a psychiatric nurse practitioner. I plan to attend Auburn University and major in nursing while also getting a minor in psychology. Once I graduate with my BSN and gained a few years of work experience I intend to go back to graduate school to become a nurse practitioner. From there I will start the journey of becoming an official psychiatric nurse practitioner. When deciding what I want to do with the rest of my life, I have never doubted that my absolute calling is to help those struggling with mental illness. I have been the patient, the girl who needed someone to believe in her, the one who needed a push to find the best version of herself. Becoming a psychiatric nurse practitioner will give me the ability to help people the way that Dr. Frazier helped me and encourage people to address their mental health needs so that they can be their best selves. I am devoted to continuing my education and training so that I have the chance to be someone else's Dr. Frazier.

I remember when I was 13 years old and I was diagnosed with depression. It was no shock to me that something was wrong but hearing that I would be “treated” for it was hard to process. I had felt as if something was wrong with me, that because of my mental health, I was messed up and needed fixing. Looking back, I know that is not the case. For a long time I struggled with depression, believing that things could never get better. I was always going to be adopted, always going to be a Guatemalan girl with two white parents and felt as though I would never fit in and find my true self. However, that was not the case. I have a support system, family and therapist who wanted me to get better. I did not need to be fixed, I needed help working through depression. I have firsthand experience witnessing the positive and lasting effects of therapy. Therapy helped save me and I want to help others and provide the same chance at recovery and self-discovery. When I was diagnosed with depression my parents made the executive decision that I would see a psychologist until I no longer needed professional help. At the time I would have rather died than talk about my feelings. I had put the idea in my head that talking about my feelings would make me feel worse with no benefit. When I was introduced to Dr. Frazier I had a lot of prejudice against her. Yet she slowly started to break down walls I had built up. She taught me that my feelings are real and okay to talk about. I learned that the stigma around struggling with mental health, specifically depression, is not real and is a problem that can be solved with the right treatment and toolkit. Together with Dr. Frazier, I learned about myself and started to face the problems I had hidden away. To this day, though I completed therapy over two years ago, I use the tips she taught me for days when I feel as if life is fighting back harder than usual. When I was 13 sitting in her office, I could not have possibly understood all the good that she would do for me. The lasting impact she had on me shapes who I am today and still inspires me. I am lucky to have received help and have such a great recovery. However, I have become more aware of the reality of mental health and I know that not everyone is as lucky. There is a stigma around diagnosis and treatment for mental health issues and not enough awareness of these problems. I am passionate about shedding light on this topic and want those who need help to be able to easily find it. This passion has led me to pursue the path of becoming a psychiatric nurse practitioner. I will major in nursing with a minor in psychology. Once I graduate with my BSN I intend to go back to graduate school to become a nurse practitioner. From there I will start the journey of becoming an official psychiatric nurse practitioner. I have never doubted that my calling is to help those struggling with mental illness. I have been the patient, the girl who needed someone to believe in her, the one who needed a push to find the best version of herself. I am devoted to helping people and encouraging treatment of mental health issues through my education so that I have the chance to be someone else's Dr. Frazier.

I remember when I was 13 years old and I was diagnosed with depression. It was no shock to me that something was wrong but hearing that I would be “treated” for it was hard to process. I had felt as if something was wrong with me, that because of my mental health, I was messed up and needed fixing. Looking back, I know that is not the case. For a long time I struggled with depression, believing that things could never get better. I was always going to be adopted, always going to be a Guatemalan girl with two white parents and felt as though I would never fit in and find my true self. However, that was not the case. I have a support system, family and therapist who wanted me to get better. I did not need to be fixed, I needed help working through depression. I have firsthand experience witnessing the positive and lasting effects of therapy. Therapy helped save me and I want to help others and provide the same chance at recovery and self-discovery. When I was diagnosed with depression my parents made the executive decision that I would see a psychologist until I no longer needed professional help. At the time I would have rather died than talk about my feelings. I had put the idea in my head that talking about my feelings would make me feel worse with no benefit. When I was introduced to Dr. Frazier I had a lot of prejudice against her. Yet she slowly started to break down walls I had built up. She taught me that my feelings are real and okay to talk about. I learned that the stigma around struggling with mental health, specifically depression, is not real and is a problem that can be solved with the right treatment and toolkit. Together with Dr. Frazier, I learned about myself and started to face the problems I had hidden away. To this day, though I completed therapy over two years ago, I use the tips she taught me for days when I feel as if life is fighting back harder than usual. When I was 13 sitting in her office, I could not have possibly understood all the good that she would do for me. The lasting impact she had on me shapes who I am today and still inspires me. I am lucky to have received help and have such a great recovery. However, I have become more aware of the reality of mental health and I know that not everyone is as lucky. There is a stigma around diagnosis and treatment for mental health issues and not enough awareness of these problems. I am passionate about shedding light on this topic and want those who need help to be able to easily find it. This passion has led me to pursue the path of becoming a psychiatric nurse practitioner. I will major in nursing with a minor in psychology. Once I graduate with my BSN I intend to go back to graduate school to become a nurse practitioner. From there I will start the journey of becoming an official psychiatric nurse practitioner. I have never doubted that my calling is to help those struggling with mental illness. I have been the patient, the girl who needed someone to believe in her, the one who needed a push to find the best version of herself. I am devoted to helping people and encouraging treatment of mental health issues through my education so that I have the chance to be someone else's Dr. Frazier.

I remember when I was 13 years old and I was diagnosed with depression. It was no shock to me that something was wrong but hearing that I would be “treated” for it was hard to process. I had felt as if something was wrong with me, that because of my mental health, I was messed up and needed fixing. Looking back, I know that is not the case. For a long time I struggled with depression, believing that things could never get better. I was always going to be adopted, always going to be a Guatemalan girl with two white parents and felt as though I would never fit in and find my true self. However, that was not the case. I have a support system, family and therapist who wanted me to get better. I did not need to be fixed, I needed help working through depression. I have firsthand experience witnessing the positive and lasting effects of therapy. Therapy helped save me and I want to help others and provide the same chance at recovery and self-discovery. When I was diagnosed with depression my parents made the executive decision that I would see a psychologist until I no longer needed professional help. At the time I would have rather died than talk about my feelings. I had put the idea in my head that talking about my feelings would make me feel worse with no benefit. When I was introduced to Dr. Frazier I had a lot of prejudice against her. Yet she slowly started to break down walls I had built up. She taught me that my feelings are real and okay to talk about. I learned that the stigma around struggling with mental health, specifically depression, is not real and is a problem that can be solved with the right treatment and toolkit. Together with Dr. Frazier, I learned about myself and started to face the problems I had hidden away. To this day, though I completed therapy over two years ago, I use the tips she taught me for days when I feel as if life is fighting back harder than usual. When I was 13 sitting in her office, I could not have possibly understood all the good that she would do for me. The lasting impact she had on me shapes who I am today and still inspires me. I am lucky to have received help and have such a great recovery. However, I have become more aware of the reality of mental health and I know that not everyone is as lucky. There is a stigma around diagnosis and treatment for mental health issues and not enough awareness of these problems. I am passionate about shedding light on this topic and want those who need help to be able to easily find it. This passion has led me to pursue the path of becoming a psychiatric nurse practitioner. I will major in nursing with a minor in psychology. Once I graduate with my BSN I intend to go back to graduate school to become a nurse practitioner. From there I will start the journey of becoming an official psychiatric nurse practitioner. I have never doubted that my calling is to help those struggling with mental illness. I have been the patient, the girl who needed someone to believe in her, the one who needed a push to find the best version of herself. I am devoted to helping people and encouraging treatment of mental health issues through my education so that I have the chance to be someone else's Dr. Frazier.

I remember when I was 13 years old and I was diagnosed with depression. It was no shock to me that something was wrong but hearing that I would be “treated” for it was hard to process. I had felt as if something was wrong with me, that because of my mental health, I was messed up and needed fixing. Looking back, I know that is not the case. For a long time I struggled with depression, believing that things could never get better. I was always going to be adopted, always going to be a Guatemalan girl with two white parents and felt as though I would never fit in and find my true self. However, that was not the case. I have a support system, family and therapist who wanted me to get better. I did not need to be fixed, I needed help working through depression. I have firsthand experience witnessing the positive and lasting effects of therapy. Therapy helped save me and I want to help others and provide the same chance at recovery and self-discovery. When I was diagnosed with depression my parents made the executive decision that I would see a psychologist until I no longer needed professional help. At the time I would have rather died than talk about my feelings. I had put the idea in my head that talking about my feelings would make me feel worse with no benefit. When I was introduced to Dr. Frazier I had a lot of prejudice against her. Yet she slowly started to break down walls I had built up. She taught me that my feelings are real and okay to talk about. I learned that the stigma around struggling with mental health, specifically depression, is not real and is a problem that can be solved with the right treatment and toolkit. Together with Dr. Frazier, I learned about myself and started to face the problems I had hidden away. To this day, though I completed therapy over two years ago, I use the tips she taught me for days when I feel as if life is fighting back harder than usual. When I was 13 sitting in her office, I could not have possibly understood all the good that she would do for me. The lasting impact she had on me shapes who I am today and still inspires me. I am lucky to have received help and have such a great recovery. However, I have become more aware of the reality of mental health and I know that not everyone is as lucky. There is a stigma around diagnosis and treatment for mental health issues and not enough awareness of these problems. I am passionate about shedding light on this topic and want those who need help to be able to easily find it. This passion has led me to pursue the path of becoming a psychiatric nurse practitioner. I will major in nursing with a minor in psychology. Once I graduate with my BSN I intend to go back to graduate school to become a nurse practitioner. From there I will start the journey of becoming an official psychiatric nurse practitioner. I have never doubted that my calling is to help those struggling with mental illness. I have been the patient, the girl who needed someone to believe in her, the one who needed a push to find the best version of herself. I am devoted to helping people and encouraging treatment of mental health issues through my education so that I have the chance to be someone else's Dr. Frazier.

I remember when I was 13 years old and I was diagnosed with depression. It was no shock to me that something was wrong but hearing that I would be “treated” for it was hard to process. I had felt as if something was wrong with me, that because of my mental health, I was messed up and needed fixing. Looking back, I know that is not the case. For a long time I struggled with depression, believing that things could never get better. I was always going to be adopted, always going to be a Guatemalan girl with two white parents and felt as though I would never fit in and find my true self. However, that was not the case. I have a support system, family and therapist who wanted me to get better. I did not need to be fixed, I needed help working through depression. I have firsthand experience witnessing the positive and lasting effects of therapy. Therapy helped save me and I want to help others and provide the same chance at recovery and self-discovery. When I was diagnosed with depression my parents made the executive decision that I would see a psychologist until I no longer needed professional help. At the time I would have rather died than talk about my feelings. I had put the idea in my head that talking about my feelings would make me feel worse with no benefit. When I was introduced to Dr. Frazier I had a lot of prejudice against her. Yet she slowly started to break down walls I had built up. She taught me that my feelings are real and okay to talk about. I learned that the stigma around struggling with mental health, specifically depression, is not real and is a problem that can be solved with the right treatment and toolkit. Together with Dr. Frazier, I learned about myself and started to face the problems I had hidden away. To this day, though I completed therapy over two years ago, I use the tips she taught me for days when I feel as if life is fighting back harder than usual. When I was 13 sitting in her office, I could not have possibly understood all the good that she would do for me. The lasting impact she had on me shapes who I am today and still inspires me. I am lucky to have received help and have such a great recovery. However, I have become more aware of the reality of mental health and I know that not everyone is as lucky. There is a stigma around diagnosis and treatment for mental health issues and not enough awareness of these problems. I am passionate about shedding light on this topic and want those who need help to be able to easily find it. This passion has led me to pursue the path of becoming a psychiatric nurse practitioner. I will major in nursing with a minor in psychology. Once I graduate with my BSN I intend to go back to graduate school to become a nurse practitioner. From there I will start the journey of becoming an official psychiatric nurse practitioner. I have never doubted that my calling is to help those struggling with mental illness. I have been the patient, the girl who needed someone to believe in her, the one who needed a push to find the best version of herself. I am devoted to helping people and encouraging treatment of mental health issues through my education so that I have the chance to be someone else's Dr. Frazier.

I remember when I was 13 years old and I was diagnosed with depression. It was no shock to me that something was wrong but hearing that I would be “treated” for it was hard to process. I had felt as if something was wrong with me, that because of my mental health, I was messed up and needed fixing. Looking back, I know that is not the case. For a long time I struggled with depression, believing that things could never get better. I was always going to be adopted, always going to be a Guatemalan girl with two white parents and felt as though I would never fit in and find my true self. However, that was not the case. I have a support system, family and therapist who wanted me to get better. I did not need to be fixed, I needed help working through depression. I have firsthand experience witnessing the positive and lasting effects of therapy. Therapy helped save me and I want to help others and provide the same chance at recovery and self-discovery. When I was diagnosed with depression my parents made the executive decision that I would see a psychologist until I no longer needed professional help. At the time I would have rather died than talk about my feelings. I had put the idea in my head that talking about my feelings would make me feel worse with no benefit. When I was introduced to Dr. Frazier I had a lot of prejudice against her. Yet she slowly started to break down walls I had built up. She taught me that my feelings are real and okay to talk about. I learned that the stigma around struggling with mental health, specifically depression, is not real and is a problem that can be solved with the right treatment and toolkit. Together with Dr. Frazier, I learned about myself and started to face the problems I had hidden away. To this day, though I completed therapy over two years ago, I use the tips she taught me for days when I feel as if life is fighting back harder than usual. When I was 13 sitting in her office, I could not have possibly understood all the good that she would do for me. The lasting impact she had on me shapes who I am today and still inspires me. I am lucky to have received help and have such a great recovery. However, I have become more aware of the reality of mental health and I know that not everyone is as lucky. There is a stigma around diagnosis and treatment for mental health issues and not enough awareness of these problems. I am passionate about shedding light on this topic and want those who need help to be able to easily find it. This passion has led me to pursue the path of becoming a psychiatric nurse practitioner. I will major in nursing with a minor in psychology. Once I graduate with my BSN I intend to go back to graduate school to become a nurse practitioner. From there I will start the journey of becoming an official psychiatric nurse practitioner. I have never doubted that my calling is to help those struggling with mental illness. I have been the patient, the girl who needed someone to believe in her, the one who needed a push to find the best version of herself. I am devoted to helping people and encouraging treatment of mental health issues through my education so that I have the chance to be someone else's Dr. Frazier.

I remember when I was 13 years old and I was diagnosed with depression. It was no shock to me that something was wrong but hearing that I would be “treated” for it was hard to process. I had felt as if something was wrong with me, that because of my mental health, I was messed up and needed fixing. Looking back, I know that is not the case. For a long time I struggled with depression, believing that things could never get better. I was always going to be adopted, always going to be a Guatemalan girl with two white parents and felt as though I would never fit in and find my true self. However, that was not the case. I have a support system, family and therapist who wanted me to get better. I did not need to be fixed, I needed help working through depression. I have firsthand experience witnessing the positive and lasting effects of therapy. Therapy helped save me and I want to help others and provide the same chance at recovery and self-discovery. When I was diagnosed with depression my parents made the executive decision that I would see a psychologist until I no longer needed professional help. At the time I would have rather died than talk about my feelings. I had put the idea in my head that talking about my feelings would make me feel worse with no benefit. When I was introduced to Dr. Frazier I had a lot of prejudice against her. Yet she slowly started to break down walls I had built up. She taught me that my feelings are real and okay to talk about. I learned that the stigma around struggling with mental health, specifically depression, is not real and is a problem that can be solved with the right treatment and toolkit. Together with Dr. Frazier, I learned about myself and started to face the problems I had hidden away. To this day, though I completed therapy over two years ago, I use the tips she taught me for days when I feel as if life is fighting back harder than usual. When I was 13 sitting in her office, I could not have possibly understood all the good that she would do for me. The lasting impact she had on me shapes who I am today and still inspires me. I am lucky to have received help and have such a great recovery. However, I have become more aware of the reality of mental health and I know that not everyone is as lucky. There is a stigma around diagnosis and treatment for mental health issues and not enough awareness of these problems. I am passionate about shedding light on this topic and want those who need help to be able to easily find it. This passion has led me to pursue the path of becoming a psychiatric nurse practitioner. I will major in nursing with a minor in psychology. Once I graduate with my BSN I intend to go back to graduate school to become a nurse practitioner. From there I will start the journey of becoming an official psychiatric nurse practitioner. I have never doubted that my calling is to help those struggling with mental illness. I have been the patient, the girl who needed someone to believe in her, the one who needed a push to find the best version of herself. I am devoted to helping people and encouraging treatment of mental health issues through my education so that I have the chance to be someone else's Dr. Frazier.

I remember when I was 13 years old and I was diagnosed with depression. It was no shock to me that something was wrong but hearing that I would be “treated” for it was hard to process. I had felt as if something was wrong with me, that because of my mental health, I was messed up and needed fixing. Looking back, I know that is not the case. For a long time I struggled with depression, believing that things could never get better. I was always going to be adopted, always going to be a Guatemalan girl with two white parents and felt as though I would never fit in and find my true self. However, that was not the case. I have a support system, family and therapist who wanted me to get better. I did not need to be fixed, I needed help working through depression. I have firsthand experience witnessing the positive and lasting effects of therapy. Therapy helped save me and I want to help others and provide the same chance at recovery and self-discovery. When I was diagnosed with depression my parents made the executive decision that I would see a psychologist until I no longer needed professional help. At the time I would have rather died than talk about my feelings. I had put the idea in my head that talking about my feelings would make me feel worse with no benefit. When I was introduced to Dr. Frazier I had a lot of prejudice against her. Yet she slowly started to break down walls I had built up. She taught me that my feelings are real and okay to talk about. I learned that the stigma around struggling with mental health, specifically depression, is not real and is a problem that can be solved with the right treatment and toolkit. Together with Dr. Frazier, I learned about myself and started to face the problems I had hidden away. To this day, though I completed therapy over two years ago, I use the tips she taught me for days when I feel as if life is fighting back harder than usual. When I was 13 sitting in her office, I could not have possibly understood all the good that she would do for me. The lasting impact she had on me shapes who I am today and still inspires me. I am lucky to have received help and have such a great recovery. However, I have become more aware of the reality of mental health and I know that not everyone is as lucky. There is a stigma around diagnosis and treatment for mental health issues and not enough awareness of these problems. I am passionate about shedding light on this topic and want those who need help to be able to easily find it. This passion has led me to pursue the path of becoming a psychiatric nurse practitioner. I will major in nursing with a minor in psychology. Once I graduate with my BSN I intend to go back to graduate school to become a nurse practitioner. From there I will start the journey of becoming an official psychiatric nurse practitioner. I have never doubted that my calling is to help those struggling with mental illness. I have been the patient, the girl who needed someone to believe in her, the one who needed a push to find the best version of herself. I am devoted to helping people and encouraging treatment of mental health issues through my education so that I have the chance to be someone else's Dr. Frazier.

I remember when I was 13 years old and I was diagnosed with depression. It was no shock to me that something was wrong but hearing that I would be “treated” for it was hard to process. I had felt as if something was wrong with me, that because of my mental health, I was messed up and needed fixing. Looking back, I know that is not the case. For a long time I struggled with depression, believing that things could never get better. I was always going to be adopted, always going to be a Guatemalan girl with two white parents and felt as though I would never fit in and find my true self. However, that was not the case. I have a support system, family and therapist who wanted me to get better. I did not need to be fixed, I needed help working through depression. I have firsthand experience witnessing the positive and lasting effects of therapy. Therapy helped save me and I want to help others and provide the same chance at recovery and self-discovery. When I was diagnosed with depression my parents made the executive decision that I would see a psychologist until I no longer needed professional help. At the time I would have rather died than talk about my feelings. I had put the idea in my head that talking about my feelings would make me feel worse with no benefit. When I was introduced to Dr. Frazier I had a lot of prejudice against her. Yet she slowly started to break down walls I had built up. She taught me that my feelings are real and okay to talk about. I learned that the stigma around struggling with mental health, specifically depression, is not real and is a problem that can be solved with the right treatment and toolkit. Together with Dr. Frazier, I learned about myself and started to face the problems I had hidden away. To this day, though I completed therapy over two years ago, I use the tips she taught me for days when I feel as if life is fighting back harder than usual. When I was 13 sitting in her office, I could not have possibly understood all the good that she would do for me. The lasting impact she had on me shapes who I am today and still inspires me. I am lucky to have received help and have such a great recovery. However, I have become more aware of the reality of mental health and I know that not everyone is as lucky. There is a stigma around diagnosis and treatment for mental health issues and not enough awareness of these problems. I am passionate about shedding light on this topic and want those who need help to be able to easily find it. This passion has led me to pursue the path of becoming a psychiatric nurse practitioner. I will major in nursing with a minor in psychology. Once I graduate with my BSN I intend to go back to graduate school to become a nurse practitioner. From there I will start the journey of becoming an official psychiatric nurse practitioner. I have never doubted that my calling is to help those struggling with mental illness. I have been the patient, the girl who needed someone to believe in her, the one who needed a push to find the best version of herself. I am devoted to helping people and encouraging treatment of mental health issues through my education so that I have the chance to be someone else's Dr. Frazier.

I remember when I was 13 years old and I was diagnosed with depression. It was no shock to me that something was wrong but hearing that I would be “treated” for it was hard to process. I had felt as if something was wrong with me, that because of my mental health, I was messed up and needed fixing. Looking back, I know that is not the case. For a long time I struggled with depression, believing that things could never get better. I was always going to be adopted, always going to be a Guatemalan girl with two white parents and felt as though I would never fit in and find my true self. However, that was not the case. I have a support system, family and therapist who wanted me to get better. I did not need to be fixed, I needed help working through depression. I have firsthand experience witnessing the positive and lasting effects of therapy. Therapy helped save me and I want to help others and provide the same chance at recovery and self-discovery. When I was diagnosed with depression my parents made the executive decision that I would see a psychologist until I no longer needed professional help. At the time I would have rather died than talk about my feelings. I had put the idea in my head that talking about my feelings would make me feel worse with no benefit. When I was introduced to Dr. Frazier I had a lot of prejudice against her. Yet she slowly started to break down walls I had built up. She taught me that my feelings are real and okay to talk about. I learned that the stigma around struggling with mental health, specifically depression, is not real and is a problem that can be solved with the right treatment and toolkit. Together with Dr. Frazier, I learned about myself and started to face the problems I had hidden away. To this day, though I completed therapy over two years ago, I use the tips she taught me for days when I feel as if life is fighting back harder than usual. When I was 13 sitting in her office, I could not have possibly understood all the good that she would do for me. The lasting impact she had on me shapes who I am today and still inspires me. I am lucky to have received help and have such a great recovery. However, I have become more aware of the reality of mental health and I know that not everyone is as lucky. There is a stigma around diagnosis and treatment for mental health issues and not enough awareness of these problems. I am passionate about shedding light on this topic and want those who need help to be able to easily find it. This passion has led me to pursue the path of becoming a psychiatric nurse practitioner. I will major in nursing with a minor in psychology. Once I graduate with my BSN I intend to go back to graduate school to become a nurse practitioner. From there I will start the journey of becoming an official psychiatric nurse practitioner. I have never doubted that my calling is to help those struggling with mental illness. I have been the patient, the girl who needed someone to believe in her, the one who needed a push to find the best version of herself. I am devoted to helping people and encouraging treatment of mental health issues through my education so that I have the chance to be someone else's Dr. Frazier.