I was expected to begin college directly after high school, and I was not ready. I had worked very hard through school and maintained a high GPA, but I was confused about what exactly it was that I wanted to study after high school ended. I changed my major a few times, but eventually I chose a degree path in psychology, which was of great interest to me. While pursuing my bachelor's degree, my father was diagnosed with colon cancer and had a series of surgeries. I began to lose focus in my classes. Thankfully, my father beat his fight with cancer. I managed to graduate, and decided to move to a new city in hopes that I would find a purpose and start a new chapter of my life while utilizing my degree. I was able to secure a position as an Intensive Care Coordinator (ICC) for Children’s Services of Roxbury, Massachusetts. As an ICC I managed the in-home and out-of-home services of a number of families with the goal of supporting the client (a child in the family) with behavior management, time management, school, and diagnoses affecting the client’s mental health and everyday life. I also gained practical experience in dictation and progress note taking. I worked with many families from varying backgrounds, some speaking little to no English. Some of the challenges I experienced working with these families include differing religious beliefs, expectations and opinions regarding child rearing, language barriers, classism, racism, and sexism. During this time I was also volunteering in a homeless shelter specifically for families. After a few years of working with children and traveling, I discovered that I was very passionate about helping others work through dark times in their lives and combating the challenges I had encountered while working with past clients. Combing this passion with my interest in crime and law, I chose to pursue a future in forensic psychology with a license to counsel. As I was preparing to apply for graduate school, I unexpectedly became a single mother. I was nervous about how I would afford to return to school, as I am my son's only source of income and care. I took a job waiting tables because it was paying more than my previous jobs in social work and I needed to provide for my son, but I was no longer able to work toward my career goals. My child is my motivator, and after feeling stuck in a job field where there is no room to grow, I accepted that the best route for us both is to do whatever is necessary to go back to school. I have finally applied and been accepted into graduate school for a M.A. in forensic psychology, on the professional counselor licensure track. My goal is to counsel individuals involved in the justice system. Though I am still struggling financially, I am now mentally and physically in the best place possible to pursue this degree.

After graduating college with my bachelor's degree in psychology, I landed a job as an Intensive Care Coordinator with a children's services agency in Massachusetts. I loved the position and wanted to make a positive impact on the families I was working with. Unfortunately, the position involved traveling all over greater Boston, and I did not have a vehicle. Determined to do well in my new position, I got a transportation card and took the bus for hours every day, as well as walked in below zero degree weather to meet clients, families, and team members. I spoke Spanish at an intermediate level, but took on families from a long waiting list that spoke only Spanish. I practiced Spanish nightly and translated many documents. I did research each night to find resources for these families, edited resumes for parents, and spent time teaching English to non-English speaking families. I went above and beyond for my clients. Through my time at the agency, I was able to help one non-English speaking family to find and finance an apartment, secure one parent a job near her child's school, translate at doctor's appointments, and incorporate in-home-therapists and therapeutic mentors in many, many homes. I did this all while traveling multiple hours on the bus and train in between meetings. When something is important to me, I am willing to do whatever it takes to accomplish my goals surrounding it. Now, I have unexpectedly become a full-time single mother. My goal is to pursue my greatest interest, counseling individuals involved in the justice system, as well as secure a comfortable future for my son and show him through example that we can all do whatever we set our minds to.

Psychology has always been intriguing to me, but when I became a single parent unexpectedly my drive was intensely augmented. I am interested in the clinical forensic psychology program because I want to gain knowledge and experiences that others have to share so that I may contribute substantially to the field, as well as educate and better support my child. My attraction to crime among differing cultures first began when I traveled on a mission trip to Nicaragua. There I met a young girl who was raped by her uncle at only 15 years old, became pregnant, and was forced to have the baby because of her family’s religious beliefs. She told me that this was not uncommon in her small town. As a young high school student, just two years older, I was shocked that some sort of action had not been taken against the girl’s uncle. Experiencing the culture in Nicaragua propelled my urge to travel and better understand the world, with the intention of positively contributing to my community. Not long after I returned to the states from Nicaragua, I attended a seminar on human trafficking. I was perplexed by the idea that human trafficking was so widespread, and that corporations which govern the products we use every day had some level of involvement in trafficking and unpaid labor. This moved me to create an after school club at my high school to spread awareness about human trafficking. The club gained popularity, and soon we had over 30 members. Many members admitted to never knowing that such a thing as human trafficking was actually still occurring, and spreading awareness seemed to be the best way that I could aid the millions of victims I so fervently wanted to help. Later I took a work-study position at an after school program for at-risk children in Nashville, TN as a tutor and life-skills coach for children ranging in age from 4 to 16. These children opened my eyes to the differences among varying cultures here in the US and motivated me to explore a degree in psychology so I could better understand the human mind and the inner-workings of our society. I was able to secure a position as an Intensive Care Coordinator (ICC) for Children’s Services of Roxbury, Massachusetts. As an ICC I managed the in-home and out-of-home services of a number of families with the goal of supporting the client (a child in the family) with behavior management, school, and diagnoses affecting the client’s mental health and everyday life. I worked with many families from varying backgrounds. Some of the challenges I experienced working with these families include differing religious beliefs, expectations and opinions regarding child rearing, language barriers, classism, racism, and sexism. My strategies for overcoming each of these challenges is to maintain an open mind, positive attitude, introduce wrap-around services, and to break each specific obstacle down into easily attainable steps. My various experiences traveling and working with such a diverse population has prepared me to finally take the necessary steps to advance my studies in the field of forensic psychology, and becoming a single parent has provided me the drive necessary to excel. Ultimately, I aspire to counsel individuals who have been involved in the justice system, struggle with mental health and/or traumatic experiences, and I plan to continue my research on crime and what causes a person to commit it. I look forward to gaining the practical experience necessary to be able to support and contribute to a research team, as well as better my community for my child and our future generation.

Psychology has always been intriguing to me, but the points where psychology intersects with crime and the law has become my passion. I believe that in dissecting what drives a crime, we can better understand why, how, and when a similar crime may happen, and thus take steps toward preventing it. I am pursuing a degree in forensic psychology, on a professional licensure track because I want to counsel individuals involved in the justice system, and gain knowledge and experiences that others have to share so that I may contribute substantially to the field. My attraction to crime among differing cultures first began when I traveled on a mission trip to Nicaragua. There I met a young girl who was raped by her uncle at only 15 years old, became pregnant, and was forced to have the baby because of her family’s religious beliefs. She told me that this was not uncommon in her small town. As a young high school student I was shocked that some sort of action had not been taken against the girl’s uncle. Experiencing the culture in Nicaragua propelled my urge to travel and better understand the world, with the intention of positively contributing to my community. Not long after I returned to the states, I attended a seminar on human trafficking. I was perplexed by the idea that human trafficking was so widespread, and that corporations which govern the products we use every day had some level of involvement in trafficking and unpaid labor. This moved me to create an after school club at my high school to spread awareness about human trafficking. The club gained popularity, and soon we had over 30 members. Many members admitted to never knowing that such a thing as human trafficking was actually still occurring, and spreading awareness seemed to be the best way that I could aid the millions of victims I so fervently wanted to help. I was greatly influenced by Angela Davis's work and her book "Are Prisons Obsolete?" Davis's argument that prisons are a modern version of slavery was compelling enough to motivate me to consider looking into potential opportunities in the field of forensic psychology. Walter Dean Meyer's book "Monster" also encouraged me to remain open-minded and advocate for the fair treatment of minorities. With my history in the field of psychology I was able to secure a position as an Intensive Care Coordinator (ICC) for Children’s Services of Roxbury, Massachusetts. As an ICC I managed the in-home and out-of-home services of a number of families with the goal of supporting the client (a child in the family) with behavior management, time management, school, and diagnoses affecting the client’s mental health and everyday life. I worked with many families from varying backgrounds. Some of the challenges I experienced working with these families include differing religious beliefs, expectations and opinions regarding child rearing, language barriers, classism, racism, and sexism. I expect to encounter all of these challenges in the future in forensic psychology. My strategies for overcoming each of these challenges is to maintain an open mind, positive attitude, introduce wrap-around services, and to break each specific obstacle down into easily attainable steps. My various experiences traveling and working with such a diverse population has prepared me to finally take the necessary steps to advance my studies in the field of forensic psychology. I aspire to counsel individuals who have been involved in the justice system, struggle with mental health and/or traumatic experiences, and I plan to continue my research on crime and what causes a person to commit it.

I became a full time single mother unexpectedly. With a bachelor’s degree in psychology it’s hard to find a job that pays enough to support my son and I without going back to school for a specialization. My financial situation is the only thing holding us back! I took a job as a preschool teacher to receive a discount in childcare and be able to spend the days with my baby. Unfortunately, I wasn’t being paid enough to support both of us. I needed the help of the government to get groceries every month. After the arrival of my son, I knew it was time to “bite the bullet” and take loans that I’ll definitely need to take just to be able to give him the life he deserves. I excel in behavioral analysis, and I’m very interested in crime, law, advocating for minorities, and counseling individuals involved in the criminal justice system. I plan to get a masters degree in forensic psychology with licensure to counsel. I would be doing something that I love and feel passionate about, as well as financially be able to give my son a better childhood and better opportunities. This is my dream, and all I need is a little bit of support.