Art has been my passion for as long as I can remember. Before the world told me who I was, I was a carefree, free spirited child. After the suicide of my cousin at the age of 14 ( I was 15), I became anxious and hypersensitive to the well-being of others. I knew people suffered in silence, and I did not know what to do about that. I wanted people to know that I care. Even if i did not know someone, I cared. At that moment, I knew I wanted to be a therapist. At the age of 18, my mother was diagnosed with stage four sarcoma cancer and was not given a good prognosis. Living in fight or flight mode for over a year took a toll on me mentally and emotionally, but mental health was not talked about as much as it is today. I suffered in silence, not knowing if my mom would leave this earth at any moment. The day of her first surgery at Moffit Cancer Center in Florida, I paced around the hospital as the white sterile walls surrounded me. Upon turning a corner, there was a room on the corner with glass walls and color everywhere. My wonder made me inquire about the room, and I was told it was for art therapy, mostly for the pediatric oncology unit. This caused that physical ping in my heart. Art utilized in therapy? That sounded beautiful. I knew I wanted to become an art therapist. Years later after graduating with a degree in art history and studio art from The University of Georgia, I planned to attend graduate school to study art therapy. I took the GRE, but my path changed. The anxiety and worry I held in over many years caught up with me and I began to self medicate. I realized quickly I was an addict but those years, I look at as a blessing and a curse, provided life experience that will only benefit me in my endeavors to help others. I recovered. I saw women suffering in treatment with no options after detoxing. I had support, I had the means to get back on my feet. I vowed to never return to that life and started to teach art classes. I eventually owned the studio I worked at but there was something missing. My heart and gut were telling me to still pursue counseling. I did it. I have taken all of my courses in graduate school for clinical mental health counseling, and am finishing the last two semesters of my internship. I was offered an internship at a place called "Art It Out". Unfortunately, having two young children of my own, the schedules did not line up. I am currently finishing my last two semesters of internship at a holistic PHP/IOP Substance Use Disorder facility. They utilize art therapy at one of their locations and I intend on becoming certified so I can offer it to the clients at the location I am at (assuming they offer mea job)! Art has been a constant in my life and remains my means of self care and therapy. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel and just need a little help at the moment. This is an concise as I could make my response with the word limit. Every way I facilitate a group involves expression and art. The clients love it and I want to continue to help others heal through self expression. Thank you for your consideration!