Education has not always been something I saw as part of my future. For a long time, my goal was simply to work, provide, and get through each day without thinking too far ahead. It was only through lived experience, personal struggle, and exposure to meaningful work that education became a source of direction rather than an obligation. Over time, education shifted from something I avoided to something I now see as essential for building stability, purpose, and a better future for both my family and the people I hope to serve. Growing up and throughout high school, I did not have many friends. I often felt disconnected and unsure of where I fit in. However, I formed strong bonds with peers on the autism spectrum. Their honesty, humor, and unique ways of engaging with the world made school more manageable and, at times, enjoyable. During periods when I struggled emotionally, their presence helped ground me. At the time, I did not realize how deeply these experiences would influence my future goals, but they planted the foundation for the path I would eventually choose. After graduating high school, I entered the workforce and became a machinist. On paper, it was a stable job with clear expectations. In reality, it quickly became emotionally draining. The repetitive nature of the work, combined with a lack of personal meaning, led me into a period of depression. Each day felt identical to the last, and I began to feel stuck with no clear sense of direction. This was a challenge I had faced before, but without the support systems I had during school, it became harder to manage. I realized that stability alone was not enough. I needed work that felt purposeful and aligned with who I was. That realization led me to explore careers focused on helping others, particularly individuals with autism spectrum disorder. Through research, I discovered the role of a Registered Behavioral Technician. Becoming an RBT gave my life a new sense of direction. For the first time, my work felt meaningful. I was able to support children and young adults in developing communication skills, emotional regulation, and daily living abilities that directly improved their quality of life. The work was challenging, but it was never monotonous. Each client was different, each day required flexibility, and every small success felt significant. Working as an RBT also reshaped how I viewed education. I began to see learning not as something confined to classrooms, but as a tool for growth and impact. As I gained experience, I realized that further education would allow me to provide more effective support and advocate more strongly for the individuals I work with. This realization pushed me to enroll in college, despite never seeing myself as someone who would pursue higher education. Balancing full-time work and full-time school while supporting a family has been one of the biggest challenges I have faced. Financial stress, time management, and mental exhaustion are constant pressures. In addition, I have navigated marital challenges and processed personal trauma along the way. There have been moments when continuing my education felt overwhelming, but each obstacle has reinforced why I started. Education has also deepened my understanding of emotional intelligence, resilience, and human behavior. These concepts are not only relevant to my professional goals, but to my personal life as well. As a parent, spouse, and student, learning how stress, trauma, and emotions interact has helped me become more self-aware and intentional. Therapy and education together have allowed me to reflect, cope, and grow rather than simply react to adversity. Throughout my career, I have worked with children as young as two years old and individuals up to twenty years old. I have also worked with children in foster care through the Department of Family Services. Many of these children carry significant trauma, and when autism is layered on top of that trauma, the challenges they face are often misunderstood or overlooked. Seeing these struggles firsthand has strengthened my commitment to furthering my education. I plan to pursue a master’s degree in Applied Behavior Analysis so I can expand my impact, design more effective interventions, and support families and children at a higher level. Ultimately, education has given me direction by aligning my skills, values, and experiences into a clear purpose. It has helped me move from simply surviving day to day to intentionally building a future. Through my education, I hope to create stability for my family, model perseverance for my children, and provide meaningful support to individuals who often lack strong advocacy. What began as uncertainty has turned into motivation, and education is now the foundation that allows me to turn lived challenges into opportunities for growth and positive change.

I did not have many friends in high school, but I was never truly alone. I was always able to turn to my friends on the autism spectrum, and they played a huge role in making school more enjoyable and manageable for me. Their honesty, humor, and bright personalities made difficult days feel lighter. During times when I felt overwhelmed or disconnected, they were often the ones who helped pull me out of my own negative headspace. Those relationships left a lasting impact on how I view people, connection, and emotional support. After graduating high school, I began searching for a job and eventually became a machinist. At first, it felt like a solid and stable career path, but after about a year, I found myself falling into a deep depression. Every day felt exactly the same, repeating the same tasks over and over without much variation or personal meaning. This feeling was familiar to me, as I experienced similar emotional lows during high school. Back then, my friends on the spectrum helped me through those moments simply by being themselves and bringing joy and energy into my life. Remembering that, I began to reflect on what truly gave me purpose and fulfillment. That reflection led me to look for a career where I could support individuals with autism spectrum disorder. Through my research, I discovered the role of a Registered Behavior Technician. Becoming an RBT changed my life. In this role, I am able to support and teach children on the spectrum a wide variety of skills that help them navigate everyday life. The work is engaging, meaningful, and never feels like a monotonous routine. Every client is different, every day presents new challenges, and every success feels earned and rewarding. I have now worked as an RBT for five years, and it continues to be the most fulfilling work I have ever done. Before this career, I never imagined myself going to college. However, working with this population inspired me to push myself further. I now plan to pursue a master’s degree in Applied Behavior Analysis so I can expand my ability to support individuals on the spectrum in a deeper and more impactful way. Throughout my career, I have worked with children as young as two years old and individuals up to twenty years old. I have seen a wide range of behaviors, challenges, and successes. Nothing provides me with more meaning than helping someone who struggles with emotional regulation or social interaction grow and develop. I have also worked with children in foster care through the Department of Family Services. These children often carry unimaginable trauma, and when autism is added on top of that, daily life can become even more difficult. When I finish my degree, I am determined to provide as much support as possible to this population and continue advocating for those who need it most.

I currently have a lot on my plate and am struggling to balance everything in my life. I am juggling being a parent to two young kids while navigating marital problems and processing recent trauma. On top of that I work a full-time job while also being enrolled in school full time. Financial stress is a constant weight especially when I think about how I will afford to finish my degree so I can better support my family in the long term. At times it feels like every area of my life is demanding attention at the same time and it can be overwhelming trying to meet those demands without burning out. Because of this I recently started therapy to help me better cope with my life stressors and to intentionally work toward strengthening my relationship with my wife. Therapy has given me a space to slow down reflect and begin understanding how everything I am carrying affects my emotions and reactions. Alongside therapy I have also been practicing a stress management strategy called savoring. Savoring involves intentionally focusing on every aspect of a positive experience as it is happening as well as revisiting positive memories afterward to extend the good feelings associated with them. Even small moments like a quiet morning with my kids or a brief feeling of accomplishment after finishing schoolwork can become grounding when I allow myself to fully experience them instead of rushing past. My interest in savoring also connects closely to the work I do professionally. I work with children and adults with autism spectrum disorder helping them manage daily life skills and emotional regulation. A major part of this work involves helping clients cope with very intense negative emotions that are often amplified and prolonged due to the way they experience the world. One of the first steps in this process is teaching emotional intelligence. Before someone can learn how to cope with an emotion they need to fully understand what they are feeling and why. This includes identifying emotions labeling them accurately and recognizing emotional cues in others. Once my clients begin to truly understand their own emotions and the emotions of those around them they can start learning effective coping strategies. In many ways savoring mirrors this process but from a positive angle. Just as slowing down helps individuals better understand negative emotions slowing down during positive moments helps reinforce emotional awareness and resilience. Practicing savoring has reminded me that even during stressful seasons there are moments worth holding onto and that those moments can help build the emotional strength needed to keep moving forward.