Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a pervasive issue that affects millions of people in the United States every year. It comes in many forms, from physical abuse to psychological torment, and can leave victims feeling isolated, helpless, and trapped. My personal experience with intimate partner violence has shaped both my passion for education and my desire to help others escape similar cycles of harm. Growing up in an abusive household, I witnessed firsthand the devastating effects of IPV. I was exposed to the constant fear, emotional manipulation, and physical harm that came with being in an unsafe environment. As a result, I struggled with feelings of worthlessness and confusion, wondering how I could escape the abusive patterns I was living within. Education was my beacon of hope—a lifeline that not only provided me with knowledge but also empowered me to understand that I was deserving of a better life. It opened my eyes to the broader issues surrounding IPV and offered me the clarity I needed to break free from my own cycle of abuse. When I was a teenager, I myself was in an IPV. I did not realize it until it was too late. When kids are exposed to these environments then typically recreate it for themselves. One of the most powerful tools education offers in reducing IPV is awareness. By educating individuals, communities, and professionals about the dynamics of abuse, we can dismantle the stigma that often surrounds survivors and begin to challenge harmful societal norms. Knowledge of the signs of IPV and resources available for survivors can make all the difference in identifying abuse and providing a clear path to safety. By fostering an environment where people are equipped with the tools to understand, identify, and address IPV, education can create a ripple effect of change that impacts communities at large. My plan to create positive change through education is to pursue a degree in psychology, focusing on trauma-informed care and intimate partner violence intervention. I want to be part of the movement that supports survivors and helps them rebuild their lives after escaping abusive relationships. With a foundation in both the mental and physical effects of IPV, I aim to work as a counselor or therapist who can assist survivors in healing from their trauma. My goal is to provide resources and support for those who feel lost or trapped, showing them that they can thrive after their experiences. In addition to my academic pursuits, I am committed to volunteering and engaging in community service. I believe that in order to make a meaningful impact, one must meet people where they are. Through working with organizations that support IPV survivors, I hope to offer practical help and advocacy. I’ve already volunteered with domestic violence shelters, assisting in advocacy programs and helping to organize resources for survivors. These experiences have reinforced my belief that education is the key to long-term change. I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to pursue an education that will help me both heal and empower others. Through this scholarship, I can continue to follow my passion for helping survivors of intimate partner violence, and use my education as a platform for change. Together, through awareness and education, we can build a future where intimate partner violence is no longer accepted, and where survivors are empowered to reclaim their lives and dreams.

Choosing a career in mental health was not a light decision—it was a calling born from lived experience. From a young age, I lived in an environment where love was inconsistent and conditional, and emotional safety was often absent. I grew up as the black sheep of the family, frequently yelled at, hit, or abused in other ways by the very people who were supposed to love and protect me. These early experiences left deep emotional wounds that, for the longest time, I didn’t know were possible to heal. I didn’t have the tools growing up that I now have to understand and reflect on the pain to heal. Healing began when I met a therapist at the age of seventeen. For the first time, I experienced what it felt like to be seen, heard, and understood. What strengthened this relationship of trust was their ability to help me realize that I am a logical thinker. With that understanding, they incorporated neuroscience into our sessions—helping me understand how trauma affects the brain and how healing is possible. That insight into a new world of possibilities opened up for me and ignited a passion I didn’t know I had. I was not just healing; I was awakening to a deep curiosity and passion for understanding the human brain—my brain. Understanding what parts of my brain were affected helped me grieve more effectively because I now understood what had been robbed from me. Unfortunately, the same therapist who helped ignite that passion moved across the country. I knew that grieving this loss would not be easy. They were the first person to understand me and help unravel my thoughts and pain. I soon began to do my research, diving into neuroscience and trauma by reading books, listening to podcasts, and exploring the emerging field of somatic therapy. What started as a personal journey to reclaim my own life soon became a professional goal: to help others do the same. I decided to pursue a career in psychology, with the ultimate goal of earning a Ph.D. and becoming a psychologist. My vision is to open my own practice that integrates somatic techniques and neuroscience-based therapy and to eventually teach classes that combine these disciplines to better equip the next generation of mental health professionals. My professional experience so far reflects this passion. I have worked as a caregiver for individuals with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and dementia—roles that have taught me patience, empathy, and the importance of human connection. I currently work as a detox technician, supporting individuals as they begin their journey toward recovery from substance use. These roles have strengthened my resolve to serve vulnerable populations and have deepened my understanding of the complexity of mental health struggles. I believe that healing is not only possible but deeply transformative. My life’s mission is to help others feel safe in their minds and bodies—something I once believed was out of reach for myself. With the support of this scholarship, I can continue my education and take the next steps toward turning that mission into reality.

I am a 21-year-old Native American and Hispanic female and was raised on and near a native reservation in Washington state. My life goals are to work in the medical field of some sort. I have a very big passion to help others. I was raised in a very abusive home and was abused in many different ways, so going through so much at a young age all the way up until now, has taught me compassion more than anything. It has taught me how I do not want to end up like my family in these abusive situations ever again. I am currently on my healing journey, thanks to therapy, I am learning how to navigate my own life and figure out who I truly am. Throughout this process, I've learned how to connect and help people in emotional distress throughout my teen years, which has brought me to this point in my life where I know what I want to do and be. I have realized that I am an empath and I have found that helping other people in any way, helps me heal a part of me that I wish I had when I was younger. I want to become a mental health counselor/therapist specifically a trauma-related therapist. I want to go into the social worker field to gain more experience to then go into a company to be a sit-down therapist. I want to work as a social worker beforehand for the extra experience, but also to help children in need as I never was able to get help when I was younger. I want nothing more than to help people walk through their trauma to finally be free from it and happy again. I want to study more on the developmental phase of psychology. More specifically how the brain rewires itself due to trauma as an adolescent (under 25), as the prefrontal lobe hasn't fully developed. I would like to work with children to young adults mostly as they are still developing, but any age. As with some of the research I have done, the older you become, the harder it becomes to rewire and heal from trauma as you consciously don't remember it, but subconsciously do. What your brain cannot tell you, your body will. In order to help with this sort of trauma, EMDR and somatic therapy would be a great solution. I would love to work all the way up to getting my master's in psychology to be able to effectively perform these types of therapy. As for how this scholarship would help me, I keep very little contact with my family especially with my parents due to the abuse. I am currently working two jobs as a caregiver working 50+ hours a week. Mornings and nights except for my class days so I can afford to put myself through college. I am trying to financially break away from my abusive mother, as I am trying to figure out how to be an adult without her help. This scholarship would help me so much and help me focus more on my schooling as my financial aid has not completely covered my tuition.

I am a 21-year-old Native American and Hispanic female raised on and near a native reservation in Washington state. I am currently a psychology major trying to finish my associate's to then transfer to a university. My life goals are to work in the medical field of some sort. I have a very big passion to help others. I was raised in a very abusive home and was abused in many different ways, so going through so much at a young age all the way up until now, has taught me compassion more than anything. It has taught me how I do not want to end up like my family in these abusive situations ever again. I am currently on my healing journey, thanks to therapy, I am learning how to navigate my own life and figure out who I truly am. Throughout this process, I've learned how to connect and help people in emotional distress throughout my teen years, which has brought me to this point in my life where I know what I want to do and be. I have realized that I am an empath and I have found that helping other people in any way, helps me heal a part of me that I wish I had when I was younger. I want to become a mental health counselor/therapist specifically a trauma-related therapist. I want to go into the social worker field to gain more experience to then go into a company to be a sit-down therapist. I want to work as a social worker beforehand for the extra experience, but also to help children in need as I never was able to get help when I was younger. I want nothing more than to help people walk through their trauma to finally be free from it and happy again. I want to study more on the developmental phase of psychology. More specifically how the brain rewires itself due to trauma as an adolescent (under 25), as the prefrontal lobe hasn't fully developed. I would like to work with children to young adults mostly as they are still developing, but at any age. As with some of the research I have done, the older you become, the harder it becomes to rewire and heal from trauma as you consciously don't remember it, but subconsciously do. What your brain cannot tell you, your body will. In order to help with this sort of trauma, EMDR and somatic therapy would be a great solution. I would love to work all the way up to getting my master's in psychology to be able to effectively perform these types of therapy. As for how this scholarship would help me, I keep very little contact with my parents due to the abuse. I am currently working two jobs as a caregiver working 50+ hours a week. Mornings and nights except for my class days so I can afford to put myself through college. I am trying to financially break away from my abusive mother, as I am trying to figure out how to be an adult without her help. This scholarship would help me so much and help me focus more on my schooling as my financial aid has not completely covered my tuition. Traditions I love growing up with were cooking weekly with my grandmother on the reservation, being taught to cook, family gatherings monthly. We typically did a lot of things like that until we all grew up and went on our own journeys through life.

I was raised in a very chaotic household and family that became abusive in all sorts of ways you could think of. The countless sleepless nights of nothing but tears streaming down my face have made me who I am today. Although I know that my childhood experiences do not define me, I know and accept that they are a piece of me that defines the being that I am today, they being who I chose to be for the sake of my inner child. The biggest lesson of my childhood that I took away was that some people are hurting so much, that they have too much built of rage, sadness, or whatever emotion is at play, within themselves that they take it out on someone else, someone who is more vulnerable then they are. You see, that isn’t a very positive takeaway, but it was and has been the biggest lesson in life on how to understand another being. Growing up I always took it as something was wrong with me, when in fact they were just fighting something dark within themselves. It taught me that someone can be so dysregulated internally that they have become unaware of the fact that they lost their true authentic self in the process of the internal fight. That those beings were in nothing more than just a survival state just trying to make it to the next day. Throughout my years of being an adolescent, I found that being a voice for someone else or just being someone who will listen, not only healed a part of them but also something in me healed. I considered myself the family therapist, or the friend therapist, even though that was not my job nor was it something a child should have to do. As I grow older, now in my 20s, I have come to the conclusion that my purpose on this earth is to help heal. The word heal is so broad, but so are the things that need to be healed, whether that is other beings, animals, or Mother Earth, I just know deep down my purpose is to shed the light and be the nurturing being that I wish I had growing up. I have repeatedly heard the saying, “Abused or neglected children tend to build a career around that abuse.” Never have I ever had related to something more. I am currently an undergrad going for my BS in Clinical Counseling Applied Psychology. I found that I have such a huge passion for helping other people heal from trauma, whether that be from childhood trauma to assault, or even war/violence. I want to so badly, specialize in Neuroscience. I want to get my Ph.D. in Neuroscience as it goes over the way the brain and body connection. What I mean by this, is that I want to specialize in the nervous system and how trauma can affect it. I have done so much research already on how trauma affects the system and how the brain processes it. How trauma can lead to physical attributes that can cause sickness. As I heal from years of abuse, I have the desire to help other people see their fullest potential without the aspect of their trauma affecting it. I want to truly make a difference by helping people see themselves as a whole!

I was raised in a very chaotic household and family that became abusive in all sorts of ways you could think of. The countless sleepless nights of nothing but tears streaming down my face have made me who I am today. Although I know that my childhood experiences do not define me, I know and accept that they are a piece of me that defines the being that I am today, they being who I chose to be for the sake of my inner child. The biggest lesson of my childhood that I took away was that some people are hurting so much, that they have too much built of rage, sadness, or whatever emotion is at play, within themselves that they take it out on someone else, someone who is more vulnerable then they are. You see, that isn’t a very positive takeaway, but it was and has been the biggest lesson in life on how to understand another being. Growing up I always took it as something was wrong with me, when in fact they were just fighting something dark within themselves. It taught me that someone can be so dysregulated internally that they have become unaware of the fact that they lost their true authentic self in the process of the internal fight. That those beings were in nothing more than just a survival state just trying to make it to the next day. Throughout my years of being an adolescent, I found that being a voice for someone else or just being someone who will listen, not only healed a part of them but also something in me healed. I considered myself the family therapist, or the friend therapist, even though that was not my job nor was it something a child should have to do. As I grow older, now in my 20s, I have come to the conclusion that my purpose on this earth is to help heal. The word heal is so broad, but so are the things that need to be healed, whether that is other beings, animals, or Mother Earth, I just know deep down my purpose is to shed the light and be the nurturing being that I wish I had growing up. I have repeatedly heard the saying, “Abused or neglected children tend to build a career around that abuse.” Never have I ever had related to something more. I am currently an undergrad going for my BS in Clinical Counseling Applied Psychology. I found that I have such a huge passion for helping other people heal from trauma, whether that be from childhood trauma to assault, or even war/violence. I want to so badly, specialize in Neuroscience. I want to get my Ph.D. in Neuroscience as it goes over the way the brain and body connection. What I mean by this, is that I want to specialize in the nervous system and how trauma can affect it. I have done so much research already on how trauma affects the system and how the brain processes it. How trauma can lead to physical attributes that can cause sickness. As I heal from years of abuse, I have the desire to help other people see their fullest potential without the aspect of their trauma affecting it.

My family and I lived on a native reservation up in Yakima Wa so there were very few education opportunities. I was raised in a very chaotic household and family that became abusive in all sorts of ways you could think of, emotional and mental abuse were the two biggest forms of abuse that had happened to me. The countless sleepless nights of nothing but tears streaming down my face have made me who I am today. Although I know that my childhood experiences do not define me, I know and accept that they are a piece of me that defines the being that I am today, they being who I chose to be for the sake of my inner child. The biggest lesson of my childhood that I took away was that some people are hurting so much, that they have too much built of rage, sadness, or whatever emotion is at play, within themselves that they take it out on someone else, someone who is more vulnerable then they are. You see, that isn’t a very positive takeaway, but it was and has been the biggest lesson in life on how to understand another being. Growing up I always took it as something was wrong with me, when in fact they were just fighting something dark within themselves. It taught me that someone can be so dysregulated internally that they have become unaware of the fact that they lost their true authentic self in the process of the internal fight. That those beings were in nothing more than just a survival state just trying to make it to the next day. I am currently a Psychology Major in College, hoping to eventually become a NeuroPsychologist, I have done a lot of research myself as well as in my classes on the brain development of an adolescent that has endured trauma. See ‘Trauma’ isn’t a cognitive memory, but it is a physical nervous system reaction. Having complex prolonged trauma impacts the adolescent brain development, which can cause basic brain dysfunction, brain shape, and filtration system, as well as having the trauma overpower their cognitive mind. As a college student, some of the stuff I try to incorporate daily or weekly would be going to personal therapy once a week, learning to use my grounding techniques, and going to the clubs I have joined such as NeuroPsych and a Research club. I try to regulate my nervous system by using parasympathetic and sympathetic exercises such as using warm or cold water showers.

I was raised in a very chaotic household and family on a Native reservation, that became abusive in all sorts of ways you could think of, emotional and mental abuse were the two biggest forms of abuse I experienced. The countless sleepless nights of nothing but tears streaming down my face and my face smothered in a pillow in hopes of muffling the sounds that escaped my mouth. Although I know that my childhood experiences do not define me, I know and accept that they are a piece of me that defines the being that I am today, they being who I chose to be for the sake of my inner child. The biggest lesson of my childhood that I took away was that some people are hurting so much, that they have too much built of rage, sadness, or whatever emotion is at play, within themselves that they take it out on someone more vulnerable than they are. That isn’t a very positive takeaway, but it was and has been the biggest lesson in life on how to understand another being. Growing up I always took it as something was wrong with me, when in fact they were just fighting something dark within themselves. It taught me that someone can be so dysregulated internally that they have become unaware of the fact that they lost their true authentic self in the process of the internal fight. That those beings were in nothing more than just a survival state just trying to make it to the next day. I am currently a Psychology Major in College, hoping to eventually become a NeuroPsychologist, I have done a lot of research myself as well as in my classes on the brain development of an adolescent that has endured trauma. See ‘Trauma’ isn’t a cognitive memory, but it is a physical nervous system reaction. Having complex prolonged trauma impacts the adolescent brain development, which can cause basic brain dysfunction, brain shape, and filtration system, as well as having the trauma overpower their cognitive mind. I considered myself the family therapist, or the friend therapist, even though that was not my job nor was it something a child should have to do. As I grow older, now in my 20s, I have come to the conclusion that my purpose on this earth is to help heal. I have repeatedly heard the saying, “Abused or neglected children tend to build a career around that abuse.” Never have I ever had related to something more. I am currently an undergrad going for my BS in Clinical Counseling Applied Psychology. I found that I have such a huge passion for helping other people heal from trauma, whether that be from childhood trauma to assault, or even war/violence. I want to so badly, specialize in Neuroscience. I want to get my Ph.D. in Neuroscience as it goes over the way the brain and body connect. What I mean by this, is that I want to specialize in the nervous system and how trauma can affect it. I have done so much research already on how trauma affects the system and how the brain processes it. How trauma can lead to physical attributes that can cause sickness. As I heal from years of abuse, I have the desire to help other people see their fullest potential without the aspect of their trauma affecting it.

I was raised in a very chaotic household and family that became abusive in all sorts of ways you could think of. The countless sleepless nights of nothing but tears streaming down my face have made me who I am today. Although I know that my childhood experiences do not define me, I know and accept that they are a piece of me that defines the being that I am today, they being who I chose to be for the sake of my inner child. The biggest lesson of my childhood that I took away was that some people are hurting so much, that they have too much built of rage, sadness, or whatever emotion is at play, within themselves that they take it out of someone else, someone who is more vulnerable then they are. You see, that isn’t a very positive takeaway, but it was and has been the biggest lesson in life on how to understand another being. Growing up I always took it as something was wrong with me, when in fact they were just fighting something dark within themselves. It taught me that someone can be so dysregulated internally that they have become unaware of the fact that they lost their true authentic self in the process of the internal fight. That those beings were in nothing more than just a survival state just trying to make it to the next day. I then, of course, started having challenges with my own mental health. At age 16 I was diagnosed with C-PTSD, OCD, Suicidal Ideation, and a few more. Now that I no longer live in those unsafe environments, I can breathe and finally think straight for once in my life it feels like. Throughout my years of being an adolescent, I found that being a voice for someone else or just being someone who will listen, not only healed a part of them but also something in me healed. I considered myself the family therapist, or the friend therapist, even though that was not my job nor was it something a child should have to do. As I grow older, now in my 20s, I have concluded that my purpose on this earth is to help heal. The word heal is so broad, but so are the things that need to be healed, whether that is other beings, animals, or Mother Earth, I just know deep down my purpose is to shed the light and be the nurturing being that I wish I had growing up. I have repeatedly heard the saying, “Abused or neglected children tend to build a career around that abuse.” Never have I ever had related to something more. I am currently an undergrad going for my BS in Clinical Counseling Applied Psychology. I found that I have such a huge passion for helping other people heal from trauma, whether that be from childhood trauma to assault, or even war/violence. I want to so badly, specialize in Neuroscience. I want to get my Ph.D. in Neuroscience as it goes over the way the brain and body connection. What I mean by this, is that I want to specialize in the nervous system and how trauma can affect it. I have done so much research already on how trauma affects the system and how the brain processes it. How trauma can lead to physical attributes that can cause sickness. As I heal from years of abuse, I have the desire to help other people see their fullest potential without the aspect of their trauma affecting it.

I was raised in a very chaotic household and family that became abusive in all sorts of ways you could think of. The countless sleepless nights of nothing but tears streaming down my face have made me who I am today. Although I know that my childhood experiences do not define me, I know and accept that they are a piece of me that defines the being that I am today, they being who I chose to be for the sake of my inner child. The biggest lesson of my childhood that I took away was that some people are hurting so much, that they have too much built of rage, sadness, or whatever emotion is at play, within themselves that they take it out on someone else, someone who is more vulnerable then they are. You see, that isn’t a very positive takeaway, but it was and has been the biggest lesson in life on how to understand another being. Growing up I always took it as something was wrong with me, when in fact they were just fighting something dark within themselves. It taught me that someone can be so dysregulated internally that they have become unaware of the fact that they lost their true authentic self in the process of the internal fight. That those beings were in nothing more than just a survival state just trying to make it to the next day. I then of course grew up with my own mental health challenges. At 16 I was diagnosed with OCD, C-PTSD, Suicidal Ideation-Without Intent, and a few more. I am still healing, but no longer in a chaotic unsafe environment, and I have never been so happy to be out of those past environments! Throughout my years of being an adolescent, I found that being a voice for someone else or just being someone who will listen, not only healed a part of them but also something in me healed. I considered myself the family therapist, or the friend therapist, even though that was not my job nor was it something a child should have to do. As I grow older, now in my 20s, I have come to the conclusion that my purpose on this earth is to help heal. The word heal is so broad, but so are the things that need to be healed, whether that is other beings, animals, or Mother Earth, I just know deep down my purpose is to shed the light and be the nurturing being that I wish I had growing up. I have repeatedly heard the saying, “Abused or neglected children tend to build a career around that abuse.” Never have I ever had related to something more. I am currently an undergrad going for my BS in Clinical Counseling Applied Psychology. I found that I have such a huge passion for helping other people heal from trauma, whether that be from childhood trauma to assault, or even war/violence. I want to so badly, specialize in Neuroscience. I want to get my Ph.D. in Neuroscience as it goes over the way the brain and body connection. What I mean by this, is that I want to specialize in the nervous system and how trauma can affect it. I have done so much research already on how trauma affects the system and how the brain processes it. How trauma can lead to physical attributes that can cause sickness. As I heal from years of abuse, I have the desire to help other people see their fullest potential without the aspect of their trauma affecting it.

My family and I lived on a native reservation up in Yakima Wa so there were very few opportunities for education. I was raised in a very chaotic household and family that became abusive in all sorts of ways you could think of. The countless sleepless nights of nothing but tears streaming down my face have made me who I am today. Although I know that my childhood experiences do not define me, I know and accept that they are a piece of me that defines the being that I am today, they being who I chose to be for the sake of my inner child. The biggest lesson of my childhood that I took away was that some people are hurting so much, that they have too much built of rage, sadness, or whatever emotion is at play, within themselves that they take it out of someone else, someone who is more vulnerable then they are. You see, that isn’t a very positive takeaway, but it was and has been the biggest lesson in life on how to understand another being. Growing up I always took it as something was wrong with me, when in fact they were just fighting something dark within themselves. It taught me that someone can be so dysregulated internally that they have become unaware of the fact that they lost their true authentic self in the process of the internal fight. That those beings were in nothing more than just a survival state just trying to make it to the next day. Throughout my years of being an adolescent, I found that being a voice for someone else or just being someone who will listen, not only healed a part of them but also something in me healed. I considered myself the family therapist, or the friend therapist, even though that was not my job nor was it something a child should have to do. As I grow older, now in my 20s, I have come to the conclusion that my purpose on this earth is to help heal. The word heal is so broad, but so are the things that need to be healed, whether that is other beings, animals, or Mother Earth, I just know deep down my purpose is to shed the light and be the nurturing being that I wish I had growing up. I have repeatedly heard the saying, “Abused or neglected children tend to build a career around that abuse.” Never have I ever had related to something more. I am currently an undergrad going for my BS in Clinical Counseling Applied Psychology. I found that I have such a huge passion for helping other people heal from trauma, whether that be from childhood trauma to assault, or even war/violence. I want to so badly, specialize in Neuroscience. I want to get my Ph.D. in Neuroscience as it goes over the way the brain and body connection. What I mean by this, is that I want to specialize in the nervous system and how trauma can affect it. I have done so much research already on how trauma affects the system and how the brain processes it. How trauma can lead to physical attributes that can cause sickness. As I heal from years of abuse, I have the desire to help other people see their fullest potential without the aspect of their trauma affecting it. I find Neuroscience beyond fascinating and knowing that it is a way to help people heal through Neuro-Sematic is amazing!

I was raised in a very chaotic household on the Native Reservation. My family became abusive in all sorts of ways you could think of. The countless sleepless nights of nothing but tears streaming down my face have made me who I am today. Although I know that my childhood experiences do not define me, I know and accept that they are a piece of me that defines the being that I am today, they being who I chose to be for the sake of my inner child. The biggest lesson of my childhood that I took away was that some people are hurting so much, that they have too much built of rage, sadness, or whatever emotion is at play, within themselves that they take it out of someone else, someone who is more vulnerable then they are. You see, that isn’t a very positive takeaway, but it was and has been the biggest lesson in life on how to understand another being. Growing up I always took it as something was wrong with me, when in fact they were just fighting something dark within themselves. It taught me that someone can be so dysregulated internally that they have become unaware of the fact that they lost their true authentic self in the process of the internal fight. That those beings were in nothing more than just a survival state just trying to make it to the next day. Throughout my years of being an adolescent, I found that being a voice for someone else or just being someone who will listen, not only healed a part of them but also something in me healed. I considered myself the family therapist, or the friend therapist, even though that was not my job nor was it something a child should have to do. As I grow older, now in my 20s, I have concluded that my purpose on this earth is to help heal. The word heal is so broad, but so are the things that need to be healed, whether that is other beings, animals, or Mother Earth, I just know deep down my purpose is to shed the light and be the nurturing being that I wish I had growing up. I have repeatedly heard the saying, “Abused or neglected children tend to build a career around that abuse.” Never have I ever had related to something more. I am currently an undergrad going for my BS in Clinical Counseling Applied Psychology. I found that I have such a huge passion for helping other people heal from trauma, whether that be from childhood trauma to assault, or even war/violence. I want to so badly, specialize in Neuroscience. I want to get my Ph.D. in Neuroscience as it goes over the way the brain and body connection. What I mean by this, is that I want to specialize in the nervous system and how trauma can affect it. I have done so much research already on how trauma affects the system and how the brain processes it. How trauma can lead to physical attributes that can cause sickness. As I heal from years of abuse, I have the desire to help other people see their fullest potential without the aspect of their trauma affecting it. The biggest impact I have been told that I have made is using my logical brain. I have been able to unscramble thoughts to make sense of them or ‘geeked’ out on how the body is trying to communicate with them. I strive to be the person I wish I had growing up.

I was raised in a very chaotic household and family that became abusive in all sorts of ways you could think of. The countless sleepless nights of nothing but tears streaming down my face have made me who I am today. Although I know that my childhood experiences do not define me, I know and accept that they are a piece of me that defines the being that I am today, they being who I chose to be for the sake of my inner child. The biggest lesson of my childhood that I took away was that some people are hurting so much, that they have too much built of rage, sadness, or whatever emotion is at play, within themselves that they take it out on someone else, someone who is more vulnerable then they are. You see, that isn’t a very positive takeaway, but it was and has been the biggest lesson in life on how to understand another being. Growing up I always took it as something was wrong with me, when in fact they were just fighting something dark within themselves. It taught me that someone can be so dysregulated internally that they have become unaware of the fact that they lost their true authentic self in the process of the internal fight. That those beings were in nothing more than just a survival state just trying to make it to the next day. Throughout my years of being an adolescent, I found that being a voice for someone else or just being someone who will listen, not only healed a part of them but also something in me healed. I considered myself the family therapist, or the friend therapist, even though that was not my job nor was it something a child should have to do. As I grow older, now in my 20s, I have come to the conclusion that my purpose on this earth is to help heal. The word heal is so broad, but so are the things that need to be healed, whether that is other beings, animals, or Mother Earth, I just know deep down my purpose is to shed the light and be the nurturing being that I wish I had growing up. I have repeatedly heard the saying, “Abused or neglected children tend to build a career around that abuse.” Never have I ever had related to something more. I am currently an undergrad going for my BS in Clinical Counseling Applied Psychology. I found that I have such a huge passion for helping other people heal from trauma, whether that be from childhood trauma to assault, or even war/violence. I want to so badly, specialize in Neuroscience. I want to get my Ph.D. in Neuroscience as it goes over the way the brain and body connection. What I mean by this, is that I want to specialize in the nervous system and how trauma can affect it. I have done so much research already on how trauma affects the system and how the brain processes it. How trauma can lead to physical attributes that can cause sickness. As I heal from years of abuse, I have the desire to help other people see their fullest potential without the aspect of their trauma affecting it.

I was raised in a very chaotic household and family that became abusive in all sorts of ways you could think of. The countless sleepless nights of nothing but tears streaming down my face have made me who I am today. Although I know that my childhood experiences do not define me, I know and accept that they are a piece of me that defines the being that I am today, they being who I chose to be for the sake of my inner child. The biggest lesson of my childhood that I took away was that some people are hurting so much, that they have too much built of rage, sadness, or whatever emotion is at play, within themselves that they take it out on someone else, someone who is more vulnerable then they are. You see, that isn’t a very positive takeaway, but it was and has been the biggest lesson in life on how to understand another being. Growing up I always took it as something was wrong with me, when in fact they were just fighting something dark within themselves. It taught me that someone can be so dysregulated internally that they have become unaware of the fact that they lost their true authentic self in the process of the internal fight. That those beings were in nothing more than just a survival state just trying to make it to the next day. Throughout my years of being an adolescent, I found that being a voice for someone else or just being someone who will listen, not only healed a part of them but also something in me healed. I considered myself the family therapist, or the friend therapist, even though that was not my job nor was it something a child should have to do. As I grow older, now in my 20s, I have come to the conclusion that my purpose on this earth is to help heal. The word heal is so broad, but so are the things that need to be healed, whether that is other beings, animals, or Mother Earth, I just know deep down my purpose is to shed the light and be the nurturing being that I wish I had growing up. I have repeatedly heard the saying, “Abused or neglected children tend to build a career around that abuse.” Never have I ever had related to something more. I am currently an undergrad going for my BS in Clinical Counseling Applied Psychology. I found that I have such a huge passion for helping other people heal from trauma, whether that be from childhood trauma to assault, or even war/violence. I want to so badly, specialize in Neuroscience. I want to get my Ph.D. in Neuroscience as it goes over the way the brain and body connection. What I mean by this, is that I want to specialize in the nervous system and how trauma can affect it. I have done so much research already on how trauma affects the system and how the brain processes it. How trauma can lead to physical attributes that can cause sickness. As I heal from years of abuse, I have the desire to help other people see their fullest potential without the aspect of their trauma affecting it.

I am a 19 year old native american and hispanic female and was raised on and near a native reservation in Washington state. I am currently a tribal member of the Yakama Nation. Unfortunately, my tribe cannot help with my tuition as I have lived out of state for over 8 years. I am currently a psychology major trying to finish my associates to then transfer to a university. My life goals are to work in the medical field of some sort. I have a very big passion to help others. I was raised in a very abusive home and was abused in many different ways, so going through so much at a young age all the way up until now, has taught me compassion more than anything. It has taught me how i so not want to end up like my family in these abusive situations ever again. I am currently in my healing journey, thanks to therapy, I am learning how to navigate my own life and figure out who I truly am. Throughout this process, I've learned how to connect and help people in emotional distress throughout my teen years, which has brought me to this point in my life where I know what I want to do and be. I have realized that I am an empath and I have found that while helping other people in any way, helps me heal a part of me that I wish I had when I was younger. I want to become a mental health counselor/therapist specifically trauma related therapist. I want to go into the social worker field to gain more experience to then go into a company to be a sit down therapist. I'd like to work as a social worker beforehand for the extra experience, but also to help children in need as I never was able to get help when i was younger. I want nothing more than to help people walk through their trauma to finally be free from it and happy again. I want to study more on the developmental phase of psychology. More specifically how the brain rewires itself due to trauma as an adolescent (under 25), as the prefrontal lobe hasn't fully developed. I would like to work with children to young adults mostly as they are still developing, but any age. As with some of the research I have done, the older you become, the harder it becomes to rewire and heal from trauma as you consciously don't remember it, but subconsciously do. What your brain cannot tell you, your body will. In order to help with this sort of trauma, EMDR and somatic therapy would be a great solution. I would love to work all the way up to getting my masters in psychology to be able to effectively perform these types of therapy. As for how this scholarship would help me, I keep very little contact with my family especially with my parents due to the abuse. I am currently working two jobs as a caregiver working 50+ hours a week. Mornings and nights except for my class days so I can afford to put myself through college. I am trying to financially break away from my abusive mother, as I am trying to figure out how to be an adult without her help. This scholarship would help me so much and help me focus more on my schooling as my financial aid has not completely covered my tuition.

I am a 19 year old native american and hispanic female and was raised on and near a native reservation in Washington state. I am currently a tribal member of the Yakama Nation. Unfortunately, my tribe cannot help with my tuition as I have lived out of state for over 8 years. I am currently a psychology major trying to finish my associates to then transfer to a university. My life goals are to work in the medical field of some sort. I have a very big passion to help others. I was raised in a very abusive home and was abused in many different ways, so going through so much at a young age all the way up until now, has taught me compassion more than anything. It has taught me how i so not want to end up like my family in these abusive situations ever again. I am currently in my healing journey, thanks to therapy, I am learning how to navigate my own life and figure out who I truly am. Throughout this process, I've learned how to connect and help people in emotional distress throughout my teen years, which has brought me to this point in my life where I know what I want to do and be. I have realized that I am an empath and I have found that while helping other people in any way, helps me heal a part of me that I wish I had when I was younger. My first year of college, I had neighbors that stalked me and made my CPTSD worse which caused me to struggle with schooling. I tried to help myself by using my grounding techniques as well as breathing. I want to become a mental health counselor/therapist specifically trauma related therapist. I want to go into the social worker field to gain more experience to then go into a company to be a sit down therapist. I'd like to work as a social worker beforehand for the extra experience, but also to help children in need as I never was able to get help when i was younger. I want nothing more than to help people walk through their trauma to finally be free from it and happy again. I want to study more on the developmental phase of psychology. More specifically how the brain rewires itself due to trauma as an adolescent (under 25), as the prefrontal lobe hasn't fully developed. I would like to work with children to young adults mostly as they are still developing, but any age. As with some of the research I have done, the older you become, the harder it becomes to rewire and heal from trauma as you consciously don't remember it, but subconsciously do. What your brain cannot tell you, your body will. In order to help with this sort of trauma, EMDR and somatic therapy would be a great solution. I would love to work all the way up to getting my masters in psychology to be able to effectively perform these types of therapy. As for how this scholarship would help me, I keep very little contact with my family especially with my parents due to the abuse. I am currently working two jobs as a caregiver working 50+ hours a week. Mornings and nights except for my class days so I can afford to put myself through college. This scholarship would help me so much and help me focus more on my schooling as my financial aid has not completely covered my tuition.

I am a 19 year old native american and hispanic female and was raised on and near a native reservation in Washington state. I am currently a tribal member of the Yakama Nation. Unfortunately, my tribe cannot help with my tuition as I have lived out of state for over 8 years. I am currently a psychology major trying to finish my associates to then transfer to a university. My life goals are to work in the medical field of some sort. I have a very big passion to help others. I was raised in a very abusive home and was abused in many different ways, so going through so much at a young age all the way up until now, has taught me compassion more than anything. It has taught me how i so not want to end up like my family in these abusive situations ever again. I am currently in my healing journey, thanks to therapy, I am learning how to navigate my own life and figure out who I truly am. Throughout this process, I've learned how to connect and help people in emotional distress throughout my teen years, which has brought me to this point in my life where I know what I want to do and be. I have realized that I am an empath and I have found that while helping other people in any way, helps me heal a part of me that I wish I had when I was younger. I want to become a mental health counselor/therapist specifically trauma related therapist. I want to go into the social worker field to gain more experience to then go into a company to be a sit down therapist. I'd like to work as a social worker beforehand for the extra experience, but also to help children in need as I never was able to get help when i was younger. I want nothing more than to help people walk through their trauma to finally be free from it and happy again. I want to study more on the developmental phase of psychology. More specifically how the brain rewires itself due to trauma as an adolescent (under 25), as the prefrontal lobe hasn't fully developed. I would like to work with children to young adults mostly as they are still developing, but any age. As with some of the research I have done, the older you become, the harder it becomes to rewire and heal from trauma as you consciously don't remember it, but subconsciously do. What your brain cannot tell you, your body will. In order to help with this sort of trauma, EMDR and somatic therapy would be a great solution. I would love to work all the way up to getting my masters in psychology to be able to effectively perform these types of therapy. As for how this scholarship would help me, I keep very little contact with my family especially with my parents due to the abuse. I am currently working two jobs as a caregiver working 50+ hours a week. Mornings and nights except for my class days so I can afford to put myself through college. I am trying to financially break away from my abusive mother, as I am trying to figure out how to be an adult without her help. This scholarship would help me so much and help me focus more on my schooling as my financial aid has not completely covered my tuition.

I am a 19 year old native american and hispanic female and was raised on and near a native reservation in Washington state. I am currently a tribal member of the Yakama Nation. Unfortunately, my tribe cannot help with my tuition as I have lived out of state for over 8 years. I am currently a psychology major trying to finish my associates to then transfer to a university. My life goals are to work in the medical field of some sort. I have a very big passion to help others. I was raised in a very abusive home and was abused in many different ways, so going through so much at a young age all the way up until now, has taught me compassion more than anything. It has taught me how i so not want to end up like my family in these abusive situations ever again. I am currently in my healing journey, thanks to therapy, I am learning how to navigate my own life and figure out who I truly am. Throughout this process, I've learned how to connect and help people in emotional distress throughout my teen years, which has brought me to this point in my life where I know what I want to do and be. I have realized that I am an empath and I have found that while helping other people in any way, helps me heal a part of me that I wish I had when I was younger. Way I have learned that help my mental health is grounding myself. As well as breathing techniques. I want to become a mental health counselor/therapist specifically trauma related therapist. I want to go into the social worker field to gain more experience to then go into a company to be a sit down therapist. I'd like to work as a social worker beforehand for the extra experience, but also to help children in need as I never was able to get help when i was younger. I want nothing more than to help people walk through their trauma to finally be free from it and happy again. I want to study more on the developmental phase of psychology. More specifically how the brain rewires itself due to trauma as an adolescent (under 25), as the prefrontal lobe hasn't fully developed. I would like to work with children to young adults mostly as they are still developing, but any age. As with some of the research I have done, the older you become, the harder it becomes to rewire and heal from trauma as you consciously don't remember it, but subconsciously do. What your brain cannot tell you, your body will. In order to help with this sort of trauma, EMDR and somatic therapy would be a great solution. I would love to work all the way up to getting my masters in psychology to be able to effectively perform these types of therapy. As for how this scholarship would help me, I keep very little contact with my family especially with my parents due to the abuse. I am currently working two jobs as a caregiver working 50+ hours a week. Mornings and nights except for my class days so I can afford to put myself through college. I am trying to financially break away from my abusive mother, as I am trying to figure out how to be an adult without her help. This scholarship would help me so much and help me focus more on my schooling as my financial aid has not completely covered my tuition.

I am a 19 year old native american and hispanic female and was raised on and near a native reservation in Washington state. I am currently a tribal member of the Yakama Nation. Unfortunately, my tribe cannot help with my tuition as I have lived out of state for over 8 years. I am currently a psychology major trying to finish my associates to then transfer to a university. My life goals are to work in the medical field of some sort. I have a very big passion to help others. I was raised in a very abusive home and was abused in many different ways, so going through so much at a young age all the way up until now, has taught me compassion more than anything. It has taught me how i so not want to end up like my family in these abusive situations ever again. I am currently in my healing journey, thanks to therapy, I am learning how to navigate my own life and figure out who I truly am. Throughout this process, I've learned how to connect and help people in emotional distress throughout my teen years, which has brought me to this point in my life where I know what I want to do and be. I have realized that I am an empath and I have found that while helping other people in any way, helps me heal a part of me that I wish I had when I was younger. I want to become a mental health counselor/therapist specifically trauma related therapist. I want to go into the social worker field to gain more experience to then go into a company to be a sit down therapist. I'd like to work as a social worker beforehand for the extra experience, but also to help children in need as I never was able to get help when i was younger. I want nothing more than to help people walk through their trauma to finally be free from it and happy again. I want to study more on the developmental phase of psychology. More specifically how the brain rewires itself due to trauma as an adolescent (under 25), as the prefrontal lobe hasn't fully developed. I would like to work with children to young adults mostly as they are still developing, but any age. As with some of the research I have done, the older you become, the harder it becomes to rewire and heal from trauma as you consciously don't remember it, but subconsciously do. What your brain cannot tell you, your body will. In order to help with this sort of trauma, EMDR and somatic therapy would be a great solution. I would love to work all the way up to getting my masters in psychology to be able to effectively perform these types of therapy. As for how this scholarship would help me, I keep very little contact with my family especially with my parents due to the abuse. I am currently working two jobs as a caregiver working 50+ hours a week. Mornings and nights except for my class days so I can afford to put myself through college. I am trying to financially break away from my abusive mother, as I am trying to figure out how to be an adult without her help. This scholarship would help me so much and help me focus more on my schooling as my financial aid has not completely covered my tuition.

I am a 19 year old native american and hispanic female and was raised on and near a native reservation in Washington state. I am currently a tribal member of the Yakama Nation. Unfortunately, my tribe cannot help with my tuition as I have lived out of state for over 8 years. I am currently a psychology major trying to finish my associates to then transfer to a university. My life goals are to work in the medical field of some sort. I have a very big passion to help others. I was raised in a very abusive home and was abused in many different ways, so going through so much at a young age all the way up until now, has taught me compassion more than anything. It has taught me how i so not want to end up like my family in these abusive situations ever again. I am currently in my healing journey, thanks to therapy, I am learning how to navigate my own life and figure out who I truly am. Throughout this process, I've learned how to connect and help people in emotional distress throughout my teen years, which has brought me to this point in my life where I know what I want to do and be. I have realized that I am an empath and I have found that while helping other people in any way, helps me heal a part of me that I wish I had when I was younger. I want to become a mental health counselor/therapist specifically trauma related therapist. I want to go into the social worker field to gain more experience to then go into a company to be a sit down therapist. I'd like to work as a social worker beforehand for the extra experience, but also to help children in need as I never was able to get help when i was younger. I want nothing more than to help people walk through their trauma to finally be free from it and happy again. I want to study more on the developmental phase of psychology. More specifically how the brain rewires itself due to trauma as an adolescent (under 25), as the prefrontal lobe hasn't fully developed. I would like to work with children to young adults mostly as they are still developing, but any age. As with some of the research I have done, the older you become, the harder it becomes to rewire and heal from trauma as you consciously don't remember it, but subconsciously do. What your brain cannot tell you, your body will. In order to help with this sort of trauma, EMDR and somatic therapy would be a great solution. I would love to work all the way up to getting my masters in psychology to be able to effectively perform these types of therapy. As for how this scholarship would help me, I keep very little contact with my family especially with my parents due to the abuse. I am currently working two jobs as a caregiver working 50+ hours a week. Mornings and nights except for my class days so I can afford to put myself through college. I am trying to financially break away from my abusive mother, as I am trying to figure out how to be an adult without her help. This scholarship would help me so much and help me focus more on my schooling as my financial aid has not completely covered my tuition.

I am a 19 year old native american and hispanic female and was raised on and near a native reservation in Washington state. I am currently a tribal member of the Yakama Nation. Unfortunately, my tribe cannot help with my tuition as I have lived out of state for over 8 years. I am currently a psychology major trying to finish my associates to then transfer to a university. My life goals are to work in the medical field of some sort. I have a very big passion to help others. I was raised in a very abusive home and was abused in many different ways, so going through so much at a young age all the way up until now, has taught me compassion more than anything. It has taught me how i so not want to end up like my family in these abusive situations ever again. I am currently in my healing journey, thanks to therapy, I am learning how to navigate my own life and figure out who I truly am. After nearly 16 years of abuse, I am learning how to be true to myself and not interalize what I have been called my whole lifeby my family. Throughout this process, I've learned how to connect and help people in emotional distress throughout my teen years, which has brought me to this point in my life where I know what I want to do and be. I have realized that I am an empath and I have found that while helping other people in any way, helps heal a part of me that I wish I had when I was younger. I want to become a mental health counselor/therapist specifically trauma related therapist. I want to go into the social worker field to gain more experience to then go into a company to be a sit-down therapist. I'd like to work as a social worker beforehand to also to help children in need as I never was able to get help when i was younger. I want nothing more than to help people walk through their trauma to finally be free from it and happy again. I want to study more on the developmental phase of psychology. More specifically how the brain rewires itself due to trauma as an adolescent (under 25), as the prefrontal lobe hasn't fully developed. I would like to work with children to young adults mostly as they are still developing, but any age. As with some of the research I have done, the older you become, the harder it becomes to rewire and heal from trauma as you consciously don't remember it, but subconsciously do. What your brain cannot tell you, your body will. In order to help with this sort of trauma, EMDR and somatic therapy would be a great solution. I would love to work all the way up to getting my masters in psychology to be able to effectively perform these types of therapy. As for how this scholarship would help me, I keep very little contact with my family especially with my parents due to the abuse. I am currently working two jobs as a caregiver working 50+ hours a week. Mornings and nights except for my class days so I can afford to put myself through college. I am trying to financially break away from my abusive mother, as I am trying to figure out how to be an adult. This scholarship would help me so much and help me focus more on my schooling as my financial aid has not completely covered my tuition.

I am a 19 year old native american and hispanic female and was raised on and near a native reservation in Washington state. I am currently a tribal member of the Yakama Nation. Unfortunately, my tribe cannot help with my tuition as I have lived out of state for over 8 years. My life goals are to work in the medical field of some sort. I have a very big passion to help others. I was raised in a very abusive home and was abused in many different ways, so going through so much at a young age all the way up until now, has taught me compassion more than anything. It has taught me how i so not want to end up like my family in these abusive situations ever again. I am currently in my healing journey, thanks to therapy, I am learning how to navigate my own life and figure out who I truly am. Throughout this process, I've learned how to connect and help people in emotional distress throughout my teen years, which has brought me to this point in my life where I know what I want to do and be. I have realized that I am an empath and I have found that while helping other people in any way, helps me heal a part of me that I wish I had when I was younger. I want to become a mental health counselor/therapist specifically trauma related therapist. I want to go into the social worker field to gain more experience to then go into a company to be a sit down therapist. I'd like to work as a social worker beforehand for the extra experience, but also to help children in need as I never was able to get help when i was younger. I want nothing more than to help people walk through their trauma to finally be free from it and happy again. I want to study more on the developmental phase of psychology. More specifically how the brain rewires itself due to trauma as an adolescent (under 25), as the prefrontal lobe hasn't fully developed. I would like to work with children to young adults mostly as they are still developing, but any age. As with some of the research I have done, the older you become, the harder it becomes to rewire and heal from trauma as you consciously don't remember it, but subconsciously do. What your brain cannot tell you, your body will. In order to help with this sort of trauma, EMDR and somatic therapy would be a great solution. I would love to work all the way up to getting my masters in psychology to be able to effectively perform these types of therapy. As for how this scholarship would help me, I keep very little contact with my family especially with my parents due to the abuse. I am currently working two jobs as a caregiver working 50+ hours a week. Mornings and nights except for my class days so I can afford to put myself through college. I am trying to financially break away from my abusive mother, as I am trying to figure out how to be an adult without her help. This scholarship would help me so much and help me focus more on my schooling as my financial aid has not completely covered my tuition.