While not having always been able to explain why, I have been focused more on mental health than physical health for so long that I do not have a memory of when it began. As a child, I was extraordinarily empathetic towards people, animals, and even inanimate objects that I felt were being used in too rough of a manner- I blame Toy Story. As I grew older, my empathy remained strong as I began to place more emphasis on mental health than physical health, and I have yet to reconsider that belief. In actuality, I believe that our mental health has an impact on our total health in that If we do not take care of our minds, our bodies will start to deteriorate as well. I know firsthand the impact that mental health struggles can have on our bodies as I was only 9 years old when diagnosed with a stomach ulcer due to stress. Even into adulthood, I have suffered physically when my mental health was disregarded or ignored. Mental health care was not easily accessible growing up, and when I look around at my family members, friends, patients, and self, I can only imagine the impact it could have had. Now, as an adult who has attained a B.S. in Music Therapy (minor in Psychology) and is a board-certified music therapist (MT-BC) having worked in a forensic state hospital, in-patient psychiatric units, a youth psychiatric treatment facility, and a substance abuse recovery program, I can say more than ever that mental health/recovery treatment, advocacy, and accessibility has remained a solid passion of mine. I acknowledge that working in some of the facilities I mentioned could be very challenging, however, seeing humanity and kindness from those to whom the world has been so unkind, is life-changing. There is nothing more beautiful than being on the treatment journey with someone when they find their inner strength and being there to support them on their worst days. Working in mental healthcare expands one's view of the world drastically; everyone has something amazing to offer if they are willing to acknowledge it. Understanding mental health has allowed me to not hold resentment towards those from my childhood who were simply trying their best each day, and I am thankful to them for trying so hard to keep it all together. However, I often find myself wondering how things would have been different if my family had been able to receive mental health care or had access to recovery programs. I wonder what impact community outreach and support would have had as well. However, the only way to look is ahead as I cannot change for my family the things that weren't offered to us, though I can try to advocate and make a change for other families so that their struggles may feel less heavy if offered support and services. My love for mental health work and recovery has pushed me to continue my education for a Master of Arts in Music Therapy with a focus on counseling, eventually pursuing a PsyD in clinical psychology to expand my ability to offer affordable and accessible services to individuals who may not have previously been able to receive mental health care. I believe wholeheartedly in being the "change you want to see in the world," and that is what I aim to do each day.