I'm a graduate student pursuing my Masters in Social Work degree, with the plan to become a mental health therapist. I'm incredibly passionate about this work! My path to the field came from my own lived experience with mental illness, having been through multiple psychiatric hospitalizations in the past. Having connected with healing for myself, I'm eager to support others on their paths to wellness! Though there are many educational pathways to becoming a therapist, clinical social work is the right fit for me because of its steadfast commitment to centering social justice and the needs of those most marginalized by our society. I've spent over ten years working with people experiencing homelessness and mental illness, and am excited to return to supporting my community having gained more knowledge to share. I'm an enthusiastic student of life, having traveled around the globe to India, Cambodia, France, Chile, Mexico, and the Caribbean. If I can find the funds, another international trip will be my post-graduation plan! I hope to improve my Spanish so that I can better support Spanish-speaking clients at the shelter, but I've also had a growing interest in exploring Russia and Central Asia, so who knows where things will take me!