Imagine the betrayal you would feel having found out someone you considered a friend stole from you. Now add salt into the wound by imagining how them stealing from you has a chance to send you home. May I introduce a Love Island challenge I created called "Dumped & Robbers", a bit corny--I know, but it is certainly exciting. How this game is played is each Islander will get another fellow islander as a target, the goal of the game is to steal a specific item, chosen by staff, from their target under a certain time limit. For example, let's use the Islanders from Season 7. In this scenario, Coco has Hannah as her target and is told to "steal" Hannah's hair brush in under 10 minutes. If Coco is to succeed she will move on to her next target, this leaves Hannah (unknowingly) vulnerable to be dumped unless she steals the designated item from her target. However, the Islanders can't just outright take the item from behind another's back (at the risk of being dumped), they must find a way to coerce the other islander into giving up the item. Whether that be through seduction or conversation is their prerogative. This adds a layer to this challenge by mixing in a bit of deceit and manipulation as Islanders fight tooth and nail for their spot. After all Love Island is a game to win and find love, not make friends. As mentioned above, if someone successfully steals from you, you are vulnerable. But you are also vulnerable even if no one stole from you, but you yourself couldn't steal. Refusal to participate will also put you on thin ice. Only one "Get out of Crime Free" card is allotted per Islander, making this especially difficult for those juggling between partners. Which one are they most willing to betray? What I believe is the most exciting part of this idea is whenever the losers of the challenge are sent home, no one is allowed to know who exactly did them in. That is only to be discovered on movie night. This challenge is meant to break up relationships and friendships, test their strength, and the Islanders' morality. I think the "Dumped & Robbers" challenge is a great way to fairly shake things up, especially for Islanders who get a bit too comfortable relying on their relationships with other Islanders and fan-favoriting. Alls fair in thievery and lies after all.

My decision to become a therapist comes from deeply personal experiences with loss, grief, and mental health struggles within my family and community. Throughout my life, I have lost several loved ones to suicide because they did not have the support or professional help they needed. I have also experienced the heartbreaking reality of waking up to a suicide paragraph text message, only to realize that someone I cared about deeply was gone forever. In those moments, I felt helpless and overwhelmed with guilt, wondering if there was something more I could have done. Although these experiences were painful, they ultimately strengthened my determination to pursue a career in therapy. For a long time, I wished I could be the person my friends and family needed during their darkest moments. The person they could turn to for comfort, guidance, and understanding. As I grew older, I realized that becoming a therapist would allow me to fulfill that role not only for the people close to me, but for countless others struggling with similar challenges. I want to help individuals who feel unheard, hopeless, or alone, especially teenagers who may not yet know how to cope with the hardships of life. By providing support and understanding, I hope to prevent suicide and suicidal ideation before it reaches a breaking point. My experiences with grief have also taught me how devastating loss can be for the people left behind. Losing someone to suicide creates a pain that is difficult to describe; a constant cycle of sadness, guilt, and unanswered questions. Families and friends are often left wondering what they could have said or done differently. I know firsthand how exhausting it is to replay moments in your mind and think, “What if I had stayed up five more minutes?” or “What if I had noticed the signs sooner?” No one should have to carry that burden. Through my work as a therapist, I hope to spare others from experiencing that same pain and uncertainty. More importantly, I want to help young people recognize their value and potential before the world convinces them otherwise. Every person has something meaningful to contribute, yet so many struggle silently under pressure, trauma, or expectations from others. I understand how destructive it can feel to live only for the approval or happiness of other people. Because of this, I want to teach teenagers how to build healthy coping skills, prioritize their mental well-being, and live for themselves rather than solely for others. I want them to understand that asking for help is not weakness, but strength. In many ways, helping others heal also helps me heal. Each opportunity to support someone through difficult moments feels like a way of honoring the people I have lost. While I cannot change the past, I can dedicate my future to making a difference in the lives of others. My goal is to create a safe and supportive environment where people feel seen, valued, and understood. Even if I can help only one person choose to keep going, that impact would mean everything to me. Ultimately, I want to change the way society views mental health and therapy, one session at a time. I believe that compassion, understanding, and access to support can save lives. By becoming a teen therapist, I hope to ensure that fewer people suffer in silence and that more individuals are given the opportunity to recognize their worth and build fulfilling lives.