I am a graduate student in clinical mental health counseling and will be certified as an expressive art therapist after graduation in 2024. I have suffered fibromyalgia since I was a small child and depression as a teenager. My love for positive psychology and mindfulness has improved my knowledge of how thought patterns and lifestyles can affect my mental health. I am a freelance artist and illustrator, who loves to paint with watercolor. When I begin to feel flooded with stress and negative emotion, it helps to express it with painting. It is my plan to help clients who are struggling with numerous mental health concerns through expressive arts. I find many of us are depressed and lack motivation because our creativity and self-expression need to be exercised. Geriatric counseling would suit me because of my reverence and admiration for the elderly. I find that their transitions of retirement and closeness to passing are not only challenging but an opportunity to be a part of their last years working on positive change and reconciliation. Ultimately, my hope is to have a private practice that offers Expressive Art Therapy to the entire population. This past spring was my first semester as a graduate student at the University of Texas at Tyler’s Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program. I have learned more about myself in this one-semester than I did in my four years of undergraduate school. Physical and verbal habits came into view, and my skills in speaking and writing improved greatly. more zest in my everyday life I will pay more attention to self-care. Meditating on positivity, consciously enjoying life’s simple pleasures, and doing more of the things I love will provide an abundance of joy and enthusiasm. I can also discover new ways to serve others to stimulate feelings of contentment and purpose. Sharing personal faults and fears with trusted people can be an expression of courage. Stepping out of my comfort zone will allow me to step into new and challenging experiences that may build greater self-confidence. It is vital that I as a therapist will have to be adamant in taking care of my mental, emotional, and physical health to best serve others. Whenever I become a professional counselor, being empathetic and compassionate toward my clients will aid me in facilitating their process of assessing feelings and concerns within our sessions. With this approach to life, I believe a person can persevere through all hardships that come their way. As quoted from Mr. Rogers, a beloved television personality, “Anything mentionable is manageable”.

Having real friendship as a young adult is a rare gift. And sometimes this treasure is lost due to motherhood, travel, occupation and education. Having a friend is much different than acquaintances. Friends have love for one another. This is the strongest trait I believe makes a true partner in crime. They show devotion, admiration, and trust for one another. I can not tell you I have had many friends, or that I currently have a group of women I have on call to create a date night, but I do know what it is to be one. Integrity seems to be a lost quality in young adults today. My parents instilled in me integrity and the importance of kindness and authenticity. I am grateful for that and because of my upbringing I am prudent when choosing friendships. I believe anyone is beyond blessed to have a friend like mine who lovingly offers her patience when I need time to talk things out, empathy when I need understanding and joy during times I need to share good news. No matter the circumstance, a friend welcomes you with open arms.

I have struggled with chronic pain and migraines since early childhood. I was 17 years old when a rheumatologist diagnosed me with fibromyalgia and depression. After I figured out what I had, it was helpful knowing what to do in order to care of myself physically. Having this disorder can be debilitating if I do not exercise at least three days a week and have daily classical stretching routines. I also love the outdoors so, anything from nature walks to gardening is great for me. As for my mental health, I have practice implementing positive thinking from skills I have learned in Positive Psychology, and Mindfulness. Getting back into painting has been a wonderful way of channeling negative emotions and thoughts. I am a freelance artist and illustrator, though the pay is little to none, now that I have allowed my creative self to be expressed the pain and depression is no where near what it was 6 years ago! Practicing self-care is an important practice as a student in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. Before I am capable of helping clients with their problems and daily struggles, I must first be a living example, not a walking contradiction. I am determined to become a certified expressive art therapist who can give clients the skills to express thier feelings through paint, dance, writing, and many others forms within the next couple of years.

Patience is Power. I have grown up with several family members who have struggled with temper and patience. It is a character flaw that many of us have yet some fail to manage. I personally have been given the strength of patience. It is possibly from observing others' behaviors and seeing no benefits come from having a lack thereof. Patience is important to me because it gives my life peace. Every day, I come across those moments in time that require my patience such as, chronic pain, traffic, ordering food, doctor appointments, difficulties with a customer and peers. As a counseling student, strengthening my social and emotional intelligence is a must. Clients seek therapists who are trustworthy, respectful, and patient professionals. Within the next two years, I will be preparing myself to offer the best service within the mental health field in order to help clients work through hardship and flourish in their everyday life. Patience empowers me to be an encourager and helper to other people.

Don't sweat the small stuff. I am in my early twenties, which is still very young- I know. From my short life experience, one thing that seems to take the life out of my fellows Americans is stress and anxiety. I have decided to practice self-control in order to become more resilient and emotionally intelligent. There are plenty of stressors young adults come across after high school such as finances, occupations, college, and relationships. As for me, I struggle with all those stressors including fibromyalgia, which is a disorder consisting of chronic pain, fatigue, and poor sleep. Living this way has taught me to be kind to my mind. I have to continuously remind myself- though I want to do so many tasks along with work and school, it is not necessary to achieve them all. I encourage other students to take it easy and get their priorities straight. Do only one thing at a time, because that is the only way a task can be properly finished. Mental health awareness is finally making a grand entry into the public eye, proving itself as being just as important as physical health. I truly believe we Americans could live longer healthier lives if we would adopt certain behaviors from other countries that practice a healthy work-life balance. Although I respect and find work to be an important part of making a living, it should not take away from the time we need to disconnect and enjoy a vacation. Within the next two years, I will become a licensed clinical mental health counselor. Before I am able to help others with their mental health, I must first have emotional, social, and physical well-being.