I don’t think someone should have to wait until they’re at their breaking point to be taken seriously. Oftentimes, those struggling with mental health or substance use are defined by a diagnosis, a behavior, or a crisis. They are treated like their illness rather than human beings who are hurting. This is one reason why I decided to become a mental health counselor. Working with those who have been marginalized in society because of their mental health or substance use is important to me, but there are many other aspects of the profession I care about as well. My journey to becoming a counselor has been a bit winding. I’m a former casino table games dealer and pharmacy tech, have worked in family law, and now work in behavioral health. In between, I became a mother to five kids and a military wife. I graduated with my bachelor’s degree in psychology in December 2025 and am currently working on my master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. Each job I’ve had along the way has taught me something different, but together they have taught me that people are not giant squares that perfectly fit into the boxes we try to place them in. After becoming a Licensed Professional Counselor, I hope to work with military personnel, veterans, and their families. Growing up in a military family and eventually becoming part of one myself, I have seen how military service can affect not only the person in uniform but their family as well. Deployments, separations, frequent moves, stress, transitions, and even the adjustment to post-military life can wreak havoc on families. I want to work with this population because I understand what the military lifestyle is like, but I also know that understanding where someone is coming from does not mean I fully understand their experience. I hope to be the counselor who asks questions when she doesn’t know something, listens, and allows people the space to share their own stories. Brian’s story really stuck with me because it illustrates how mental health and substance use often go hand in hand. Someone might turn to substances to cope with trauma, depression, anxiety, pain, or any number of things. Stigmatizing that behavior doesn’t help address the underlying issue someone may be struggling with. I hope to learn more about both mental health and substance use so I can approach clients with compassion and curiosity rather than judgment. One thing I am learning as I enter this field is that you cannot always fix everyone’s problems. Being a good counselor doesn’t mean having a solution for everything. Sometimes it will mean listening to someone without trying to problem-solve. It will look like validation, empowerment, resource referral, advocacy, and reminding clients that just because they are struggling doesn’t mean they don’t deserve help. I won’t always be able to “fix” my future clients when they walk into my office. There is no magic formula that will provide a solution to every issue. What I can promise is that I want you to feel heard. I want you to feel comfortable in my space. I want you to feel validated. I know what it is like to sit on the other side of the counseling relationship and need those things myself. I want to become the counselor that I would have thanked at the end of my own session. If I can help people feel like they don’t have to reach their breaking point before they seek help, then becoming a counselor will have been worth it.