As a clinical social worker, I serve individuals and families who face systemic barriers to mental health care—especially those navigating complex, misunderstood conditions like Functional Neurological Disorder (FND), somatic conditions, and panic disorder. These diagnoses are often dismissed or misinterpreted, leaving clients without adequate support or treatment. I believe equitable access to mental health care includes access to providers trained to understand and treat these conditions with compassion and clinical expertise. I also work with individuals and families who have neurodegenerative conditions who are navigating complex medical conditions with no known cure or treatment. Through BetterHelp, and working at the University of Cincinnati Gardner Neuroscience Institute I’ve been able to reach clients who might otherwise go without care as many of the available providers do not accept insurance, and are not trained in specialized cognitive behavioral therapy need to resolve symptoms. The BetterHelp platform removes barriers like transportation, scheduling conflicts, and stigma, offering flexible, affordable, and confidential therapy. This accessibility is especially critical for people in underserved areas, caregivers, and those balancing multiple jobs or responsibilities. My work is rooted in meeting people where they are—emotionally, culturally, and practically. BetterHelp allows me to do that in a way that traditional settings often cannot. I provide cognitive behavioral therapy, treatment of somatic conditions, OCD, panic disorder, and I provide affirming care that helps clients feel safe, seen, and supported. Every session is an opportunity to break cycles and build resilience. Mental health care should not be a luxury. It should be a lifeline. I’m proud to be part of a movement that prioritizes equity and expands access to those who need it most. While I am paid for my work through BetterHelp, my other counseling sessions are provided at no cost through a grant program at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center. A vital need for families who are already financially burdened by disease. I work with families who are diagnosed with the same genetic condition that runs in my family, Huntington's Disease a rare terminal condition with no treatment or cure. My volunteer work with the Huntington's Disease Society of America also supports needed support for local families suffering from this condition. I am currently self-paying for my graduate education while supporting three other family members who are also in school. This financial responsibility has placed a significant strain on my resources and limits my ability to invest in professional development and clinical growth. Receiving this grant would help ease the burden of student loan repayment and allow me to pursue specialized training in treating Functional Neurological Disorder, OCD, TIC disorders, and areas where mental health providers are critically lacking. These conditions are often misunderstood, and clients are left feeling invalidated or misdiagnosed. I want to change that by completing my Doctor of Social Work degree, adding to the accessibility and research knowledge base for these conditions and increasing access to mental health training for providers to more adequately treat these conditions. This grant is not just an investment in me—it’s an investment in the communities I serve. It would allow me to continue showing up with compassion, increased skill, and add to the research knowledge in our mental health community to demystify these conditions, ensuring that mental health care remains accessible to those who need it most.

With over a decade of experience as a clinical social worker, I have dedicated my career to providing compassionate, evidence-based care to individuals navigating complex physical, neurological, and psychological conditions. Currently practicing at a neuroscience institute, I specialize in treating patients with chronic neurological movement disorders. My decision to pursue a Doctor of Social Work (DSW) at this stage in my career is driven by a desire to deepen my clinical expertise, contribute to the growing body of research in Neurological Disorders, and elevate the role of social work within interdisciplinary medical teams at the Gardner Neuroscience Institute at the University of Cincinnati. Doctor of Social Work Program I began providing individual therapy through my initial graduate internship program while obtaining my MSW at Northern Kentucky University, serving seriously mentally disabled individuals in a community mental health setting. I became comfortable with establishing rapport, evaluating, building treatment plans collaboratively, and treating clients. I knew at this point in my training that I desired to continue working in outpatient mental health therapy. I obtained my social work licensure in 2014 and worked for the next seven years in oncology social work, providing group and individual therapy for individuals with prostate cancer and their partners in addition to program development and management. For the past five years I have practiced at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center (UCMC) in the movement disorder clinic, a specialty outpatient neurology center. After three years of working with patients with Huntington’s Disease, ataxia, Parkinson’s Disease and other neurodegenerative movement disorders I expanded to providing counseling to individuals with somatic conditions. The benefit of treating clients from a social work perspective using a person-centered approach is essential to understanding their childhood experiences, trauma, and environment that uniquely considers their specific symptoms and presentation unlike other mental health disciplines. My interest in the UK Clinical Social Work concentration stems directly from my practice experience. I provide cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to patients, many of whom have histories of medical trauma, childhood adversity, or unexplained rapid symptom onset. Through this work, I have developed an understanding of the psychological and physiological complexities of neurological conditions. I have pursued advanced training, engaged in supervision with a specialist in the field, and began formulating research questions that challenge current treatment paradigms. A DSW will enhance my ability to critically evaluate and refine evidence-based practices and program delivery in my current position. A DSW will assist with the tools to contribute meaningfully to program development of multidisciplinary care alongside neurology, psychiatry, physical therapy, and occupational therapy in my current practice setting. Through the DSW program, I aim to contribute to the development of new interventions, program development that is informed by evidenced base practice and informs clinical practice. I have an interest in pursuing research from a social work discipline in treating patients who have shown difficulty with emotional regulation, distress tolerance, and self-calming using trauma informed care, Dialectal Behavior Therapy emotional regulation skills, and Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction. Utilizing existing evidence-based treatment for low distress tolerance could provide additional support and treatment options for individuals who are slower to improve or have not improved with current stand-alone CBT treatment. I am in a unique position with my clinical experience and my current position at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center within the neurology institute to leverage the online coursework through UK’s program to add to the current body of research and improve patient outcomes from the social work discipline in a multidisciplinary setting. This scholarship would help me to achieve that goal and complete my degree program.