There is so much more to a person than what they show on the surface level. There’s a form of beauty within that complexity. Within the complexity, I see knowledge that I’m interested in learning. Knowledge about their past and present, about how they became the human they are today, and even their family history. If someone were to look at one individual at surface level, they would think that the person can change so easily only if they really wanted to. Though it's not so easy for everyone. In the words of my former professor, Dr. Solomon Fabian Caudle, for some individuals, life is a so-called metaphorical game of monopoly that has already started with all the cards and properties distributed. My first ever experience with a therapist was when I was in first grade and experienced bullying and language barriers after having immigrated to the US with my parents at the age of three, which left me feeling like a shell of myself. My siblings and I started attending therapy for our OCD and anxiety tendencies which led us through nerve-racking cycles full of intrusive thoughts. These experiences with a licensed professional left me feeling relieved and validated as if I was finally in control of my life, while knowing that I was not alone in my battles. In the past two years, I had the wonderful opportunity to work at Kean University’s Career Services as a career ambassador and a graduate assistant. This research entailed analyzing the meaning of student success and socioeconomic factors that can hinder students from achieving their full potential. We were able to gather data from hundreds of students to have a better understanding of what motivates them and also equip our office itself with resources to serve and aid them on their journey. This opportunity pushes me to advocate, aid, and bring attention to the socioeconomic, demographic, racial, and cultural factors that remain unexplored and that people lack awareness about. After attending therapy myself and perceiving the experiences of my peers and loved ones on their mental health journeys, I became fascinated with psychoanalyzing the behavior of those around me. Whether it be dysfunctional patterns, communication issues, or even power patterns, these all stem from family units, and impact every individual independently and collectively as a group as well. It excites me to pursue a career and future that will allow families and individuals to find their best selves, understand their reactions, and find coping mechanisms that encourage continuous growth. In the next few years, one of my biggest achievements that I have earned will be handed to me, my M.A. in Marriage and Family Therapy. This diploma is a symbol of my parent’s sacrifices, a reward for all the years that they have spent in a foreign country hoping for a better future for their children. It is an indication of what my life could’ve been were I to have still been in India: married off as soon as I reached my twenties and unfortunately, lacking resources and opportunities to reach my goals and support myself. Looking at that thick sheet of paper will be like looking at a badge of honor, a reminder of the privilege I had of being able to educate myself and of having access to opportunities that allowed me to grow into the best version of myself. I would like to dedicate my career to make a more meaningful impact in the lives of every individual who faces similar struggles in a field that will allow me to work with families, couples, and children.

There is so much more to a person than what they show on the surface level. There’s a form of beauty within that complexity. Within the complexity, I see knowledge that I’m interested in learning. Knowledge about their past and present, about how they became the human they are today, and even their family history. If someone were to look at one individual at surface level, they would think that the person can change so easily only if they really wanted to. Though it's not so easy for everyone. In the words of my former professor, Dr. Solomon Fabian Caudle, for some individuals, life is a so-called metaphorical game of monopoly that has already started with all the cards and properties distributed. My first ever experience with a therapist was when I was in first grade and experienced bullying and language barriers after having immigrated to the US with my parents at the age of three, which left me feeling like a shell of myself. My siblings and I started attending therapy for our OCD and anxiety tendencies which led us through nerve-racking cycles full of intrusive thoughts. These experiences with a licensed professional left me feeling relieved and validated as if I was finally in control of my life, while knowing that I was not alone in my battles. In the past two years, I had the wonderful opportunity to work at Kean University’s Career Services as a career ambassador and a graduate assistant. This research entailed analyzing the meaning of student success and socioeconomic factors that can hinder students from achieving their full potential. We were able to gather data from hundreds of students to have a better understanding of what motivates them and also equip our office itself with resources to serve and aid them on their journey. This opportunity pushes me to advocate, aid, and bring attention to the socioeconomic, demographic, racial, and cultural factors that remain unexplored and that people lack awareness about. After attending therapy myself and perceiving the experiences of my peers and loved ones on their mental health journeys, I became fascinated with psychoanalyzing the behavior of those around me. Whether it be dysfunctional patterns, communication issues, or even power patterns, these all stem from family units, and impact every individual independently and collectively as a group as well. It excites me to pursue a career and future that will allow families and individuals to find their best selves, understand their reactions, and find coping mechanisms that encourage continuous growth. In the next few years, one of my biggest achievements that I have earned will be handed to me, my M.A. in Marriage and Family Therapy. This diploma is a symbol of my parent’s sacrifices, a reward for all the years that they have spent in a foreign country hoping for a better future for their children. It is an indication of what my life could’ve been were I to have still been in India: married off as soon as I reached my twenties and unfortunately, lacking resources and opportunities to reach my goals and support myself. Looking at that thick sheet of paper will be like looking at a badge of honor, a reminder of the privilege I had of being able to educate myself and of having access to opportunities that allowed me to grow into the best version of myself. I would like to dedicate my career to make a more meaningful impact in the lives of every individual who faces similar struggles in a field that will allow me to work with families, couples, and children.

There is so much more to a person than what they show on the surface level. There’s a form of beauty within that complexity. Within the complexity, I see knowledge that I’m interested in learning. Knowledge about their past and present, about how they became the human they are today, and even their family history. One day as I was talking to my friend about our family’s history of mental illnesses, I realized that there’s so much more to a person. If someone were to look at one individual at surface level, they would think that the person can change so easily only if they really wanted to. Though it's not so easy for everyone. In the words of my former professor, Dr. Solomon Fabian Caudle, for some individuals, life is a so-called metaphorical game of monopoly that has already started with all the cards and properties distributed. These individuals have to really build from nothing compared to those that have already started the game. My first ever experience with a therapist was when I was in first grade and experienced bullying and language barriers, which left me feeling like only a shell of myself. My siblings and I also attended therapy for our OCD and anxiety tendencies which led us through nerve-racking cycles full of intrusive thoughts. These experiences with a licensed professional personally left me feeling relieved and validated as if I was finally in control of my life, while knowing that I was not alone in my battles. In my work experiences, I witnessed children struggling with similar issues themselves when I was a Kumon Instructor & Jumpstart teacher. These children dealt with learning disabilities, and even found it hard to express themselves. When I studied abroad in Costa Rica as a part of a Give Back Abroad Program, I was able to notice the differences in cultural mindset in Costa Rican youth and their community when compared to my fellow peers. Over time, I was able to experience the evolution of their mental and social growth with them and notice the ways in which their past experiences influenced their current mental health as well as their ability to take initiative for future endeavors. In these past two years, I had the wonderful opportunity to work at Kean University’s Career Services as a career ambassador and graduate assistant. In this role, I was able to achieve my own personal academic and professional milestone when I was able to participate in research with my fellow colleagues. This research entailed analyzing the meaning of student success and socioeconomic factors that can hinder students from achieving their full potential. We were able to gather data from hundreds of students to have a better understanding of what motivates them and also equip our office itself with resources to serve and aid them on their journey. This opportunity and the differences that I’ve had the chance to make in the lives of fellow students, is something that will remain with me throughout my life. It pushes me to advocate, aid, and bring attention to the socioeconomic, demographic, racial, and cultural factors that remain unexplored and that people lack awareness about. After attending therapy myself and perceiving the experiences of my peers and loved ones on their mental health journeys, I became fascinated with psychoanalyzing the behavior of those around me. I learned that in many cases, family systems are the root of behaviors and actions in individuals. Whether it be dysfunctional patterns, communication issues, or even power patterns, these all stem from family units, and impact every individual independently and collectively as a group as well. Knowing that each reaction comes from a place of the past or learned group behaviors, is how I am able to see these stories from an unbiased perspective. It excites me to pursue a career and future in a field that with my help, will allow families and individuals to find their best selves, understand their reactions, and find coping mechanisms that encourage continuous growth. These families and individuals will be able to be their own greatest advocates, and it delights me to start taking action to help play a role in my community In addition to my work experiences, my academic experience consists of taking the following classes: abnormal psychology, tests and measurements, food psychology, psychology statistics, child psychology, and marriage and family therapy. As I started graduate school last year, I started taking more classes dedicated to becoming a marriage and family therapists, hoping to evoke change in the lives of individuals and families that have experienced trauma deeper than they can process. These classes have allowed me to understand the human brain and individuals’ behavior with a depth besides the structured view that society allows. In the next few years, one of my biggest achievements that I have earned will be handed to me, my M.A. in Marriage and Family Therapy. This diploma may simply be a thick sheet of paper to some people, though for me, it is a symbol of my parent’s sacrifices, a reward for all the years that they have spent in a foreign country hoping for a better future for their children. It is an indication of what my life could’ve been were I to have still been in India: married off as soon as I reached my twenties and unfortunately, lacking resources and opportunities to reach my goals and support myself. Looking at that thick sheet of paper will be like looking at a badge of honor, a reminder of the privilege I had of being able to educate myself and of having access to opportunities that allowed me to grow into the best version of myself. This achievement also reminds me that this is not the end of my journey, my involvement in the lives of the people that I’ve had a pleasure working with has led me to the Marriage and Family Therapy program at Kean University. I would like to dedicate my career to make a more meaningful impact in the lives of every individual who faces similar struggles in a field that will allow me to work with families, couples, and children.