Owing to previous mental disorder diagnoses, and traumatic experiences, I must retain mental clarity rather than allowing negative thoughts or unpleasant flashbacks to enter my mind. There are times, in my everyday routine, whether minor or major occurrences, that may trigger my thoughts to spiral. These occurrences can happen within the blink of an eye because of a certain smell or a song that is playing on the intercom of any establishment. It could be the year 2024, but I would go as far back as the year 2005. I noticed that even in my daily conversations, I tend to bring up the past often. I perceive myself as a prisoner of my past because of unresolved trauma that is impacting my mental health. My mental health will deteriorate over time if I do not take the initiative to improve it. As my mental health deteriorated, I developed unhealthy coping mechanisms and habits. For instance, one unhealthy coping mechanism I used was overeating, or "eating my feelings". I believed that it would put me in a better mood, despite the many harmful effects it may have on my mental health. I would rationalize the risky long-term consequences by claiming that eating provided me with dopamine. Although this is true, it all boils down to portion sizes, and I've been working hard to improve my portion control. I continue to struggle with my mental health but recognize the need to work on it. I maintain my mental well-being by acknowledging the need to enhance my mental health. Awareness of my mental health led to a doctor's appointment, the prescription of antidepressant prescriptions, and an endless cycle of side effects. After the side effects faded, I still felt the same, even after increasing to a high dosage several times. Instead of giving up, I decided to adopt a natural approach, which became the best decision that I had made. I incorporated many natural approaches into my lifestyle that helped tremendously. For starters, I decided to attend therapy, which allowed me to vent about my internal issues and receive feedback without criticism. Furthermore, when I was unable to see my therapist, I would write down all my emotions on a piece of paper as a form of venting because I tend to bottle everything up. Once I got into the habit of writing down my emotions, I progressed to journaling, in which I practiced gratitude. Another approach I utilized was to force myself to read self-help books about mental health that provided advice and ideas on how to enhance my well-being. Oddly enough, I used to despise the concept of reading books, but I began to appreciate them so greatly that I utilized them as a source of relaxation and useful knowledge. The last approach to improve and maintain my mental wellness was joining boxing. I was able to venture outside of my comfort zone and socialize with others. In my perspective, boxing was a win-win situation because it allowed me to live fearlessly and as a form of exercise to stay active. One day, I will be working in the field of social work closely with clients who have specific needs, whether it’s their living circumstances or their well-being. I recognize that it is crucial that as a future social worker, I need to maintain my mental health wellness for this job. This job requires a professional to specialize in mental health because the clients need guidance to overcome their specific challenges. Thank you for providing me and all deserving applicants the opportunity to apply for the Mental Health Scholarship for Women

My status as the family's firstborn and my traditional Mexican parent’s expectation of a well-behaved child resulted in me receiving behavioral services at the tender age of nine. During my first counseling session, I refused to interact with my therapist given my acknowledgment of being placed into services based on my parents' high expectations from their home country, which were not equivalent to American societal norms. I eventually ceased and answered a few questions, per my therapist’s requests. Initially, I was petrified to reveal my childhood trauma experiences; however, I became vulnerable and opened up to my therapist. Subsequently, these sessions were no longer about my behavioral difficulties, but rather about the likelihood of me developing mental illnesses in response to my adverse experiences. I was referred to a psychiatrist in the facility, where I was receiving services. I vividly recall the strange questions I had to answer, such as "Do I ever feel sexy", which made me feel immensely uncomfortable. Besides this, I had an additional assessment, in which my fourth-grade teacher's observations of my behaviors in her classroom. The 1:40 classroom ratio and her inconsistency in observing my every action could not ensure accuracy. Ultimately, this assessment was responsible for my misdiagnosis. Still, I remained in counseling until I was fourteen and during this time, I was prescribed antidepressants that were ineffective and had to switch medications frequently. The majority of my life consisted of unexpected mood shifts that I could not articulate nor pinpoint any deficiencies contributing to these abrupt behaviors. Despite being oblivious to my unforeseen mental health illnesses, I managed to obtain my Bachelor of Arts in Psychology following four minors: Africana Studies, Communications, Developmental Applied Psychology, and Sociology. On top of that, I was a single mother to an autistic daughter with no financial support but still flourished in my studies and made the dean’s list each quarter alongside my strong involvement in many school organizations, one of which I was president. The moment I began my master's degree in social work, I decided to take the initiative and requested a reevaluation for a bipolar disorder screening. I was referred by my provider to schedule an appointment with a psychiatrist for a bipolar disorder screening, in which I was seen within two weeks. During the screening, the psychiatrist provided me an overview of bipolar disorder and its symptoms, I was taken aback when I realized the psychiatrist was describing my reality. In addition, I was challenged to describe my childhood and my upbringing, which was not a simple task. Later at this appointment, I was informed that I met the criteria for three diagnoses: Bipolar disorder II, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Nonetheless, I was relieved that all my prayers had been finally answered and now understood the reasoning for my behaviors. Within a few days, I became in denial about my diagnosis and the medications seemed to only intensify negative symptoms that were tolerable, but unpleasant. Once the medication's side effects subsided, I noticed it was taking effect and my emotions were easier to regulate. In essence, I decided to accept myself and recognize that my diagnosis does not define me. Thank you for providing me and all deserving applicants the opportunity to apply for the Elizabeth Schalk Memorial Scholarship

Owing to previous mental disorder diagnoses, and traumatic experiences, I must retain mental clarity rather than allowing negative thoughts or unpleasant flashbacks to enter my mind. There are times, in my everyday routine, whether minor or major occurrences, that may trigger my thoughts to spiral. These occurrences can happen within the blink of an eye because of a certain smell or a song that is playing on the intercom of any establishment. It could be the year 2024, but I would go as far back as the year 2005. I noticed that even in my daily conversations, I tend to bring up the past often. I perceive myself as a prisoner of my past because of unresolved trauma that is impacting my mental health. My mental health will deteriorate over time if I do not take the initiative to improve it. As my mental health deteriorated, I developed unhealthy coping mechanisms and habits. For instance, one unhealthy coping mechanism I used was overeating, or "eating my feelings".  I believed that it would put me in a better mood, despite the many harmful effects it may have on my mental health. I would rationalize the risky long-term consequences by claiming that eating provided me with dopamine. Although this is true, it all boils down to portion sizes, and I've been working hard to improve my portion control. I continue to struggle with my mental health but recognize the need to work on it. I maintain my mental well-being by acknowledging the need to enhance my mental health. Awareness of my mental health led to a doctor's appointment, the prescription of antidepressant prescriptions, and an endless cycle of side effects. After the side effects faded, I still felt the same, even after increasing to a high dosage several times. Instead of giving up, I decided to adopt a natural approach, which became the best decision that I had made. I incorporated many natural approaches into my lifestyle that helped tremendously. For starters, I decided to attend therapy, which allowed me to vent about my internal issues and receive feedback without criticism. Furthermore, when I was unable to see my therapist, I would write down all my emotions on a piece of paper as a form of venting because I tend to bottle everything up. Once I got into the habit of writing down my emotions, I progressed to journaling, in which I practiced gratitude. Another approach I utilized was to force myself to read self-help books about mental health that provided advice and ideas on how to enhance my well-being. Oddly enough, I used to despise the concept of reading books, but I began to appreciate them so greatly that I utilized them as a source of relaxation and useful knowledge. The last approach to improve and maintain my mental wellness was joining boxing. I was able to venture outside of my comfort zone and socialize with others. In my perspective, boxing was a win-win situation because it allowed me to live fearlessly and as a form of exercise to stay active. One day, I will be working in the field of social work closely with clients who have specific needs, whether it’s their living circumstances or their well-being. I recognize that it is crucial that as a future social worker, I need to maintain my mental health wellness for this job. This job requires a professional to specialize in mental health because the clients need guidance to overcome their specific challenges.

My status as the family's firstborn and my traditional Mexican parent’s expectation of a well-behaved child resulted in me receiving behavioral services at the tender age of nine. During my first counseling session, I refused to interact with my therapist given my acknowledgment of being placed into services based on my parents' high expectations from their home country, which were not equivalent to American societal norms. I eventually ceased and answered a few questions, per my therapist’s requests. Initially, I was petrified to reveal my childhood trauma experiences; however, I became vulnerable and opened up to my therapist. Subsequently, these sessions were no longer about my behavioral difficulties, but rather about the likelihood of me developing mental illnesses in response to my adverse experiences. I was referred to a psychiatrist in the facility, where I was receiving services. I vividly recall the strange questions I had to answer, such as "Do I ever feel sexy", which made me feel immensely uncomfortable. Besides this, I had an additional assessment, in which my fourth-grade teacher's observations of my behaviors in her classroom. The 1:40 classroom ratio and her inconsistency in observing my every action could not ensure accuracy. Ultimately, this assessment was responsible for my misdiagnosis. Still, I remained in counseling until I was fourteen and during this time, I was prescribed antidepressants that were ineffective and had to switch medications frequently. The majority of my life consisted of unexpected mood shifts that I could not articulate nor pinpoint any deficiencies contributing to these abrupt behaviors. Despite being oblivious to my unforeseen mental health illnesses, I managed to obtain my Bachelor of Arts in Psychology following four minors: Africana Studies, Communications, Developmental Applied Psychology, and Sociology. On top of that, I was a single mother to an autistic daughter with no financial support and still flourished in my studies and made the dean’s list each quarter alongside my strong involvement in many school organizations, one of which I was president. The moment I began my master's degree in social work, I decided to take the initiative and requested a reevaluation for a bipolar disorder screening. I was referred by my provider to schedule an appointment with a psychiatrist for a bipolar disorder screening, in which I was seen within two weeks. During the screening, the psychiatrist provided me an overview of bi-polar disorder and its symptoms, I was taken aback when I realized the psychiatrist was describing my reality. In addition, I was challenged to describe my childhood and my upbringing, which was not a simple task. Later at this appointment, I was informed that I met the criteria for three diagnoses: Bipolar disorder II, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Nonetheless, I was relieved that all my prayers had been finally answered and now understood the reasoning for my behaviors. Within a few days, I became in denial about my diagnosis and the medications seemed to only intensify negative symptoms that were tolerable, but unpleasant. Once the medication's side effects subsided, my behaviors remained the same. Consequently, I became hopeless and my depression seemed to worsen. Even though I continued to excel in my academics, I was blamed for my clinical incompetence throughout my internship given my supervisor's inconsistency to meet weekly. We only met once over the ten-week quarter, and I was already pressured to work with clients. Because of this, the program director requested to meet with me and questioned my commitment to their agency. Immediately, I disclosed to the director about my supervisor’s inconsistency, he appeared unfazed, but once I mentioned my recent bipolar diagnosis. I noticed an instant shift in his facial expression and his response was “That makes sense” and made a comparison to a cancer patient receiving chemo treatment and my bipolar disorder for potential reliability issues with clients. Despite, these stigmatizing statements, still I persisted in demonstrating my commitment to their agency. I left this meeting with immense distress and was unable to contain my emotions or find the appropriate words to describe them. Shortly after, I had a realization that remaining in an agency that stigmatizes others for their mental disorders is not ideal; let alone in a clinical setting. Therefore, I stood up for myself and resigned from their agency, while all this happening, I noticed that my medication was taking effect and I was able to secure another internship that emphasizes proper supervision. I changed my perspective and began to view this awful encounter as a learning opportunity that enabled me to be myself unapologetically and that my diagnoses do not define me. Thank you for providing me and all deserving applicants the opportunity to apply for the Ethel Hayes Destigmatization of Mental Health Scholarship.

Owing to previous mental disorder diagnoses, and traumatic experiences, it’s important that I retain mental clarity rather than allowing negative thoughts or unpleasant flashbacks to enter my mind. There are times, in my everyday routine, whether minor or major occurrences, that may trigger my thoughts to spiral. These occurrences can happen within a blink of an eye because of a certain smell or a song that is playing on the intercom of any establishment. It could be the year 2022, but I would go as far back to the year 2005. I noticed that even in my daily conversations, I tend to bring up the past often. I perceive myself as a prisoner of my past because of unresolved trauma that is impacting my mental health. My mental health will deteriorate over time if I do not make initiatives to improve it. As my mental health deteriorates, I developed unhealthy coping mechanisms and habits. For instance, one unhealthy coping mechanism I used was overeating, or "eating my feelings". I believed that it would put me in a better mood, despite the many harmful effects it may have on my mental health. I would rationalize the risky long-term consequences by claiming that eating provided me dopamine. Although this is true, it all boils down to portion sizes, and I've been working hard to improve my portion control. I continue to struggle with my mental health but recognize the need to work on it. I maintain my mental wellbeing by acknowledging the need to enhance my mental health. Awareness of my mental health led to a doctor's appointment, the prescription of antidepressant prescriptions, and an endless cycle of side effects. After the side effects faded, I still felt the same, even after increasing to high dosage several times. Instead of giving up, I decided to adopt a natural approach, which became the best decision that I had made. I incorporated many natural approaches in my lifestyle that helped tremendously. For starters, I decided to attend therapy, which allowed me to vent about my internal issues and receive feedback without criticism. Furthermore, when I was unable to see my therapist, I would write down all my emotions on a piece of paper as a form of venting because I tend to bottle everything up. Once I got into the habit of writing down my emotions, I progressed on to journaling, in which I practiced gratitude. Another approach I utilized was to force myself to read self-help books about mental health that provided advice and ideas on how to enhance my well-being. Oddly enough, I used to despise the concept of reading books, but I began to appreciate them so greatly that I utilized them as a source of relaxation and useful knowledge. The last approach to improve and maintain my mental wellness was joining boxing. I was able to venture outside of my comfort zone and socialize with others. In my perspective, boxing was a win-win situation because it allowed me to live fearlessly and a form of exercise to stay active. One day, I will be working in the field of social work closely with clients that have specific needs, whether it’s their living circumstances or their wellbeing. I recognize that it is crucial that as a future social worker I need to maintain my mental health wellness for this job. This job requires a professional to be specialized in mental health because the client’s needs guidance to overcome their specific challenges. Thank you for considering my application.

When I reflect on my early years, two themes come to mind: hard work and poverty. Growing up, our family of five frequently moved throughout Washington state because my father worked odd jobs to make ends meet. He was the family breadwinner, while my mother was a homemaker who cared for my two toddler siblings. By the age of eight, I had switched out of various schools nearly every year. This was difficult for me because I couldn’t maintain lasting friendships and found myself feeling lonely. I yearned for stability and wanted a normal life; I despised that poverty was controlling my life circumstances. Eventually, my desire of creating lasting friendships was cut short as I started working with my father. My father was a Mexican immigrant, and his childhood struggle of laboring had become mine between the ages of eight and sixteen. Undoubtedly, building a work ethic flowed through me effortlessly. My father and I would go to the flea market and organize a kitchen appliance raffle. By enrolling potential clients in the raffle, we collected their personal information from the tickets to contact them. Resulting in scheduling a cooking demonstration utilizing our kitchen appliance. This strategy was implemented to increase the likelihood of our items being purchased. Working with my father was either a confidence booster or a complete nightmare. For example, when I would recruit people for the raffle, I often got more tickets than my father; he would uplift me with kind words and gave me some money to compensate for my hard work. Unfortunately, there were instances when my father became frustrated with me and publicly humiliated and ridiculed me. I resented the fact I was treated more like a business partner than a daughter. My life as a child did not necessarily improve after that. I've encountered many hardships such as becoming a single mother resulting from domestic violence and struggling to afford college. Additionally, my now four-year daughter had been diagnosed with autism and requires a lot of attention. Taking care of my daughter is a full-time job as I balance school, taking her to speech therapy, and a part-time job. However, given my dedication to hard work instilled in me at an early age, I don't give up easily, even though it might seem that the odds are stacked against me. But I had additional accomplishments following my childhood. Including being the first in my family to attend college, being president of PSI CHI, a McNair scholar, graduating one year earlier than scheduled with a major in Psychology with four minors, and making Dean’s List every quarter. There have been times I considered giving up, but I took my father’s values of being a hard worker to heart to break generational curses. This upcoming fall, I will begin my master's degree program in Social Work at Eastern Washington University. I aspire to work as a clinical social worker and use my educational and personal experiences to inspire people from all walks of life in underserved communities to accept and transcend their upbringing in the same way that I have. I want to assist those who are disadvantaged and underrepresented to have their needs met while feeling empowered. As advocacy is my passion, it feels fulfilling to make others content with themselves and their life circumstances. I want to be the light for others that feel that they cannot escape the darkness in their lives. Ultimately, as a child, I felt alone and hopeless and want to be the person I wished to have in my childhood. Thank you for considering my application.

I never imagined as a child being a single mother, let alone at the age of eighteen. It started when I met a charming man ten years my senior at age seventeen. He was a pedophile and a narcissist rolled into one and targeted me because of my undeveloped mindset. Consequently, it was too late to recognize the red flags. As the honeymoon phase quickly faded, he became verbally and physically abusive. Once I discovered I was pregnant, the abuse intensified because he thought he had secured me into an abusive relationship for a lifetime. He was mistaken; it did not set well with me that my unborn child would hear this man belittle me, shout profanities at me, and viciously beat me. My daughter was still in my womb and was already facing a rough life; I owed her a great life. I understood at the age of eighteen that I would soon be a single mother. I was determined to leave immediately. I relocated to a shelter, still unprepared for the life that was unraveling for me. I had just become an adult and was inexperienced in adult responsibilities. This added to my pregnancy's stress, particularly because I was just two months shy of giving birth. However, the shelter staff informed me that they would assist with any assistance that I needed. I made a list of goals with the staff that I wanted to accomplish before giving birth, which included learning how to drive, managing finances, and recognizing the cycle of abuse. I was in the process of creating the life I desired for my daughter, Sophia, because I wanted to be a strong, independent mother instead of the naïve seventeen-year-old I previously was. As the result, I was eager to learn how to drive because I knew it was important that I took my daughter to all her appointment on time rather than relying on public transportation. Although taking the driver's test was daunting, I was motivated by the realization that I needed to do it for my child. In addition, I began attending battered women's support groups and therapy, which became an eye-opening experience because I had been previously oblivious to the red flags. I started couponing and searched for outreach programs that offered free food, clothes, diapers, personal and household essentials; this helped immensely, and I was able to save enough money to pay for a college application. My unborn child had enabled me to grow in so many aspects of my life, including purpose, maturity, and identity of becoming the best caregiver in my abilities. I was now equipped to care for my daughter as I had just been accepted into a university, gotten a restraining order against my ex-partner and secured an apartment near campus. All these accomplishments overshadowed my prior anxieties. I was already an expert at being an outstanding caregiver to my daughter once I gave birth. Before starting college, I spent two months bonding with my daughter. When I started my first year in college, I had to adapt to being a single mother and not a traditional student. This became difficult for me, because I had to care for my daughter alone, and although I would get support from my parents. It was lonely journey; however, my daughter provided me all the motivation I needed to continue thriving in school; I graduated one year ahead of schedule, made the dean's list every quarter, became the first in my family to attend college, and recently was accepted to master’s program of Social Work. Thank you for considering my application.

I never imagined as a child being a single mother, let alone at the age of eighteen. It started when I met a charming man ten years my senior at age seventeen. He was a pedophile and a narcissist rolled into one and targeted me because of my undeveloped mindset. Consequently, it was too late to recognize the red flags. As the honeymoon phase quickly faded, he became verbally and physically abusive. Once I discovered I was pregnant, the abuse intensified because he thought he had secured me into an abusive relationship for a lifetime. He was mistaken; it did not set well with me that my unborn child would hear this man belittle me, shout profanities at me, and viciously beat me. My daughter was still in my womb and was already facing a rough life; I owed her a great life. I understood at the tender age of eighteen that I would soon be a single mother. I couldn't tolerate this disastrous environment any longer. I was petrified of leaving, but most of all failing as a mother. Living up to her name, Sophia, meaning wisdom, my daughter had given me just that. I was determined to leave immediately. Exiting the relationship was the most difficult challenge I had encountered, frequently going to the courts for a restraining order while fearful that he would retaliate. But it was all worthwhile because my daughter had enabled me to grow in so many aspects of my life, including purpose, maturity, and of course becoming the best mother that I could be. For these reasons, I became the first in my family to attend college and graduated one year sooner than was scheduled for my degree and made the Dean's list every quarter. I can proudly say that I am now Eastern Washington University (EWU) alumni, with a degree in Psychology. This upcoming fall, I will start pursuing a master's degree in Social Work. I am thrilled to complete my MSW degree because my early life experiences inspired me to help others in similar situations. Prior to obtaining my undergraduate degree, I was able to fund my education through grants. I recognized that I could not rely solely on grants, but rather on scholarships, which are limited to graduate students. In addition, as an undergraduate student, I participated in college-funded programs like McNair, which allowed me to focus on improving my academic performance, networking and studying while reducing my financial burden. I intend to achieve comparable outcomes through a graduate-funded program that will cover some of my educational expenses in exchange for my commitment to focus on underserved communities. However, I continue to be a single mother and my now four-year daughter had been diagnosed with autism. She requires a lot of my attention; taking my daughter to speech and physical therapy is a full-time job. For this reason, it is difficult for me to fund my education as I balance school, care for my daughter, and a job. Although it may seem that the odds are stacked against me, I remain optimistic in pursuing higher education. My determination to better my daughter's life and mine alongside being approved for a couple scholarships has supported me the most to pursue my studies. Thank you for allowing me with the opportunity to apply for this fantastic scholarship.

My time working at a family learning center was incredibly rewarding. This center assisted numerous immigrants and refugees in their desire for a better life through offering English and Citizenship classes as well as other resources, but most significantly, by creating a safe environment for these students and their families. An important part of my job was to be an ally and an advocate for participating families. One day, a Columbian family confided in me about a tragic incident that had left them profoundly distraught. The incident involved borrowing a family member’s vehicle so they could run some errands. However, when they were about to leave, they realized they had forgotten something inside and went to get it, but when they returned, the vehicle was gone. All their important documentation was gone, along with a purse with all the withdrawal cash, and their infant car seat. After they realized that the vehicle was nowhere to be found, they completed a police report, but nothing had been recovered yet. The couple was deeply distressed and had no money to pay for the next month’s rent, baby diapers, or a replacement infant car seat; and they were not yet authorized to work to make up the money. As a program administrator, I felt it was my responsibility to support students who are experiencing financial or emotional difficulties. In addition, the couple placed their trust in me simply because I was the only staff member who could converse with them in Spanish. I quickly realized that with their limited English, it was crucial that I help them as the sought-out assistance. As with any new arrivals, they were reluctant to speak up or seek assistance. These realizations occurred to me not just as a program administrator, but also as the daughter of Mexican immigrant parents. My family experiences taught me the difficulties of navigating in a foreign country without assistance. I was now able to advocate for a family in need, and their story impacted me because of its relevance and their courage to confide in me. Therefore, locating resources for them to enhance their circumstances evolved into an obligation to maintain their trust. Then it dawned to me that my job had forwarded me an email about an immigration organization that had established priority funds for an Immigrant Emergency Fund. I immediately contacted this organization, and shortly after speaking with the director summarizing the incident involving our students, she expressed her willingness to assist and instructed me to submit an application for them. Within a week, I received notification that the family had been approved for the Immigrant Emergency Fund. This was a significant victory, and I had planned to meet with the director to deliver the funds to the family. Once I delivered the funds to the family, they were overjoyed and expressed gratitude to the organizations involved and my involvement in coordinating all of it. Furthermore, I agreed to follow up with the family a week later; their lives had improved since they were able to retrieve the stolen vehicle and pay all their expenses. Once more, the family emphasized how I impacted their lives, but they were unaware of how they impacted mine. I recognized that I had instilled compassion and advocacy in myself, but I lacked confidence. That all changed when the family placed their trust in my abilities to assist them; I stopped doubting myself and began to feel confident. Ultimately, this experience instilled confidence in me as a future social worker, which had a significant impact on me. Thank you for considering my application.