As an adoptee and someone who has struggled with mental health in the past, it has always been a part of my life. As early as six, I was in therapy and have been a patient, experiencing many different mental health interventions from Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Cognitive Behavior Therapy, Eye-Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, Expressive Therapies, Psychoanalysis and more. It's been somewhat of a foundation in my upbringing and life where I've learned key skills to regulate my emotions, set healthy boundaries, process my own traumas, and possibly most importantly- engage in routine and regular self-care practices. I see self-care not as a practice to use when you "need it," but rather a practice to use on a daily basis. Something to maintain your mental wellbeing, not as an emergency strategy. I recall being a teenager and feeling like therapy was "silly" or "pointless" and "when can I just get out of here!?" but as I've grown and had more life experience, I understand the connectedness between your mental health, stress levels and ability to be productive in school work and your daily life. Therefore, I created a unique schedule of how to properly self care for my needs. This includes weekly social get togethers in-person to reduce any feelings of loneliness or isolation, which can be common when doing online school and working without the presence of a "team" but as a contractor. I continue to see my own individual therapist to keep myself accountable. Additionally, daily self-care routines such as a morning routine, winding down before bed and making space for things that I enjoy. It can also be giving myself permission to take a break or decline an invitation to do something that I probably would feel more drained doing. It's focusing on increasing positivity and decreasing drain when possible. Every six months, I do something "big," something that really gets my spirits up and makes me feel refreshed, whether this be a getaway to the beach or something more elaborate. I also stick to my rule of not working on Sundays and using it as a pure rest and recharge day. I have found this to work wonders and despite being in school and working more than one job, I have not burned out in the last few years. As for advocacy, I often volunteer for Ukraine efforts to support the war on both a humanitarian and mental wellness sense. In March, I went to Ukraine to teach English to children who lost their parents to the war, volunteered at the animal shelter, helping animals that were displaced and preparing food for the military at the food kitchen. Arguably, most impactful, though, was my time receiving refugees at the train station seeking a safer life in Western Ukraine. This weekend, I am volunteering at the largest advocacy organization in the country. On a smaller scale, I provide resources and assistance to friends and family when I know they are in a difficult spot. This might look like referrals to immigration lawyers, resources to ADHD groups among other similar sources.I frequently post thing on my social media, using a mental health lens, particularly around the holidays and Mental Health Month. I strive not to only gain the knowledge I have about mental health, but to also share it with others. Knowledge is near useless unless it's shared.

Hello. I received my BA in Psychology in 2020, then, my MA in social work (MSW) in 2023. During these programs, I worked at a company called Sheppard Pratt, which is the largest nonprofit provider of mental health. I worked with adolescent boys in RTC while with this company. I soon moved to the largest mental health organization in my county, Cornerstone Montgomery and held two positions there- a crisis counselor where I worked in crisis homes, step-downs from the hospital and I served adults struggling with psychosis, suicidal/homicidal ideation, personality disorders and trauma. The other position I held was a Rehabilitation counselor, working with adults struggling with SUDs in a RTC. Once I graduated with my MSW, I began working at a private practice near my home. It's only been a couple of months since being an LMSW (Licensed Master in Social Work), but since then, I have completed a 50-hour training and became a Certified Trauma Professional (CTP) and I have about 20 hours left until I am certified to practice using EMDR. I strive to get my PsyD, with an expected graduation date of 2027 so I can teach students not only what I know now, but all the information I will have attained by that time. I think I deserve this scholarship because I have a lot of experience. The training I spoke of is to increase my scope of practice and/or to be the most effective therapist I can be; since I am an LMSW, I won't receive those CE credits and was fully aware of that before signing up. I am always willing to learn more and refine my interventions and ways of working. This scholarship will benefit me by allowing me to continue taking more trainings and certifications without the constraint of my current and past student fees/loans. I chose this career field because I've had friends and family members who have gone for therapeutic treatment and have received less than ethical care that continues to weigh heavily on them to this day. While I cannot undo every wrong, I hope to be able to create a space safe enough for my clients to heal and strive to not be the therapist my love ones had. By attaining my PsyD, I hope to mold and form students into therapists who authentically strive to do no harm. Thank you for taking the time to listen to what I had to say.