When my brother was diagnosed with a mental health condition in our home country, my family faced not only the challenges of the illness itself but also the heavy weight of shame and stigma. Mental health was rarely spoken about openly, and seeking help was often viewed as a weakness or even a disgrace. I remember the whispers, the judgmental looks, and the isolation that came with his diagnosis. It was painful to see how the stigma of mental illness compounded his struggles, making it harder for him to access the support he needed and harder for my family to speak freely about what we were going through. Those experiences left a deep mark on me and have fueled my passion for becoming a counselor. I want to work toward a world where no one feels ashamed for seeking help, and where mental health care is treated as a basic right, not a privilege. In the United States, while conversations about mental health are more open, I see another barrier that keeps care out of reach for many people is the way insurance coverage is tied to diagnosis. People are often forced to accept a label just to qualify for services, when what they truly need is support, prevention, and care without added stigma. Insurance should not reinforce the same shame that once silenced my family. The reality is that many people who need counseling the most are also those with the least access to it. Individuals from lower socioeconomic backgrounds are often working two or three jobs simply to survive. For them, the idea of taking time off work, commuting across town, or catching multiple buses just for a 50-minute counseling session feels impossible. Even when counseling is technically “available,” the barriers of time, transportation, and cost make it inaccessible in practice. This is why I believe telehealth is a critical part of the future of mental health care. Virtual counseling provides the flexibility that so many people need. It removes the stress of transportation, reduces time away from work, and allows people to access care in a private and safe environment. For communities still burdened by stigma, telehealth can also offer a sense of anonymity and safety, making it easier for individuals to take the first step toward healing. For someone like my brother, growing up in a place where shame silenced conversations about mental health, telehealth could have offered both privacy and access, lessening the weight of stigma. As a future counselor, I want to advocate for systemic changes that make counseling both affordable and accessible. This means pushing for insurance reform so that people can receive care without being forced into a diagnosis and ensuring that telehealth is fully covered and widely available. It also means normalizing conversations about mental health, so that no family feels the silence and isolation mine once did. My experiences have shaped my worldview. I aspire to build a counseling practice and advocate for policies that prioritize dignity, flexibility, and access. By addressing both stigma and structural barriers, I hope to create pathways to care that honor people’s humanity rather than reduce them to a diagnosis. Everyone deserves the chance to seek help without shame, and my goal is to make that vision a reality.

During my undergraduate years, I witnessed a troubling transformation in my brother's behavior. Initial reports about his actions were dismissed by my parents as typical teenage issues, but my older brother, who was living with him, noticed something more alarming. After several distressing interactions with law enforcement and his college, he consulted our family doctor, who diagnosed my brother with schizophrenia. This was our first real encounter with mental illness, and it shook us profoundly. In our Indian community, mental health often remains a taboo subject, and receiving this diagnosis was a heavy blow. We chose to keep it a secret, and despite various treatments, my brother’s condition remained challenging. We lived in a state of constant anxiety, frequently responding to emergencies while he largely kept his struggles to himself. To this day, we remain haunted by the uncertainty of whether we missed early signs or simply chose not to recognize them. This adversity transformed me profoundly. It shifted my perspective on mental health and ignited a passion for understanding and supporting those facing similar struggles. I realized the importance of empathy and the urgent need for mental health awareness. In August 2022, I began volunteering with Crisis Text Line as a counselor. This role has been incredibly fulfilling, reaffirming my belief in the power of compassionate support. Our training emphasizes referring texters to professional therapists, and I view my role as a crucial step in their journey toward recovery. In a world that often feels disconnected, it’s essential to reach out if you notice someone struggling. Ignoring the signs can mean missing an opportunity to offer crucial support. Educating yourself about mental health can help you recognize signs in yourself as well as loved one. If you notice a sudden and drastic change in behavior in someone, you might be tempted to pull back. But they need you now more than ever. If you’re struggling yourself, seeking help is vital. Services like Crisis Text Line aims to create an empathetic world, were no one feels alone. Five years ago, I never envisioned pursuing a Master’s in mental health counseling. Yet, life’s experiences have guided me here, and I am determined to be part of the change I want to see. This scholarship would be instrumental in achieving my goal of making a significant impact on mental health care, particularly within the Asian community where such support is desperately needed.