I am pursuing a career as a licensed professional counselor because I have a deep desire to help others who are hurting. My passion has been fueled as I have volunteered at Cook Childrens hospital as a Junior Cook volunteer and at Sparrow collective serving single mothers through child care and art classes. Being a light to those going through really tough times through this community service has brought me great joy. I have personal experience of staying stuck in the shadow of my depression while life passes me at a rapid pace. Since the age of twelve, I have struggled through a constant depression. I have been through countless therapists and treatment centers. I have been diagnosed with major depressive disorder, C-PTSD, anxiety, and adhd. Now that I am in a better place in my mental health, I don’t like to use those labels. As time has passed, I have developed coping skills and ways to assure myself through hard moments. A couple years ago, I would not be able to think critically in times of distress. It was not until after leaving a residential treatment center, that I realized I was the only one who could make the change for myself. I figured out that I had to want to get better, so I made it my goal to make a change. I have felt misunderstood and overlooked by people my age, for as long as I can remember. It has caused me to feel alienated and alone through my early teen years. Once I went through group therapy with other people my age, I finally understood that I am not the only person who struggled silently. I also came to understand that even the people who you would never think have anything bad going on, can have the most pain and hardships behind the scenes. Volunteering with these kids and families who obviously had scary things going on in their own lives definitely gave me insight into my own troubles. I also felt way less alone I have been inspired throughout these years of observing other people and myself, to be a person to make a difference in the lives of the hopeless. I plan to incorporate aspects of art and music in my strategies to help more people open up and understand their own feelings. I have found that through out my life, art has been a huge part of ultimately understanding who I am and who I want to be. I truly want to see people thrive and enjoy the things that life gives them, even in the eye of the storms that they are going through. This scholarship would help me pursue my college education for this life long calling.

I am pursuing a career as a licensed professional counselor because I have a deep desire to help others who are hurting. My passion has been fueled as I have volunteered at Cook Childrens hospital as a Junior Cook volunteer and at Sparrow collective serving single mothers through child care and art classes. Being a light to those going through really tough times through this community service has brought me great joy. I have personal experience of staying stuck in the shadow of my depression while life passes me at a rapid pace. Since the age of twelve, I have struggled through a constant depression. I have been through countless therapists and treatment centers. I have been diagnosed with major depressive disorder, C-PTSD, anxiety, and adhd. Now that I am in a better place in my mental health, I don’t like to use those labels. As time has passed, I have developed coping skills and ways to assure myself through hard moments. A couple years ago, I would not be able to think critically in times of distress. It was not until after leaving a residential treatment center, that I realized I was the only one who could make the change for myself. I figured out that I had to want to get better, so I made it my goal to make a change. I have felt misunderstood and overlooked by people my age, for as long as I can remember. It has caused me to feel alienated and alone through my early teen years. Once I went through group therapy with other people my age, I finally understood that I am not the only person who struggled silently. I also came to understand that even the people who you would never think have anything bad going on, can have the most pain and hardships behind the scenes. Volunteering with these kids and families who obviously had scary things going on in their own lives definitely gave me insight into my own troubles. I also felt way less alone I have been inspired throughout these years of observing other people and myself, to be a person to make a difference in the lives of the hopeless. I plan to incorporate aspects of art and music in my strategies to help more people open up and understand their own feelings. I have found that through out my life, art has been a huge part of ultimately understanding who I am and who I want to be. I truly want to see people thrive and enjoy the things that life gives them, even in the eye of the storms that they are going through. This scholarship would help me pursue my college education for this life long calling.

I am pursuing a career as a licensed professional counselor because I have a deep desire to help others who are hurting. My passion has been fueled as I have volunteered at Cook Childrens hospital as a Junior Cook volunteer and at Sparrow collective serving single mothers through child care and art classes. Being a light to those going through really tough times through this community service has brought me great joy. I have personal experience of staying stuck in the shadow of my depression while life passes me at a rapid pace. Since the age of twelve, I have struggled through a constant depression. I have been through countless therapists and treatment centers. I have been diagnosed with major depressive disorder, C-PTSD, anxiety, and adhd. Now that I am in a better place in my mental health, I don’t like to use those labels. As time has passed, I have developed coping skills and ways to assure myself through hard moments. A couple years ago, I would not be able to think critically in times of distress. It was not until after leaving a residential treatment center, that I realized I was the only one who could make the change for myself. I figured out that I had to want to get better, so I made it my goal to make a change. I have felt misunderstood and overlooked by people my age, for as long as I can remember. It has caused me to feel alienated and alone through my early teen years. Once I went through group therapy with other people my age, I finally understood that I am not the only person who struggled silently. I also came to understand that even the people who you would never think have anything bad going on, can have the most pain and hardships behind the scenes. Volunteering with these kids and families who obviously had scary things going on in their own lives definitely gave me insight into my own troubles. I also felt way less alone I have been inspired throughout these years of observing other people and myself, to be a person to make a difference in the lives of the hopeless. I plan to incorporate aspects of art and music in my strategies to help more people open up and understand their own feelings. I have found that through out my life, art has been a huge part of ultimately understanding who I am and who I want to be. I truly want to see people thrive and enjoy the things that life gives them, even in the eye of the storms that they are going through. This scholarship would help me pursue my college education for this life long calling.

My art teacher has inspired me to live my life to the fullest even in the darkest days. I am pursuing a career as a licensed professional counselor because I have a deep desire to help others who are hurting. I have personal experience of staying stuck in the shadow of my depression while life passes me at a rapid pace. Since twelve, I have struggled through a constant depression. I have been through countless therapists and treatment centers. The more treatment I attended, the more hopeless it got. I had no eyes to see or ears to hear the tools that they taught. I have been diagnosed with major depressive disorder, C-PTSD, anxiety, and adhd. Now that I am in a better place in my mental health, I don’t like to use those labels. During my hardest days, I had a teacher named Mrs. Fitzsimmons who encouraged me to create with my art. She let me come to her room when having a difficult time and paint or draw. Somehow she saw when I was stuck and found ways to convince me to find joy in projects. One day, she gave me this tiny little toy elephant that was the size of my fingernail. It was so ridiculously small, I could not help but laugh. She has always wanted me to excel in drawing, but I know she cared most about my mental health and helping me thrive. As time has passed, I have developed coping skills and ways to assure myself through hard moments. A couple years ago, I would not be able to think critically in times of distress. It was not until after leaving a residential treatment center, that I realized I was the only one who could make the change for myself. I figured out that I had to want to get better, so I made it my goal to make a change. I have felt misunderstood and overlooked by people my age, for as long as I can remember. It has caused me to feel alienated and alone through my early teen years. Once I went through group therapy with other people my age, I finally understood that I am not the only person who struggled silently. I also came to understand that even the people who you would never think have anything bad going on, can have the most pain and hardships behind the scenes. I have been inspired throughout these years of observing other people and myself, to be a person to make a difference in the lives of the hopeless, just like Ms. Fitzsimmons. I plan to incorporate aspects of art and music in my strategies as a counselor to help more people open up and understand their own feelings. I have found that through out my life, art has been a huge part of ultimately understanding who I am and who I want to be. I truly want to see people thrive and enjoy the things that life gives them, even in the eye of the storms that they are going through. This scholarship would help me pursue my college education for this life long calling.

I am pursuing a career as a licensed professional counselor because I have a deep desire to help others who are hurting. I have personal experience of staying stuck in the shadow of my depression while life passes me at a rapid pace. Since twelve, I have struggled through a constant depression. I endured bullying online on an app called Musikly at the time. I didn't share it with my parents, because I thought they would take away my new phone. I have been through countless therapists and treatment centers. The more treatment I attended, the more hopeless it got. I had no eyes to see or ears to hear the tools that they taught. I have been diagnosed with major depressive disorder, C-PTSD, anxiety, and adhd. Now that I am in a better place in my mental health, I don’t like to use those labels. Recently, I discovered that most of this was originally caused by a missed diagnosis of Hashimotos. As time has passed, I have developed coping skills and ways to assure myself through hard moments. A couple years ago, I would not be able to think critically in times of distress. It was not until after leaving a residential treatment center, that I realized I was the only one who could make the change for myself. I figured out that I had to want to get better, so I made it my goal to make a change. I have felt misunderstood and overlooked by people my age, for as long as I can remember. It has caused me to feel alienated and alone through my early teen years. Once I went through group therapy with other people my age, I finally understood that I am not the only person who struggled silently. I also came to understand that even the people who you would never think have anything bad going on, can have the most pain and hardships behind the scenes. I have the ability to notice those that are being made fun of, and I now have the confidence to step in and take up for them. If I see someone by themselves, I now feel compelled to sit with them or bring them into the conversation. Just like negative actions become easier with a crowd, I've noticed others will join others in a positive way. I now feel empowered to be the first one to be positive in others' lives. I have been inspired throughout these years of observing other people and myself, to be a person to make a difference in the lives of the hopeless. I plan to incorporate aspects of art and music in my strategies to help more people open up and understand their own feelings. I have found that through out my life, art has been a huge part of ultimately understanding who I am and who I want to be. I truly want to see people thrive and enjoy the things that life gives them, even in the eye of the storms that they are going through. This scholarship would help me pursue my college education for this life long calling. I will have to pay for my own college. Over the past four years, I have volunteered at my local Childrens hospital (COOKS CHILDRENS) as a junior volunteer, at Sparrow Collective teaching art to kids of single moms during their mentoring sessions, and at Eagles View community outreach. These experiences have also increased my desire to be a counselor to teens who were bullied like me and need a safe adult to help them process their pain.

I am pursuing a career as a licensed professional counselor because I have a deep desire to help others who are hurting. I have personal experience of staying stuck in the shadow of my depression while life passes me at a rapid pace. Since I twelve, I have struggled through a constant depression. I have been through countless therapists and treatment centers. The more treatment I attended, the more hopeless it got. I had no eyes to see or ears to hear the tools that they taught. I have been diagnosed with major depressive disorder, C-PTSD, anxiety, and adhd. Now that I am in a better place in my mental health, I don’t like to use those labels. Recently, I discovered that most of this was originally caused by a missed diagnosis of Hashimotos. My ADHD has caused me to really have to use strategies to keep up with things, to manage my time better, and to pay closer attention to social cues of friends around me. I feel overwhelmed by big projects, so I usually have to come up with ways to break them into smaller pieces. To be honest, I own like four types of calendars but I have struggled to manage any of them. I tend to procrastinate if I don't set lots of goals, because I need the pressure of stress to get started. This is the first year that I am finding some methods to the madness of school work. As time has passed, I have developed coping skills and ways to assure myself through hard moments. A couple years ago, I would not be able to think critically in times of distress. It was not until after leaving a residential treatment center, that I realized I was the only one who could make the change for myself. I figured out that I had to want to get better, so I made it my goal to make a change. I have felt misunderstood and overlooked by people my age, for as long as I can remember. It has caused me to feel alienated and alone through my early teen years. Once I went through group therapy with other people my age, I finally understood that I am not the only person who struggled silently. I also came to understand that even the people who you would never think have anything bad going on, can have the most pain and hardships behind the scenes. I have been inspired throughout these years of observing other people and myself, to be a person to make a difference in the lives of the hopeless. I plan to incorporate aspects of art and music in my strategies to help more people open up and understand their own feelings. I have found that through out my life, art has been a huge part of ultimately understanding who I am and who I want to be. I truly want to see people thrive and enjoy the things that life gives them, even in the eye of the storms that they are going through. This scholarship would help me pursue my college education for this life long calling.

I am pursuing a career as a licensed professional counselor because I have a deep desire to help others who are hurting. I have personal experience of staying stuck in the shadow of my depression while life passes me at a rapid pace. Since I twelve, I have struggled through a constant depression. I have been through countless therapists and treatment centers. The more treatment I attended, the more hopeless it got. I had no eyes to see or ears to hear the tools that they taught. I have been diagnosed with major depressive disorder, C-PTSD, anxiety, and adhd. Now that I am in a better place in my mental health, I don’t like to use those labels. Recently, I discovered that most of this was originally caused by a missed diagnosis of Hashimotos. My ADHD has caused me to really have to use strategies to keep up with things, to manage my time better, and to pay closer attention to social cues of friends around me. I feel overwhelmed by big projects, so I usually have to come up with ways to break them into smaller pieces. To be honest, I own like four types of calendars but I have struggled to manage any of them. I tend to procrastinate if I don't set lots of goals, because I need the pressure of stress to get started. This is the first year that I am finding some methods to the madness of school work. As time has passed, I have developed coping skills and ways to assure myself through hard moments. A couple years ago, I would not be able to think critically in times of distress. It was not until after leaving a residential treatment center, that I realized I was the only one who could make the change for myself. I figured out that I had to want to get better, so I made it my goal to make a change. I have felt misunderstood and overlooked by people my age, for as long as I can remember. It has caused me to feel alienated and alone through my early teen years. Once I went through group therapy with other people my age, I finally understood that I am not the only person who struggled silently. I also came to understand that even the people who you would never think have anything bad going on, can have the most pain and hardships behind the scenes. I have been inspired throughout these years of observing other people and myself, to be a person to make a difference in the lives of the hopeless. I plan to incorporate aspects of art and music in my strategies to help more people open up and understand their own feelings. I have found that through out my life, art has been a huge part of ultimately understanding who I am and who I want to be. I truly want to see people thrive and enjoy the things that life gives them, even in the eye of the storms that they are going through. This scholarship would help me pursue my college education for this life long calling.

I am pursuing a career as a licensed professional counselor because I have a deep desire to help others who are hurting. I have personal experience of staying stuck in the shadow of my depression while life passes me at a rapid pace. Since I was twelve, I have struggled through a constant depression. I have been through countless therapists and treatment centers. The more treatment I attended, the more hopeless it got. I had no eyes to see or ears to hear the tools that they taught. I have been diagnosed with major depressive disorder, C-PTSD, anxiety, and adhd. Now that I am in a better place in my mental health, I don’t like to use those labels. Recently, I discovered that most of this was originally caused by a missed diagnosis of Hashimotos. As time has passed, I have developed coping skills and ways to assure myself through hard moments. A couple years ago, I would not be able to think critically in times of distress. It was not until after leaving a residential treatment center, that I realized I was the only one who could make the change for myself. I figured out that I had to want to get better, so I made it my goal to make a change. I have felt misunderstood and overlooked by people my age, for as long as I can remember. It has caused me to feel alienated and alone through my early teen years. Once I went through group therapy with other people my age, I finally understood that I am not the only person who struggled silently. I also came to understand that even the people who you would never think have anything bad going on, can have the most pain and hardships behind the scenes. Certain teachers from my high school have had an enormous impact on my ability to want to pursue my dream of being a counselor. My art teacher gave me an outlet to process the pain. My history teacher encouraged me to pursue a 504 to help assist with my ADHD. They have helped at times to give me direction. My ELAR teacher encouraged me to study about my diagnoses. As I armed myself with information about what I was going through, it gave me a sense of more control over my life. The more I digested about symptoms and other people's experiences, I felt less alone. I transferred to a different high school with a hybrid online and in school college prep schedule. This transition has helped me to work on my time management skills required for college level courses. With these changes and the help of my teachers, I have worked really hard to complete my work. I am thriving in school now and increasing my GPA. I only wish I had reached out sooner to my parents and teachers. I have been inspired throughout these years of observing other people and myself, to be a person to make a difference in the lives of the hopeless just as my teachers and counselors have done for me. I plan to incorporate aspects of art and music in my strategies to help more people open up and understand their own feelings. I have found that throughout my life, art has been a huge part of ultimately understanding who I am and who I want to be. Music also gives me the words to express how I feel when I cannot find them. I truly want to see people thrive and enjoy the things that life gives them, even in the eye of the storms that they are going through. This scholarship would help me pursue my college education for this life long calling. As a licensed professional counselor, I hope to help other teens that have struggled the same ways that I have. In college, I plan to work as a tech in some of these treatment centers in which I have had therapy. I would like to help the teens continue their studies while receiving medical treatment. I would like to be in those dark spaces, but as a light to kids who can't see through the darkness. I want to be the hope that gets them to their next season. The truth is that my family has spent thousands from their savings towards my medical issues. This scholarship would be one way in which it would ease the burden on my parents financially. Thank you so much for your time and consideration.

I am pursuing a career as a licensed professional counselor because I have a deep desire to help others who are hurting. I have personal experience of staying stuck in the shadow of my depression while life passes me at a rapid pace. Since I twelve, I have struggled through a constant depression. I have been through countless therapists and treatment centers. The more treatment I attended, the more hopeless it got. I had no eyes to see or ears to hear the tools that they taught. I have been diagnosed with major depressive disorder, C-PTSD, anxiety, and adhd. Now that I am in a better place in my mental health, I don’t like to use those labels. Recently, I discovered that most of this was originally caused by a missed diagnosis of Hashimotos. As time has passed, I have developed coping skills and ways to assure myself through hard moments. A couple years ago, I would not be able to think critically in times of distress. It was not until after leaving a residential treatment center, that I realized I was the only one who could make the change for myself. I figured out that I had to want to get better, so I made it my goal to make a change. I have felt misunderstood and overlooked by people my age, for as long as I can remember. It has caused me to feel alienated and alone through my early teen years. Once I went through group therapy with other people my age, I finally understood that I am not the only person who struggled silently. I also came to understand that even the people who you would never think have anything bad going on, can have the most pain and hardships behind the scenes. I have been inspired throughout these years of observing other people and myself, to be a person to make a difference in the lives of the hopeless. I plan to incorporate aspects of art and music in my strategies to help more people open up and understand their own feelings. I have found that through out my life, art has been a huge part of ultimately understanding who I am and who I want to be. I truly want to see people thrive and enjoy the things that life gives them, even in the eye of the storms that they are going through. This scholarship would help me pursue my college education for this life long calling. Thank you so much for this opportunity.

I am pursuing a career as a licensed professional counselor because I have a deep desire to help others who are hurting. I have personal experience of staying stuck in the shadow of my depression while life passes me at a rapid pace. Since I twelve, I have struggled through a constant depression. I have been through countless therapists and treatment centers. The more treatment I attended, the more hopeless it got. I had no eyes to see or ears to hear the tools that they taught. I have been diagnosed with major depressive disorder, C-PTSD, anxiety, and adhd. Now that I am in a better place in my mental health, I don’t like to use those labels. Recently, I discovered that most of this was originally caused by a missed diagnosis of Hashimotos. As time has passed, I have developed coping skills and ways to assure myself through hard moments. A couple years ago, I would not be able to think critically in times of distress. It was not until after leaving a residential treatment center, that I realized I was the only one who could make the change for myself. I figured out that I had to want to get better, so I made it my goal to make a change. I have felt misunderstood and overlooked by people my age, for as long as I can remember. It has caused me to feel alienated and alone through my early teen years. Once I went through group therapy with other people my age, I finally understood that I am not the only person who struggled silently. I also came to understand that even the people who you would never think have anything bad going on, can have the most pain and hardships behind the scenes. I have been inspired throughout these years of observing other people and myself, to be a person to make a difference in the lives of the hopeless. I plan to incorporate aspects of art and music in my strategies to help more people open up and understand their own feelings. I have found that through out my life, art has been a huge part of ultimately understanding who I am and who I want to be. I truly want to see people thrive and enjoy the things that life gives them, even in the eye of the storms that they are going through. This scholarship would help me pursue my college education for this life long calling. I have set up the supports that I need to continue into college. I plan on continuing my counseling weekly, taking my prescribed medications daily, and joining the gym at school. I also plan on joining an art studio to have a place to paint. I also want to make friends who love music and going to concerts! Limiting my school casseload for the first two semesters might also help me manage the transition. Of course, my parents are always there to support me when I ask. I'm getting better at asking for help when I need it. Thank you so much for this opportunity!

I am pursuing a career as a licensed professional counselor because I have a deep desire to help others who are hurting. I have personal experience of staying stuck in the shadow of my depression while life passes me at a rapid pace. Since I twelve, I have struggled through a constant depression. I have been through countless therapists and treatment centers. The more treatment I attended, the more hopeless it got. I had no eyes to see or ears to hear the tools that they taught. I have been diagnosed with major depressive disorder, C-PTSD, anxiety, and adhd. Now that I am in a better place in my mental health, I don’t like to use those labels. Recently, I discovered that most of this was originally caused by a missed diagnosis of Hashimotos. As time has passed, I have developed coping skills and ways to assure myself through hard moments. A couple years ago, I would not be able to think critically in times of distress. It was not until after leaving a residential treatment center, that I realized I was the only one who could make the change for myself. I figured out that I had to want to get better, so I made it my goal to make a change. I have felt misunderstood and overlooked by people my age, for as long as I can remember. It has caused me to feel alienated and alone through my early teen years. Once I went through group therapy with other people my age, I finally understood that I am not the only person who struggled silently. I also came to understand that even the people who you would never think have anything bad going on, can have the most pain and hardships behind the scenes. I have been inspired throughout these years of observing other people and myself, to be a person to make a difference in the lives of the hopeless. I plan to incorporate aspects of art and music in my strategies to help more people open up and understand their own feelings. I have found that through out my life, art has been a huge part of ultimately understanding who I am and who I want to be. I truly want to see people thrive and enjoy the things that life gives them, even in the eye of the storms that they are going through. This scholarship would help me pursue my college education for this life long calling.

I am pursuing a career as a licensed professional counselor because I have a deep desire to help others who are hurting. I have personal experience of staying stuck in the shadow of my depression while life passes me at a rapid pace. Since I twelve, I have struggled through a constant depression. I have been through countless therapists and treatment centers. The more treatment I attended, the more hopeless it got. I had no eyes to see or ears to hear the tools that they taught. I have been diagnosed with major depressive disorder, C-PTSD, anxiety, and adhd. Now that I am in a better place in my mental health, I don’t like to use those labels. Recently, I discovered that most of this was originally caused by a missed diagnosis of Hashimotos. As time has passed, I have developed coping skills and ways to assure myself through hard moments. A couple years ago, I would not be able to think critically in times of distress. It was not until after leaving a residential treatment center, that I realized I was the only one who could make the change for myself. I figured out that I had to want to get better, so I made it my goal to make a change. I have felt misunderstood and overlooked by people my age, for as long as I can remember. It has caused me to feel alienated and alone through my early teen years. Once I went through group therapy with other people my age, I finally understood that I am not the only person who struggled silently. I also came to understand that even the people who you would never think have anything bad going on, can have the most pain and hardships behind the scenes. I have been inspired throughout these years of observing other people and myself, to be a person to make a difference in the lives of the hopeless. I plan to incorporate aspects of art and music in my strategies to help more people open up and understand their own feelings. I have found that through out my life, art has been a huge part of ultimately understanding who I am and who I want to be. I truly want to see people thrive and enjoy the things that life gives them, even in the eye of the storms that they are going through. This scholarship would help me pursue my college education for this life long calling.

I am pursuing a career as a licensed professional counselor because I have a deep desire to help others who are hurting. I have personal experience of staying stuck in the shadow of my depression while life passes me at a rapid pace. Since I twelve, I have struggled through a constant depression. I have been through countless therapists and treatment centers. The more treatment I attended, the more hopeless it got. I had no eyes to see or ears to hear the tools that they taught. I have been diagnosed with major depressive disorder, C-PTSD, anxiety, and adhd. Now that I am in a better place in my mental health, I don’t like to use those labels. Recently, I discovered that most of this was originally caused by a missed diagnosis of Hashimotos. As time has passed, I have developed coping skills and ways to assure myself through hard moments. A couple years ago, I would not be able to think critically in times of distress. It was not until after leaving a residential treatment center, that I realized I was the only one who could make the change for myself. I figured out that I had to want to get better, so I made it my goal to make a change. I have felt misunderstood and overlooked by people my age, for as long as I can remember. It has caused me to feel alienated and alone through my early teen years. Once I went through group therapy with other people my age, I finally understood that I am not the only person who struggled silently. I also came to understand that even the people who you would never think have anything bad going on, can have the most pain and hardships behind the scenes. I have been inspired throughout these years of observing other people and myself, to be a person to make a difference in the lives of the hopeless. I plan to incorporate aspects of art and music in my strategies to help more people open up and understand their own feelings. I have found that through out my life, art has been a huge part of ultimately understanding who I am and who I want to be. I truly want to see people thrive and enjoy the things that life gives them, even in the eye of the storms that they are going through.

I am pursuing a career as a licensed professional counselor because I have a deep desire to help others who are hurting. I have personal experience of my mind staying stuck in the shadow of my depression while my life passes me at a rapid pace. Since I was 12 years old, I have struggled through a constant depression. I have been through countless therapists and treatment centers. The more treatment that I attended, the more hopeless it got. In my sadness, I was blinded. I had no eyes to see or ears to hear the tools that they were teaching me. I have been diagnosed with major depressive disorder, C-PTSD, anxiety, and adhd. But now that I am at a better place in my mental health, I don’t like to use those labels. Recently, I discovered that most of this was originally caused by a missed diagnosis of Hashimotos. I’m thankful for my 504 to help me with these challenges in school. I have used my therapist, whom I love dearly, as an outlet from my chaotic life and emotional turmoil. As time has passed, I have developed coping skills and ways to assure myself through hard moments. A couple years ago, I would not be able to think critically in times of distress. It was not until after leaving a residential treatment center, that I realized I was the only one who could make the change for myself. I figured out that I had to want to get better, so I made it my goal to make a change. I have felt misunderstood and overlooked by people my age, for as long as I can remember. It has caused me to feel alienated and alone through my early teen years. Once I went through group therapy with other people my age, I finally understood that I am not the only person who struggled silently. I also came to understand that even the people who you would never think have anything bad going on, can have the most pain and hardships behind the scenes. I have been inspired throughout these years of observing other people and myself, to be a person to make a difference in the lives of the hopeless. I plan to incorporate aspects of art and music in my strategies to help more people open up and understand their own feelings. I have found that through out my life, art has been a huge part of ultimately understanding who I am and who I want to be. Music has also given me words to put to the confusing emotions that have spiraled through me. I truly want to see people thrive and enjoy the things that life gives them, even in the eye of the storms that they are going through. I do know that there is so much beauty in pain, and I can not wait to help open others’ eyes to see it.

I am pursuing a career as a licensed professional counselor because I have a deep desire to help others who are hurting. I have personal experience of my mind staying stuck in the shadow of my depression while my life passes me at a rapid pace. Since I was 12 years old, I have struggled through a constant depression. I have been through countless therapists and treatment centers. The more treatment that I attended, the more hopeless it got. In my sadness, I was blinded. I had no eyes to see or ears to hear the tools that they were teaching me. I have been diagnosed with major depressive disorder, C-PTSD, anxiety, and adhd. But now that I am at a better place in my mental health, I don’t like to use those labels. Recently, I discovered that most of this was originally caused by a missed diagnosis of Hashimotos. I’m thankful for my 504 to help me with these challenges in school. I have used my therapist, whom I love dearly, as an outlet from my chaotic life and emotional turmoil. As time has passed, I have developed coping skills and ways to assure myself through hard moments. A couple years ago, I would not be able to think critically in times of distress. It was not until after leaving a residential treatment center, that I realized I was the only one who could make the change for myself. I figured out that I had to want to get better, so I made it my goal to make a change. I have felt misunderstood and overlooked by people my age, for as long as I can remember. It has caused me to feel alienated and alone through my early teen years. Once I went through group therapy with other people my age, I finally understood that I am not the only person who struggled silently. I also came to understand that even the people who you would never think have anything bad going on, can have the most pain and hardships behind the scenes. I have been inspired throughout these years of observing other people and myself, to be a person to make a difference in the lives of the hopeless. I plan to incorporate aspects of art and music in my strategies to help more people open up and understand their own feelings. I have found that through out my life, art has been a huge part of ultimately understanding who I am and who I want to be. Music has also given me words to put to the confusing emotions that have spiraled through me. I truly want to see people thrive and enjoy the things that life gives them, even in the eye of the storms that they are going through. I do know that there is so much beauty in pain, and I can not wait to help open others’ eyes to see it.

I am pursuing a career as a licensed professional counselor because I have a deep desire to help others who are hurting. I have personal experience of my mind staying stuck in the shadow of my depression while my life passes me at a rapid pace. Since I was 12 years old, I have struggled through a constant depression. I have been through countless therapists and treatment centers. The more treatment that I attended, the more hopeless it got. In my sadness, I was blinded. I had no eyes to see or ears to hear the tools that they were teaching me. I have been diagnosed with major depressive disorder, C-PTSD, anxiety, and adhd. But now that I am at a better place in my mental health, I don’t like to use those labels. Recently, I discovered that most of this was originally caused by a missed diagnosis of Hashimotos. I’m thankful for my 504 to help me with these challenges in school. I have used my therapist, whom I love dearly, as an outlet from my chaotic life and emotional turmoil. As time has passed, I have developed coping skills and ways to assure myself through hard moments. A couple years ago, I would not be able to think critically in times of distress. It was not until after leaving a residential treatment center, that I realized I was the only one who could make the change for myself. I figured out that I had to want to get better, so I made it my goal to make a change. I have felt misunderstood and overlooked by people my age, for as long as I can remember. It has caused me to feel alienated and alone through my early teen years. Once I went through group therapy with other people my age, I finally understood that I am not the only person who struggled silently. I also came to understand that even the people who you would never think have anything bad going on, can have the most pain and hardships behind the scenes. I have been inspired throughout these years of observing other people and myself, to be a person to make a difference in the lives of the hopeless. I plan to incorporate aspects of art and music in my strategies to help more people open up and understand their own feelings. I have found that through out my life, art has been a huge part of ultimately understanding who I am and who I want to be. Music has also given me words to put to the confusing emotions that have spiraled through me. I truly want to see people thrive and enjoy the things that life gives them, even in the eye of the storms that they are going through. I do know that there is so much beauty in pain, and I can not wait to help open others’ eyes to see it.

I am pursuing a career as a licensed professional counselor because I have a deep desire to help others who are hurting. I have personal experience of my mind staying stuck in the shadow of my depression while my life passes me at a rapid pace. Since I was 12 years old, I have struggled through a constant depression. I have been through countless therapists and treatment centers. The more treatment that I attended, the more hopeless it got. In my sadness, I was blinded. I had no eyes to see or ears to hear the tools that they were teaching me. I have been diagnosed with major depressive disorder, C-PTSD, anxiety, and adhd. But now that I am at a better place in my mental health, I don’t like to use those labels. Recently, I discovered that most of this was originally caused by a missed diagnosis of Hashimotos. I’m thankful for my 504 to help me with these challenges in school. I have used my therapist, whom I love dearly, as an outlet from my chaotic life and emotional turmoil. As time has passed, I have developed coping skills and ways to assure myself through hard moments. A couple years ago, I would not be able to think critically in times of distress. It was not until after leaving a residential treatment center, that I realized I was the only one who could make the change for myself. I figured out that I had to want to get better, so I made it my goal to make a change. I have felt misunderstood and overlooked by people my age, for as long as I can remember. It has caused me to feel alienated and alone through my early teen years. Once I went through group therapy with other people my age, I finally understood that I am not the only person who struggled silently. I also came to understand that even the people who you would never think have anything bad going on, can have the most pain and hardships behind the scenes. I have been inspired throughout these years of observing other people and myself, to be a person to make a difference in the lives of the hopeless. I plan to incorporate aspects of art and music in my strategies to help more people open up and understand their own feelings. I have found that through out my life, art has been a huge part of ultimately understanding who I am and who I want to be. Music has also given me words to put to the confusing emotions that have spiraled through me. I truly want to see people thrive and enjoy the things that life gives them, even in the eye of the storms that they are going through. I do know that there is so much beauty in pain, and I can not wait to help open others’ eyes to see it.

I am pursuing a career as a licensed professional counselor because I have a deep desire to help others who are hurting. I have personal experience of my mind staying stuck in the shadow of my depression while my life passes me at a rapid pace. Since I was 12 years old, I have struggled through a constant depression. I have been through countless therapists and treatment centers. The more treatment that I attended, the more hopeless it got. In my sadness, I was blinded. I had no eyes to see or ears to hear the tools that they were teaching me. I have been diagnosed with major depressive disorder, C-PTSD, anxiety, and adhd. But now that I am at a better place in my mental health, I don’t like to use those labels. Recently, I discovered that most of this was originally caused by a missed diagnosis of Hashimotos. I try to remember that some people do not take medication like I am fortunately able to, some people do not get the opportunity to even get diagnosed and feel the validation that they are not just “going crazy.” I have used my therapist, whom I love dearly, as an outlet from my chaotic life and emotional turmoil. As time has passed, I have developed coping skills and ways to assure myself through hard moments. A couple years ago, I would not be able to think critically in times of distress. It was not until after leaving a residential treatment center, that I realized I was the only one who could make the change for myself. I figured out that I had to want to get better, so I made it my goal to make a change. I have felt misunderstood and overlooked by people my age, for as long as I can remember. It has caused me to feel alienated and alone through my early teen years. Once I went through group therapy with other people my age, I finally understood that I am not the only person who struggled silently. I also came to understand that even the people who you would never think have anything bad going on, can have the most pain and hardships behind the scenes. All of these experiences have grown empathy within me for others. I have been inspired throughout these years of observing other people and myself, to be a person to make a difference in the lives of the hopeless. I plan to incorporate aspects of art and music in my strategies to help more people open up and understand their own feelings. I have found that through out my life, art has been a huge part of ultimately understanding who I am and who I want to be. Music has also given me words to put to the confusing emotions that have spiraled through me. I truly want to see people thrive and enjoy the things that life gives them, even in the eye of the storms that they are going through. I do know that there is so much beauty in pain, and I can not wait to help open others’ eyes to see it.

I am pursuing a career as a licensed professional counselor because I have a deep desire to help others who are hurting. I have personal experience of my mind staying stuck in the shadow of my depression while my life passes me at a rapid pace. Since I was 12 years old, I have struggled through a constant depression. I have been through countless therapists and treatment centers. The more treatment that I attended, the more hopeless it got. In my sadness, I was blinded. I had no eyes to see or ears to hear the tools that they were teaching me. I have been diagnosed with major depressive disorder, C-PTSD, anxiety, and adhd. But now that I am at a better place in my mental health, I don’t like to use those labels. Recently, I discovered that most of this was originally caused by a missed diagnosis of Hashimotos. I try to remember that some people do not take medication like I am fortunately able to, some people do not get the opportunity to even get diagnosed and feel the validation that they are not just “going crazy.” I have used my therapist, whom I love dearly, as an outlet from my chaotic life and emotional turmoil. As time has passed, I have developed coping skills and ways to assure myself through hard moments. A couple years ago, I would not be able to think critically in times of distress. It was not until after leaving a residential treatment center, that I realized I was the only one who could make the change for myself. I figured out that I had to want to get better, so I made it my goal to make a change. I have felt misunderstood and overlooked by people my age, for as long as I can remember. It has caused me to feel alienated and alone through my early teen years. Once I went through group therapy with other people my age, I finally understood that I am not the only person who struggled silently. I also came to understand that even the people who you would never think have anything bad going on, can have the most pain and hardships behind the scenes. I have been inspired throughout these years of observing other people and myself, to be a person to make a difference in the lives of the hopeless. I plan to incorporate aspects of art and music in my strategies to help more people open up and understand their own feelings. I have found that through out my life, art has been a huge part of ultimately understanding who I am and who I want to be. Music has also given me words to put to the confusing emotions that have spiraled through me. I truly want to see people thrive and enjoy the things that life gives them, even in the eye of the storms that they are going through. I do know that there is so much beauty in pain, and I can not wait to help open others’ eyes to see it.

I am pursuing a career as a licensed professional counselor because I have a deep desire to help others who are hurting. I have personal experience of my mind staying stuck in the shadow of my depression while my life passes me at a rapid pace. Since I was 12 years old, I have struggled through a constant depression. I have been through countless therapists and treatment centers. The more treatment that I attended, the more hopeless it got. In my sadness, I was blinded. I had no eyes to see or ears to hear the tools that they were teaching me. I have been diagnosed with major depressive disorder, C-PTSD, anxiety, and adhd. But now that I am at a better place in my mental health, I don’t like to use those labels. Recently, I discovered that most of this was originally caused by a missed diagnosis of Hashimotos. I try to remember that some people do not take medication like I am fortunately able to, some people do not get the opportunity to even get diagnosed and feel the validation that they are not just “going crazy.” I have used my therapist, whom I love dearly, as an outlet from my chaotic life and emotional turmoil. As time has passed, I have developed coping skills and ways to assure myself through hard moments. A couple years ago, I would not be able to think critically in times of distress. It was not until after leaving a residential treatment center, that I realized I was the only one who could make the change for myself. I figured out that I had to want to get better, so I made it my goal to make a change. I have felt misunderstood and overlooked by people my age, for as long as I can remember. It has caused me to feel alienated and alone through my early teen years. Once I went through group therapy with other people my age, I finally understood that I am not the only person who struggled silently. I also came to understand that even the people who you would never think have anything bad going on, can have the most pain and hardships behind the scenes. I have been inspired throughout these years of observing other people and myself, to be a person to make a difference in the lives of the hopeless. I plan to incorporate aspects of art and music in my strategies to help more people open up and understand their own feelings. I have found that through out my life, art has been a huge part of ultimately understanding who I am and who I want to be. Music has also given me words to put to the confusing emotions that have spiraled through me. I truly want to see people thrive and enjoy the things that life gives them, even in the eye of the storms that they are going through. I do know that there is so much beauty in pain, and I can not wait to help open others’ eyes to see it.

I am pursuing a career as a licensed professional counselor because I have a deep desire to help others who are hurting. I have personal experience of my mind staying stuck in the shadow of my depression while my life passes me at a rapid pace. Since I was 12 years old, I have struggled through a constant depression. I have been through countless therapists and treatment centers. The more treatment that I attended, the more hopeless it got. In my sadness, I was blinded. I had no eyes to see or ears to hear the tools that they were teaching me. I have been diagnosed with major depressive disorder, C-PTSD, anxiety, and adhd. But now that I am at a better place in my mental health, I don’t like to use those labels. Recently, I discovered that most of this was originally caused by a missed diagnosis of Hashimotos. I try to remember that some people do not take medication like I am fortunately able to, some people do not get the opportunity to even get diagnosed and feel the validation that they are not just “going crazy.” I have used my therapist, whom I love dearly, as an outlet from my chaotic life and emotional turmoil. As time has passed, I have developed coping skills and ways to assure myself through hard moments. A couple years ago, I would not be able to think critically in times of distress. It was not until after leaving a residential treatment center, that I realized I was the only one who could make the change for myself. I figured out that I had to want to get better, so I made it my goal to make a change. I have felt misunderstood and overlooked by people my age, for as long as I can remember. It has caused me to feel alienated and alone through my early teen years. Once I went through group therapy with other people my age, I finally understood that I am not the only person who struggled silently. I also came to understand that even the people who you would never think have anything bad going on, can have the most pain and hardships behind the scenes. I have been inspired throughout these years of observing other people and myself, to be a person to make a difference in the lives of the hopeless. I plan to incorporate aspects of art and music in my strategies to help more people open up and understand their own feelings. I have found that through out my life, art has been a huge part of ultimately understanding who I am and who I want to be. Music has also given me words to put to the confusing emotions that have spiraled through me. I truly want to see people thrive and enjoy the things that life gives them, even in the eye of the storms that they are going through. I do know that there is so much beauty in pain, and I can not wait to help open others’ eyes to see it.

I am pursuing a career as a licensed professional counselor, because I have a deep desire to help others who are hurting. I have personal experience of my mind staying stuck in the shadow of my depression while my life passes me at a rapid pace. Since I was 12 years old, I have struggled through a constant depression. I have been through countless therapists and treatment centers. The more treatment that I attended, the more hopeless it got. In my sadness, I was blinded. I had no eyes to see or ears to hear the tools that they were teaching me. I have been diagnosed with major depressive disorder, C-PTSD, anxiety, and adhd. But now that I am at a better place in my mental health, I don’t like to use those labels. Recently, I discovered that most of this was originally caused by a missed diagnosis of Hashimotos. I try to remember that some people do not take medication like I am fortunately able to, some people do not get the opportunity to even get diagnosed and feel the validation that they are not just “going crazy.” I have used my therapist, whom I love dearly, as an outlet from my chaotic life and emotional turmoil. As time has passed, I have developed coping skills and ways to assure myself through hard moments. A couple years ago, I would not be able to think critically in times of distress. It was not until after leaving a residential treatment center, that I realized I was the only one who could make the change for myself. I figured out that I had to want to get better, so I made it my goal to make a change. I have felt misunderstood and overlooked by people my age, for as long as I can remember. It has caused me to feel alienated and alone through my early teen years. Once I went through group therapy with other people my age, I finally understood that I am not the only person who struggled silently. I also came to understand that even the people who you would never think have anything bad going on, can have the most pain and hardships behind the scenes. I have been inspired throughout these years of observing other people and myself, to be a person to make a difference in the lives of the hopeless. I plan to incorporate aspects of art and music in my strategies to help more people open up and understand their own feelings. I have found that through out my life, art has been a huge part of ultimately understanding who I am and who I want to be. Music has also given me words to put to the confusing emotions that have spiraled through me. I truly want to see people thrive and enjoy the things that life gives them, even in the eye of the storms that they are going through. I do know that there is so much beauty in pain, and I can not wait to help open others’ eyes to see it.

I have known adversity in my life for sure. The change I want to make involves seizing opportunities and resources I have that I know others do not have at their disposal. I am pursuing a career as a licensed professional counselor because I have a deep desire to help others who are hurting. I have personal experience of my mind staying stuck in the shadow of my depression while my life passes me at a rapid pace. Since I was 12 years old, I have struggled through a constant depression. I have been through countless therapists and treatment centers. The more treatment that I attended, the more hopeless it got. In my sadness, I was blinded. I had no eyes to see or ears to hear the tools that they were teaching me. I have been diagnosed with major depressive disorder, C-PTSD, anxiety, and adhd. But now that I am at a better place in my mental health, I don’t like to use those labels. Recently, I discovered that most of this was originally caused by a missed diagnosis of Hashimotos. I try to remember that some people do not take medication like I am fortunately able to, some people do not get the opportunity to even get diagnosed and feel the validation that they are not just “going crazy.” I have used my therapist, whom I love dearly, as an outlet from my chaotic life and emotional turmoil. As time has passed, I have developed coping skills and ways to assure myself through hard moments. A couple years ago, I would not be able to think critically in times of distress. It was not until after leaving a residential treatment center, that I realized I was the only one who could make the change for myself. I figured out that I had to want to get better, so I made it my goal to make a change. I have felt misunderstood and overlooked by people my age, for as long as I can remember. It has caused me to feel alienated and alone through my early teen years. Once I went through group therapy with other people my age, I finally understood that I am not the only person who struggled silently. I also came to understand that even the people who you would never think have anything bad going on, can have the most pain and hardships behind the scenes. I have been inspired throughout these years of observing other people and myself, to be a person to make a difference in the lives of the hopeless. I plan to incorporate aspects of art and music in my strategies to help more people open up and understand their own feelings. I have found that through out my life, art has been a huge part of ultimately understanding who I am and who I want to be. Music has also given me words to put to the confusing emotions that have spiraled through me. I truly want to see people thrive and enjoy the things that life gives them, even in the eye of the storms that they are going through. I do know that there is so much beauty in pain, and I can not wait to help open others’ eyes to see it.