I am pursuing a career in occupational therapy because of the deeply personal and transformative experiences I have had supporting individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. These experiences have shaped not only my understanding of care, but also my passion for helping children and adolescents build independence, dignity, and meaningful participation in their daily lives. Growing up with a brother who is nonverbal autistic and requires total care was my first introduction to the impact of occupational therapy. Through helping care for him, I learned how meaningful even the smallest skills can be. I assisted with tasks such as improving hand mobility, practicing daily activities like toileting and brushing teeth, and teaching him how to use the correct grip when holding a toothbrush. These moments showed me that progress is not always measured in large milestones, but in consistent, patient support that empowers someone to engage more fully with their environment. My brother taught me the importance of adapting care to meet each individual’s unique needs, a principle that is at the core of occupational therapy. My passion for this field deepened when my father experienced a stroke. During his recovery, I became actively involved in supporting his occupational therapy journey. I helped him relearn essential skills such as speaking, writing, toileting, and even driving. Witnessing his frustration, determination, and eventual progress gave me a profound appreciation for the role occupational therapists play in restoring independence and confidence. This experience showed me that occupational therapy is not just about physical recovery, but about helping individuals reclaim their identity and sense of self after life-altering events. In addition to my personal experiences, my professional background as a mental health technician has further solidified my commitment to this field. I worked closely with an adolescent with autism who also required total care. During this time, I had the opportunity to shadow an occupational therapist and actively participate in interventions. Together, we worked on teaching sign language, toileting skills, and proper grip for eating. We also implemented strategies to help the adolescent cope with self-injurious behaviors. This experience allowed me to see firsthand how occupational therapy can address both physical and behavioral challenges, creating a more holistic approach to care. Through these combined experiences, I have developed a strong desire to support children and adolescents with intellectual disabilities. I am particularly passionate about early intervention and skill-building, as these are critical periods for growth and development. I want to help children gain the tools they need to communicate, care for themselves, and participate in meaningful activities, ultimately improving their quality of life. Occupational therapy aligns with my values of compassion, patience, and advocacy. It allows me to combine my personal experiences with professional skills to make a tangible difference in the lives of others. I am committed to creating supportive, individualized environments where children and adolescents feel empowered to reach their full potential. Pursuing a career in occupational therapy is not just a professional goal for me, but a continuation of the work that has already shaped who I am today.

My journey with mental health has been shaped by grief, survival, and ultimately, growth. It is not a linear story, but one marked by loss, resilience, and the gradual rebuilding of my sense of self. These experiences have deeply influenced my beliefs, relationships, and my commitment to pursuing a career in occupational therapy within the mental health field. I was first introduced to mental health struggles at a young age through profound personal loss. The deaths of my father and grandmother were not only devastating but also formative. At just 13 years old, I turned to substances as a way to cope with overwhelming grief. What began as an attempt to numb pain became a pattern that followed me throughout my adolescence and into early adulthood. Substance use became less about choice and more about survival, a way to avoid confronting emotions that felt too heavy to carry. As I entered college, these struggles intensified. The death of my father during this time compounded my grief, making it even more difficult to maintain stability. Around the same period, I found myself in a physically abusive relationship. This experience further isolated me and reinforced patterns of secrecy and self-reliance. I hid both the abuse and my addictions from those closest to me, convinced that vulnerability would only lead to more pain or judgment. These experiences shaped my early beliefs about relationships, teaching me to equate love with endurance rather than safety, and independence with isolation rather than strength. Despite these challenges, there came a turning point. I made the decision to leave that relationship and remove myself from the environment that was perpetuating my pain. It marked the beginning of reclaiming control over my life. Moving to New Mexico became a fresh start, both physically and emotionally. For the first time, I experienced what it felt like to be surrounded by a supportive community. Working as a mental health technician at the University of New Mexico Children’s Psychiatric Hospital was a pivotal part of my healing journey. In that role, I worked closely with children and adolescents who were navigating their own mental health challenges. I saw reflections of my younger self in many of them, the same pain, confusion, and desire to be understood. This experience not only deepened my empathy but also helped me reframe my past. Rather than viewing my struggles solely as obstacles, I began to see them as sources of insight and connection. It was through this work that I discovered occupational therapy. I was drawn to its holistic approach; one that recognizes the importance of meaningful activities, routines, and environments in shaping mental health. Occupational therapy aligned with my belief that healing is not just about reducing symptoms, but about helping individuals build lives that feel purposeful and fulfilling. My own journey showed me how powerful it can be to regain a sense of agency and identity. These experiences have also reshaped how I approach relationships. I have learned the importance of vulnerability, boundaries, and trust. Where I once felt the need to hide my struggles, I now understand the value of sharing them in safe and supportive spaces. My relationships today are grounded in authenticity rather than fear, and that shift has been essential to my continued growth. Ultimately, my journey with mental health adversity has not defined me, but it has shaped me. It has instilled in me a deep sense of compassion, resilience, and purpose. As I pursue a career in occupational therapy, I carry these lessons with me, committed to supporting others as they navigate their own paths toward healing.

My journey with mental health has been shaped by grief, survival, and ultimately, growth. It is not a linear story, but one marked by loss, resilience, and the gradual rebuilding of my sense of self. These experiences have deeply influenced my beliefs, relationships, and my commitment to pursuing a career in occupational therapy within the mental health field. I was first introduced to mental health struggles at a young age through profound personal loss. The deaths of my father and grandmother were not only devastating but also formative. At just 13 years old, I turned to substances as a way to cope with overwhelming grief. What began as an attempt to numb pain became a pattern that followed me throughout my adolescence and into early adulthood. Substance use became less about choice and more about survival, a way to avoid confronting emotions that felt too heavy to carry. As I entered college, these struggles intensified. The death of my father during this time compounded my grief, making it even more difficult to maintain stability. Around the same period, I found myself in a physically abusive relationship. This experience further isolated me and reinforced patterns of secrecy and self-reliance. I hid both the abuse and my addictions from those closest to me, convinced that vulnerability would only lead to more pain or judgment. These experiences shaped my early beliefs about relationships, teaching me to equate love with endurance rather than safety, and independence with isolation rather than strength. Despite these challenges, there came a turning point. I made the decision to leave that relationship and remove myself from the environment that was perpetuating my pain. It marked the beginning of reclaiming control over my life. Moving to New Mexico became a fresh start, both physically and emotionally. For the first time, I experienced what it felt like to be surrounded by a supportive community. Working as a mental health technician at the University of New Mexico Children’s Psychiatric Hospital was a pivotal part of my healing journey. In that role, I worked closely with children and adolescents who were navigating their own mental health challenges. I saw reflections of my younger self in many of them, the same pain, confusion, and desire to be understood. This experience not only deepened my empathy but also helped me reframe my past. Rather than viewing my struggles solely as obstacles, I began to see them as sources of insight and connection. It was through this work that I discovered occupational therapy. I was drawn to its holistic approach; one that recognizes the importance of meaningful activities, routines, and environments in shaping mental health. Occupational therapy aligned with my belief that healing is not just about reducing symptoms, but about helping individuals build lives that feel purposeful and fulfilling. My own journey showed me how powerful it can be to regain a sense of agency and identity. These experiences have also reshaped how I approach relationships. I have learned the importance of vulnerability, boundaries, and trust. Where I once felt the need to hide my struggles, I now understand the value of sharing them in safe and supportive spaces. My relationships today are grounded in authenticity rather than fear, and that shift has been essential to my continued growth. Ultimately, my journey with mental health adversity has not defined me, but it has shaped me. It has instilled in me a deep sense of compassion, resilience, and purpose. As I pursue a career in occupational therapy, I carry these lessons with me, committed to supporting others as they navigate their own paths toward healing.

I am Victoria and I have not only served in supporting mental health adversities amongst children and adolescents, but I have also been a victim of mental health adversities myself. At 13 I experienced the brutal death of my Grandmother, Helen. I was the first responder to her passing which left the image of her body and blood ingrained in my underdeveloped brain. After her passing I could not cope with what I had witnessed and soon turned to drugs like marijuana, nicotine, cocaine and basically anything I could find. This quickly became an addiction as I masked the underlying causes of drug seeking behaviors. Later in life I continued to struggle with marijuana, nicotine, and Adderall as I went into college. As I started college I then found myself in a physically abusive relationship as well as my father experiencing a heart attack and stroke. I spent the entirety of my undergraduate studies high. I managed to juggle caring for my father, navigating an abusive relationship, living without assistance, and keeping my grades high. I truly do not know how I managed to keep a 3.6 GPA throughout but I did. My Father then died my junior year of college and again I masked witnessing his decomposing body by continuing to smoke marijuana and nicotine. However, once I graduated with my B.S. in Psychology I car-camped across the United States and forced myself to get sober and re-evaluate my life. I looked back and was able to recognize that my pattern of hidden self destruction was hurting my relationships with others and my relationship with myself. I was very good at hiding my reliance on substances to cope with day to day activities that my family and friends had no idea I was using frequently. This fact hurt me the most as I carried and still carry guilt for my lies. Not only was I hiding substance abuse but I was also hiding from my loved ones the danger that I was in due to the toxic relationship I had endured for four years. Through my independent growth I was then able to tell the people I love about what I had been hiding for years. Because of their support and my strive to make a better life for myself I was able to move to New Mexico from Ohio all by myself and began working as a mental health technician for children and adolescents at a non-profit hospital. Through getting clean and immersing myself in my community I found myself being healed. I have continued my pursuit of lifting others up and now am pursuing occupational therapy so I can blend my love of movement and sensory therapy with the needs of behavioral health amongst adolescents. While my experiences altered my life in negative ways they also opened my mind to the work of occupational therapists. Occupational therapy is a versatile field where I can combine my creativity, experiences, and skills I learn in my Masters to develop plans that serve the complex cases that I will see.