If I had to state one goal in my life, it would be to be able to support individuals in their adolescence and young adulthood, who struggled with mental health just as I did. I strongly believe that if the community that I grew up in had been more accepting and knowledgeable of mental health, I would have been in a much different space growing up. Despite this, I was fortunate enough to receive care from local agencies that provided services to low-income and uninsured individuals, even amidst the stigma surrounding mental health in my community. That initial experience has led to significant personal growth, which has inspired me to seek a career in social work, with the goal of making quality mental health care accessible to all, regardless of barriers to care. Following my personal involvement in therapy, I have developed a strong belief in the importance of advocating for mental health. As someone who has seen the negative impacts of mental illnesses on others and myself, I have been drawn to the field from the desire to give back to others just like people in my life have helped me. As someone who would not have had access to therapy without financial support, it is particularly important to me to help provide mental health care and support to individuals regardless of their ability to pay. I would ideally like to work on improving the systems of support that do exist, as well as extending a hand to those who may not be aware of the resources available in our communities. I firmly believe in the ecological systems perspective in social work, where it is important to examine the environment that an individual lives in, and utilize an individual's inner strengths (and those of the community of residence) in order to assist in improving quality of life. I am combining professional practice and master's level education to further improve my effectiveness in the field. My educational background consists of a 3.69 undergraduate GPA, and my cumulative graduate GPA is 3.93, with 21 credits left to complete. I am strongly dedicated towards improving myself as a person. I believe that learning evidence based theories and putting them into practice will be crucial to my current and future professional growth. After graduation, I plan to continue working in less endowed communities in therapeutic and clinical practice, with an ideal focus on stigmatized individuals and crisis care. I also hope to be able to share a vast knowledge of resources available for micro and macro applications of support. My ultimate goal is to make a difference, no matter how small. After graduation, I plan on getting my initial licensure in Social Work and continuing my clinical learning to earn my Clinical Social Work licensure (LCSW). I currently work for a non-profit counseling agency, and I would like to continue to advocate for programs that provide accessible care for lower income individuals and families. I believe that furthering my education will not only be crucial for my ability in the future to acquire employment, but also so that I can support some of our most vulnerable populations. This also would allow me to pivot my career within the realm of social work, to have agency in determining my future.