My inspiration to work with individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder stems from shared experience and deep understanding. As a child diagnosed with severe ADHD, I spent years in special education alongside friends with autism. We rode the short bus together while other students laughed at us daily. I experienced firsthand the cruelty that comes from being misunderstood and different, and I watched my autistic friends face even greater challenges in a world that often failed to accommodate or understand them. Those experiences planted a seed that has grown into my life's calling: to provide understanding and support for neurodivergent individuals navigating a neurotypical world. Autism and ADHD are sister diagnoses, both part of the neurodevelopmental spectrum, and they frequently co-occur. I understand the intersection of these conditions intimately. For years, I believed I wasn't smart enough for college because my untreated ADHD made school unbearable. I entered the workforce convinced higher education wasn't for me. Everything changed when I read "Driven to Distraction" and finally understood that all my struggles were connected to ADHD. I closed the book several times to cry because I felt truly understood for the first time in my life. That revelation transformed my entire trajectory, and I knew immediately that I wanted to provide this same life-changing understanding for others- including individuals with autism who often spend years feeling fundamentally broken or misunderstood. My commitment to this field extends beyond future goals- I’m actively preparing to work with autistic individuals now. In the coming months, I plan to begin working as an Applied Behavior Analyst to support myself through college. This role will provide invaluable hands-on experience implementing evidence-based interventions while I complete my undergraduate studies. Working directly with autistic individuals will deepen my understanding of their unique needs and strengths, informing my approach as I progress toward my PhD in clinical psychology. My volunteer work as a crisis counselor at a suicide hotline taught me the most crucial lesson of my career: people don't want to be saved; they need to be understood. This lesson is especially vital when working with autistic individuals, who are disproportionately at risk for mental health challenges, including suicide. Many have spent their lives masking their authentic selves, exhausting themselves trying to fit into a world that wasn't built for them. My goal is to create therapeutic spaces where autistic individuals can feel safe being themselves without judgment or pressure to conform. My long-term plans include specializing in assessing and diagnosing autism across the lifespan; not just in children, but also in adults who may have been missed by earlier diagnostic criteria. Early and accurate diagnosis is transformative, providing individuals and families with understanding, validation, and access to appropriate supports. Beyond diagnosis, I will provide therapeutic interventions that honor neurodiversity rather than trying to "fix" autistic individuals. I am also committed to donating psychological services to low-income communities where autism assessment and support are often inaccessible, and working with incarcerated youth, many of whom have undiagnosed autism. At 35, I returned to school with absolute certainty about my purpose. My lived experience with ADHD, my friendships with autistic individuals in special education, and my genuine desire to understand others uniquely position me to make a meaningful difference. I want to ensure that autistic individuals feel understood, supported, and empowered to live authentically- because everyone deserves to be understood for who they truly are.

Lieba's story reminds me of myself as a child- nurturing kindness, pursuing justice, and creating harmony in society. I was in the Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) program in childhood, but because of my severe ADHD and how little-understood it was at the time, I was also placed in special education. My school picked up children in the special education program in a short bus, and the other kids would laugh at us when we arrived at and departed from school every day. I experienced firsthand how cruel children can be, and I desperately wished someone would stand up for me. Eventually, I learned to stand up for myself and decided to use my newfound voice to defend others- first my friends, then anyone facing unkindness. That realization has stayed with me into adulthood and shaped my decision to pursue my PhD in psychology. Gifted children face unique challenges that often go unrecognized. Many, like I was, are twice-exceptional; intellectually advanced yet struggling with learning differences or mental health challenges. This combination creates a perfect storm of misunderstanding. Teachers may focus solely on deficits while peers mock what makes them different, leaving these bright children feeling isolated and misunderstood. My career goal as a clinical psychologist is to provide the understanding and support these children desperately need to thrive both emotionally and intellectually. To foster social-emotional wellbeing, I plan to specialize in assessing and diagnosing learning, behavioral, and personality disorders in gifted children. Early and accurate diagnosis is transformative- I know because reading "Driven to Distraction" and finally understanding my ADHD changed my entire life trajectory. I closed the book several times to cry because I felt understood for the first time, and I want to provide that revelation for other children before they spend decades believing something is fundamentally wrong with them. Through evidence-based therapeutic approaches, I will help gifted children develop emotional regulation skills, build resilience, and understand that their differences are strengths, not weaknesses. I will create safe spaces where they feel heard and validated, using the lesson I learned as a crisis counselor at the suicide hotline: people don't need to be saved; they need to be understood. To meet their intellectual needs, I will advocate for appropriate educational accommodations and enrichment opportunities that honor both their giftedness and their challenges. Too often, twice-exceptional children fall through the cracks because their gifts mask their disabilities or vice versa. I will work closely with families and schools to ensure these children receive the support they need to reach their full potential. Additionally, I plan to donate psychological services to low-income communities where gifted children may lack access to proper assessment and support, ensuring that economic barriers don't prevent bright children from getting the help they deserve. My lived experience as a twice-exceptional child, combined with my volunteer work in crisis counseling and my commitment to understanding others, uniquely positions me to make a meaningful difference in these children's lives. I want to empower gifted children to navigate their struggles, stand up for themselves and others, and transform their pain into purpose- just as I have. Every child deserves to feel understood and supported, and I am dedicated to ensuring that gifted children receive the comprehensive care that fosters both their emotional wellbeing and intellectual growth.

My career path in clinical psychology is driven by a singular mission: preventing suicide. My grandfather took his own life five years before I was born, when my mother was only 13. Though I never knew him, I witnessed the devastating wake he left within my family- trauma that rippled through generations and shaped my entire childhood. This loss inspired me to volunteer as a crisis counselor at a suicide hotline, where I learned the most important lesson of my career: people don't want to be saved; they need to be understood. I watched as callers, once they felt deeply heard, found the strength to climb out of their darkest moments themselves. That realization crystallized my understanding that the most impactful way to prevent suicide is through genuine understanding, and the best path to provide that understanding is through clinical psychology. For years, however, pursuing this goal seemed impossible. I struggled in school with untreated ADHD, surrounded by people who dismissed it as fake. I believed I wasn't smart enough for college and entered the workforce after high school, convinced that higher education wasn't for me. Everything changed when I read "Driven to Distraction." For the first time in my life, I felt truly understood. I closed the book several times to cry as I realized that many of the challenges I'd faced were connected to ADHD. That revelation was life-changing, and once I began treatment, I finally had the clarity and capability to pursue my true calling. At 35, I returned to school with complete certainty about my path. My future goals are clear and unwavering. I plan to complete my bachelor's degree in psychology, continue through a PhD program, and become a licensed clinical psychologist specializing in suicide prevention and intervention. Beyond establishing my practice, I am committed to donating psychological services to low-income communities and providing support for incarcerated youth—populations at particularly high risk for suicide. These aren't abstract aspirations; they're deeply personal. I grew up in poverty after my mother was kicked out at 18 while pregnant with me, and my father's addiction and incarceration left us struggling. As a teenager, I ended up in juvenile hall and battled heavy drinking until I quit in 2010. I know firsthand how crucial it is to have someone who understands during life's darkest moments. My experience combines both lived understanding and direct service in mental health. Beyond my crisis counseling work, I've completed anger management courses, helped others achieve sobriety, and engaged in extensive self-directed study in psychology. I've reconciled with my now-sober father and transformed my own pain into purpose. Every challenge I've overcome has strengthened my resolve to help others, and my genuine desire to understand people will enable me to be an effective clinician. This isn't just a career choice—it's my calling to ensure others feel understood and find reasons to stay.