Helping to Heal the Community by Andrea

Andreaof Los Angeles's entry into Varsity Tutor's May 2019 scholarship contest

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Andrea of Los Angeles, CA
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Helping to Heal the Community by Andrea - May 2019 Scholarship Essay

You've been given a $10,000 grant. How will you use the money to positively impact your hometown?
My primary goal is to obtain my MA in Clinical Psychology in hopes of becoming a therapist. If I were given the $10,000 grant, I would put it towards my tuition knowing it would advance me in a field in which I could give back to society and make my mark in the world. The culmination of my own personal mental health experiences coupled with the realization that the business sector was not the right fit for me, compelled me to seek a career that would enable me to assist people and de-stigmatize the idea of seeking counseling. These experiences have given me the courage to navigate uncharted waters and fully immerse myself in the study of the human brain.
Becoming a licensed MFT will allow me to work with clients that want to better themselves and heal from trauma. I am an advocate for victims of domestic abuse, and want to contribute to society by helping those who have been through traumatic experiences and encourage them to talk rather than stay quiet because of societal pressure and shame. Growing up, I was exposed to several family members who suffered from mental illness. Seeing the results of years of trauma in them opened my eyes to the value and importance in seeking support. However, it wasn’t until recently that mental health has been given a more critical perspective in popular media and culture; now being seen as a necessary aspect in overall human health.
I witnessed firsthand the importance of being able to express oneself when I was hired as a legal assistant at a law firm in Culver City. Most of our clientele were Native Spanish speakers and part of my job was to interview them in order to gather information about their case to pass on to the attorney. This seemed to be a natural decision to work with the Latino community since I myself am of Hispanic decent and it put them at ease to know I shared similar morals, values, and culture with them; as a result, relating to them was easy. Since I was the first employee in the office they would speak to, it gave them an opportunity to voice their concerns and alleviated a good portion of their stress. They appreciated that they could vent before coming in since it can be overwhelming to go through legal processes. It was fulfilling to know that I could provide emotional support that helped reduce stress from our clients so they could feel more at ease.
The relationships I build with my clients will make the journey worthwhile, and if I can say that I’ve helped people along the way then that will be an amazing accomplishment. I want to dedicate my life to supporting others’ journeys to recovery. By learning the techniques and theories in my MA program, I will be able to provide the services that many people in our community desperately need. I want to do my part to help release the stigma attached to seeking aid from therapists and counselors.

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