Therapy can help change how we see things? by Samara

Therapy can help change how we see things? by Samara - February 2024 Scholarship Essay

My name is Samara Page, I am a junior in high school. I understand that it might be a little bit early for me to start looking at scholarships, but I am so focused on being able to go to college. I stay up at night researching different scholarships that can help me get to college, because I want the whole college experience. On the topic of majors, I want to dual major in psychology and also sociology. I have learned that some traumas can come from any age and that everyone can need a little help facing it sometimes. I would like to use that education towards being a therapist for children, teens, and adults.
Psychology is the study of the mind and behaviors and that really comes into play when you are trying to be a therapist or a counselor. Some people wonder why I would major in sociology as well, but since sociology is the study of social life, social change, and also the consequences of human behavior. I just feel like pairing those two concepts can make a great therapist or counselor. Have you ever watched some movies where they are in a therapy session and some of the problems deal with their social life? Understanding sociology can help with fully understanding the problem they are bringing to my attention. I have gone through some personal traumas too, which thinking about how the reactions to what happened makes me think that there could be better ways to handle feelings even when you don’t understand something. Although the idea was wandering in my mind, I didn’t start pursuing the idea until mom and some other members told me they thought I could make a great therapist. Now I am in full pursuit of studying psychology and sociology throughout the rest of my high school years, in order to prepare for when I go to college and to make it a little easier on myself.
My family has been through some family drama that wasn’t on the good side. Throughout this drama in my family, it has given me the knowledge to see that people show many different emotions when they are upset but how do we really deal with them? We ball it up inside, until we explode, or we get very angry and lash out? These are all common ways, and all of my family has gone through all of these emotions, but we could have handled them in a better way. Which also led me to look into psychology and sociology. I am also in the CCP program at my school, and I did happen to take an intro to psychology class which I wish now looking back, that I paid a little more attention to earn a better grade than a “C”. So, in order to make up for the lack of attention I showed, I am reading another intro to psychology book. I am also taking serious notes in order to prepare. I also took the intro to sociology and sociology: social problems and scored an “A” in both of those classes. It is kind of funny because in order to be a therapist I need to take psychology, but I scored better in sociology. I have considered being a social worker, but I find being a therapist more fulfilling. Some experiences that I have gone through have helped me realize that I can understand the effects of traumas and all the different types of behaviors that come along with it. I have a real passion for being a therapist and I don’t want to just settle on working with only children, or teens, I want to work with everyone to help as many people as I can. I realize that being a therapist could have some tiring hours, but I want to put in the work. I want to learn about many different areas of psychology: behavioral, school, education, and social, as well as the different areas of sociology.
I want to use everything I learn in these two fields towards helping people of all ages. I have gone through my own personal traumas that are too scary to talk about but knowing what has happened, has given me a push to pursue a major in psychology and in sociology. Having people who support your goals also play a huge role in the major that I have chosen.

Thank you for this opportunity!
Samara Page