Counseling into Freedom by Viridiana

Counseling into Freedom by Viridiana - February 2024 Scholarship Essay

Being sued for my conservatorship rights over my daughter was devastating. It broke me. As a single mother, working and attending school full-time online, I was determined to finish. And I got hit with a curveball. My daughter’s paternal grandparents decided to challenge my rights as a mother, and man, did I go through it hard. There were days I was angry. And then sad. And then angry again. And then okay and stable. I felt on edge everyday while the suit was active. I ruminated while at work and going to sleep. I lived in fear and allowed anxiety to overtake me. It shook me mentally, emotionally, and financially! And I still was determined to finish my undergraduate studies. For a while, I was in survival mode. Making sure I took care of my daughter, went to work, and got through each day. Little did I know I was living in trauma.
After the suit settled, it was a relief, and I was not done with the consequences of what I had lived in for that period. During schoolwork, I found myself tapping out mentally. I found myself procrastinating on projects and group discussions. I found myself preferring to be on my phone instead of being present with my daughter. I found myself resigning from school and not enjoying what I originally was majoring in, Secondary Education to become a Math Teacher. I found myself wanting to isolate and shutting away people closest to me. There were so many dark, oppressive emotions and thoughts emerging. This was my signal that I needed help. Professional help.
I sought help. And I found it through a counselor network. I began to undo the trauma I had lived in. I began to pinpoint my triggers. I began to slowly heal from my anxieties, my fears, my thoughts. I began to experience freedom! I was able to look back and understand why I paused school indefinitely. I learned how to be aware and have the tools to be ready for the next destabilizer. I learned the importance of a healthy, stable mind. With certainty, one’s mental health can have a significant, positive or negative, impact on one’s academic performance and personal life while attending school. I am proof of it.
Present day, I take precaution in what I listen and what I watch. In addition, I make sure to schedule therapy sessions often. This experience is what led me to major in my current field, counseling. It led me to make sure to journal, indulge in hobbies, and exercise. Counseling led me to make my physical health a priority as well because I know it also impacts my mental health. Furthermore, I make sure to set boundaries and lovingly enforce them. My everyday has checks and balances to make sure I do not crumble mentally and process all things healthily. Lastly, I make time for the important things in my life. Things that align with my morals and values. These actions have led me to be stable in every area of my life, tap into dead dreams, and value every day and everyone. It has even led me to reenroll in school and further my education to become a counselor. Although my mental health brought me down, it led me to seek help, stabilize myself, and become the woman I was meant to be. This is the reason I want to become a counselor, to help other people break free from trauma, unhealthy patterns and behaviors, and become the best version of themselves. I believe it is possible for everyone, and I know that I can help make an impact!