Healing Within, Healing Others: Discovering My Passion for Therapy by Ywomie

Healing Within, Healing Others: Discovering My Passion for Therapy by Ywomie - February 2024 Scholarship Essay

It wasn't until I was at my final breaking point that I finally had access to a therapist. My Hispanic family never believed in the idea of giving someone money to tell them your problems. Instead, you should "work through your problems yourself" or "confide in your family instead of strangers." But what if you were estranged from your family? What if they played a part in making you feel these negative feelings about yourself? What if you couldn't even help yourself?
Therapy saved me from others and myself, which is why I am a first-year college student majoring in psychology, hoping to become a psychologist for adolescents. My interest in this academic area stems from my innate passion for helping others. I find satisfaction in analyzing the root of one's problems and offering them a sense of safety, which is exactly what I did as a leader on the Women's Varsity soccer team. Studying these areas would also satisfy my curiosity about human behavior and the human mind.
Playing sports has molded my identity as a leader, along with its sub-qualions of compassion, sympathy, and drive. As captain of a women's soccer team, I've learned to work well with others and lead a successful team. To achieve success, I had to increase the team's chemistry by assessing my teammates' behavior. During practices and games, I studied their style of play and their strengths and weaknesses. Off the field, I observed their diet and recovery methods. One of the most prominent findings was a lack of mentality and confidence. I noticed the least confident players were criticized for making mistakes. They became discouraged and transferred that negativity to the rest of the team. To mitigate this problem, I focused on changing communication. Instead of solely criticizing one another, I encouraged my teammates to give constructive criticism and emphasize when someone did something well. I modeled this during practices and games–Nice assist, Ellie, and Great hustle, Emily. Eventually, the positivity spread, relationships grew, and feedback was better received. Additionally, I initiated various team bonding activities. Bowling trips, picnics, sleepovers, themed practices, and social media skits enriched our season beyond the field. I was fortunate to have witnessed significant improvement in the team's dynamic, which led us to have the most successful season in history.
My experiences helped make me a strong, kind-hearted person and compelled me to my current interests. As an exemplified leader, I've learned to listen and sympathize with others, thus creating triumphant and pertinent memories. But all while creating these memories, I was still a student-athlete, juggling other outside responsibilities while struggling with mental health. Unconditional love and support are vital during our vulnerable teenage years. However, I did not have the necessary mental care and support until my final breaking point because of the negative stigma surrounding mental health. Parents internalize the idea that airing personal problems to a therapist is a poor reflection of their job when that is not always the case. It can never hurt to seek advice and guidance from an outside source to help improve coping mechanisms, self-awareness, conflict resolution, and lifelong goal-setting. Thus, by attending to others, I plan to help mitigate their problems and provide them with the safe space I never had.