Knowledge is power and can help in healing. And I’ve always believed that there is no limit to what we can learn. The only limits are what we set for ourselves. Yet, in my field of study, knowledge must be paired with compassion. In delving in the psychology of people, one must be open to the myriad of emotions and be able to penetrate the defensive walls that people place around feelings, while keeping aware of academic knowledge. I believe that I have this capacity, and I am looking forward to developing my skills and knowledge through graduate education.
I am a native of the Philippines and my family moved to the United States just ten years ago. This change was overwhelming at first, but the similarities in our cultures helped me quickly adjust. I adapted to the way of life and was able to graduate with honors at the University of _____, with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology.
I returned to the Philippines and became a Human Resources manager for a big telecommunications company. The position carried with it huge responsibilities; however, I found my work immensely enjoyable and appreciated the interactions I had with a diverse group of professionals. After a few months though I realized that corporate work wasn’t for me and how I longed to do clinical Psychology work.
I went back to America to pursue my Master’s in Education. I thought this would be good grounding towards family counseling work that I intended to do. My graduate studies in Education gave me a better understanding of the many factors that affect a child’s development. Again, I worked in Human Resources to support myself through my studies.
In time, I was able to focus on Psychological Counseling. I again took up graduate studies in the field and was able to graduate with a Highest Distinction award from the Psychology Department. I then worked as an intern at the ____ College. I was student counselor and then research assistant, which gave me invaluable knowledge on the subjective and the objective. My hands-on counseling allowed me to know and help individuals with their struggles; while statistical research work gave me insight on commonalities and trends in the field.
As I delved deeper into Psychological counseling work, I began to focus on my key interests. I am particularly concerned about helping the immigrant community address its psychological issues. I currently volunteer with the local outreach program that extends counseling help to Asians
Ultimately, I want to work as both researcher and practitioner. The field of psychology is continually evolving and yet there is so much left to do in terms of changing societal attitudes towards mental illness. I intend to do research on preventive treatments for mental illnesses. Doctoral studies will me attain my goals, as well as improve my service to others.
Photo Credit : Rich Anderson
