I married way too young to escape my troubled family and home. Within a few years, I realized I was more of a child bride than an authentic partner. Increasingly it came to feel that something was desperately wrong. I tried to fix it for the sake of our two children. Yet, over time, my husband’s alcoholism and abuse were too much to bear. Hitting the bottom was not enough. I’d hit bottom before, and there were no answers there. The only hope for the long-term survival of my children and me was divorce. For years I struggled financially, emotionally, and physically, managing a full-time job and educating myself and my children.
XXXX State University, my employer for the past eight years, has been my savior, providing me not only with an adequate livelihood but also a community where I have learned many things from many wonderful people. As a supervisor of student workers, I have learned a lot from those I supervise, especially about the pressures of school.
While completing my undergraduate studies toward the BA Degree in Psychology, it was these same people, students, and other staff that encouraged me, serving as my support system. I even met the man who would become my husband, who has done so much to heal my old wounds and loves my children as his own. The holes in my soul will always be there, but they have now healed, leaving me with a lot of understanding and empathy for those who now suffer and great motivation to do what I can to help. It is my express desire to work in a capacity that will allow me to be a sounding board for victims of trauma, a soft place to fall, especially for students that are having trouble successfully standing up to and working through life's challenges.
While I have enjoyed and excelled in my work as a Paralegal and Administrative Assistant at XXXX State for the past five years, something is missing, and I realize that it is the optimal time for me now to earn the MA Degree in my field, Psychology. I have seen repeatedly how many clients face legal issues solely because of unaddressed psychological and emotional difficulties. Through my own experiences of survival and recovery, I have much to impart. While handling administrative details in several capacities, my heart had always wanted to be on the other side of the desk, supporting and assisting the client through their most trying times, and not just facilitating an efficient office. I also adore professional teamwork and see it as especially important in Community Counseling.
The academic environment at XXXX State is unparalleled, the professors are elite, and the quality of education is unsurpassed. I have had the unique opportunity to be a student and employee of the university, aiding and being aided by the academic community. I hope to proudly graduate with my MA, walk away, and serve others in my community as I have been served.
When I see a student in a hole they can’t get out of, I will get in the hole with them. I’ll be able to tell them not to worry, I’ve been there before myself, and I know the way out.
Thank you for considering my application to the MA Program in Education and Community Counseling.