I believe that my journey has uniquely positioned me to be an empathetic and effective therapist. My early experiences with mental health being taboo made me want to contribute meaningfully to the well-being of others. I have a deep passion for being the change I need to see. My mental health journey has been a necessary and empowering experience. For the past 16 years, therapy has been an invaluable source of support through the different stages of my life, allowing me to work through childhood adversities and emotional challenges. On the other side, I have had terrible therapists who have given me a clear insight into what I need to counteract to make the mental health space safer. My intuitive nature and heightened sensitivities to energy and emotions brought me to clinical social work. I have a natural ability to empathize and understand what others are feeling, allowing me to connect deeply with individuals. This inherent empathy and sensitivity connect me to others and allow genuine support and compassion for those in need. My experience facing challenges trying to get care in the healthcare and mental health sectors has instilled a sense of responsibility in addressing the racial inequalities that plague the world. Creating a culturally competent approach to mental health services is non-negotiable. My own experiences growing up in a volatile environment are where adversity and chaos were first experienced. Playing various roles beyond my years as the oldest of two children, and the daughter of an alcoholic, I was put on this path by design. I witnessed firsthand the challenges of addiction and mental health struggles, as I became a caretaker, therapist, and scapegoat for emotional outbursts. These experiences shaped my desire to advocate for vulnerable populations and provide them with access to resources that promote personal growth and well-being. It gives me insight into how to approach family structures to treat the issues at hand to support the entire family. They molded me into the woman that I am and helped instill resilience and strength in me to my very core. I have a deep personal commitment to impact the lives of others by being dedicated to supporting others in the ways I’ve seen people need it most. This path is rooted in my intuitive nature, emotional intelligence, and sensitivity to the needs of others. As I delved deeper into my life and witnessed the struggles of my mother, who battled addiction and mental health conditions until it killed her, causing a domino effect on me, I understood the depth of mental health at its core. Some of the aspects of the broader social structures that need to be addressed are treating and tending to the basic needs of individuals so that they can focus on their mental states without additional stressors. After experiencing severe hormonal changes induced by recommended birth control to regulate my monthly cycle, I found myself experiencing severe suicidal ideation. They had injected me with birth control that lasted 6 months and could not be removed from my system. Afraid and in need of assistance, I reached out to my doctor for help. They prescribed me medication without appropriately managing my symptoms. Determined to find a more comprehensive solution, I sought out medication management. I had to go through an intake process that exposed my deepest vulnerabilities, followed by meeting with a compassionless robotic social worker before finally meeting with an older white male psychiatrist who displayed cultural insensitivity and incompetence. Despite expressing my suicidal ideation and fears, he neglected to provide the care I desperately needed. When I needed help the most, he emotionally traumatized me and left me emotionally vulnerable with a paper trail of judgemental notes about my mental health. These clinicians did not understand. After months of waiting for the appointment, I was misdiagnosed with behavioral problems for my genuine advocacy for proper care when he refused to treat me for forgetting to take my medication. It was disheartening, hurtful, and dangerous to feel unheard and misunderstood during such a critical time in my life. He neglected to fulfill his duty and left me without a continuance of care. I am lucky to still be here. These negative encounters with incompetent psychiatrists, social workers, and clinicians due to their lack of cultural awareness highlighted the pressing need for change in how mental health services are delivered to people. The gaps in care caused by these blind spots are unacceptable, and it's imperative to address these systemic issues. I want to bridge the gap between mental health professionals and individuals seeking help by fostering understanding, empathy, and cultural competence. In becoming a vessel for advocating change, I will create spaces where individuals feel seen, heard, and understood in their mental health journeys. What I saw firsthand is that people can only meet you where they are and have been. It’s clear that these individuals only studied psychology, but were limited in personal experience. Through my struggles, experiences, sensitivity and awareness, I naturally have a deep sense of empathy and compassion for people when it comes to emotions and feelings. My goal is to empower people to seek help without fear of being misunderstood or mistreated. Every person deserves compassionate and effective mental health care. Inappropriate and unethical treatment by mental health professionals is unacceptable, and it's saddening to experience what I have, but I am grateful to understand how the system works against people, so I can counteract it. These experiences fueled my determination to take up space in the clinical world and advocate for more culturally competent practices and individuals, and to advocate for those who fall victim to systems ill-equipped to treat people who are experiencing emotion, depth, feeling, and pain. As an LCSW, I plan to navigate the intersection of mental health and reality. Wellness is a privilege, and I want to acknowledge the impact of stress on mental health and well-being in my communities, building communities within communities, and expanding that community tenfold.

I believe that my journey has uniquely positioned me to be an empathetic and effective therapist. My early experiences with mental health being taboo made me want to contribute meaningfully to the well-being of others. I have a deep passion for being the change I need to see. My mental health journey has been a necessary and empowering experience. For the past 16 years, therapy has been an invaluable source of support through the different stages of my life, allowing me to work through childhood adversities and emotional challenges. On the other side, I have had terrible therapists who have given me a clear insight into what I need to counteract to make the mental health space safer. My intuitive nature and heightened sensitivities to energy and emotions brought me to clinical social work. I have a natural ability to empathize and understand what others are feeling, allowing me to connect deeply with individuals. This inherent empathy and sensitivity connect me to others and allow genuine support and compassion for those in need. My experience facing challenges trying to get care in the healthcare and mental health sectors has instilled a sense of responsibility in addressing the racial inequalities that plague the world. Creating a culturally competent approach to mental health services is non-negotiable. My own experiences growing up in a volatile environment are where adversity and chaos were first experienced. Playing various roles beyond my years as the oldest of two children, and the daughter of an alcoholic, I was put on this path by design. I witnessed firsthand the challenges of addiction and mental health struggles, as I became a caretaker, therapist, and scapegoat for emotional outbursts. These experiences shaped my desire to advocate for vulnerable populations and provide them with access to resources that promote personal growth and well-being. It gives me insight into how to approach family structures to treat the issues at hand to support the entire family. They molded me into the woman that I am and helped instill resilience and strength in me to my very core. I have a deep personal commitment to impact the lives of others by being dedicated to supporting others in the ways I’ve seen people need it most. This path is rooted in my intuitive nature, emotional intelligence, and sensitivity to the needs of others. As I delved deeper into my life and witnessed the struggles of my mother, who battled addiction and mental health conditions until it killed her, causing a domino effect on me, I understood the depth of mental health at its core. Some of the aspects of the broader social structures that need to be addressed are treating and tending to the basic needs of individuals so that they can focus on their mental states without additional stressors. After experiencing severe hormonal changes induced by recommended birth control to regulate my monthly cycle, I found myself experiencing severe suicidal ideation. They had injected me with birth control that lasted 6 months and could not be removed from my system. Afraid and in need of assistance, I reached out to my doctor for help. They prescribed me medication without appropriately managing my symptoms. Determined to find a more comprehensive solution, I sought out medication management. I had to go through an intake process that exposed my deepest vulnerabilities, followed by meeting with a compassionless robotic social worker before finally meeting with an older white male psychiatrist who displayed cultural insensitivity and incompetence. Despite expressing my suicidal ideation and fears, he neglected to provide the care I desperately needed. When I needed help the most, he emotionally traumatized me and left me emotionally vulnerable with a paper trail of judgemental notes about my mental health. These clinicians did not understand. After months of waiting for the appointment, I was misdiagnosed with behavioral problems for my genuine advocacy for proper care when he refused to treat me for forgetting to take my medication. It was disheartening, hurtful, and dangerous to feel unheard and misunderstood during such a critical time in my life. He neglected to fulfill his duty and left me without a continuance of care. I am lucky to still be here. These negative encounters with incompetent psychiatrists, social workers, and clinicians due to their lack of cultural awareness highlighted the pressing need for change in how mental health services are delivered to people. The gaps in care caused by these blind spots are unacceptable, and it's imperative to address these systemic issues. I want to bridge the gap between mental health professionals and individuals seeking help by fostering understanding, empathy, and cultural competence. In becoming a vessel for advocating change, I will create spaces where individuals feel seen, heard, and understood in their mental health journeys. What I saw firsthand is that people can only meet you where they are and have been. It’s clear that these individuals only studied psychology, but were limited in personal experience. Through my struggles, experiences, sensitivity and awareness, I naturally have a deep sense of empathy and compassion for people when it comes to emotions and feelings. My goal is to empower people to seek help without fear of being misunderstood or mistreated. Every person deserves compassionate and effective mental health care. Inappropriate and unethical treatment by mental health professionals is unacceptable, and it's saddening to experience what I have, but I am grateful to understand how the system works against people, so I can counteract it. These experiences fueled my determination to take up space in the clinical world and advocate for more culturally competent practices and individuals, and to advocate for those who fall victim to systems ill-equipped to treat people who are experiencing emotion, depth, feeling, and pain. As an LCSW, I plan to navigate the intersection of mental health and reality. Wellness is a privilege, and I want to acknowledge the impact of stress on mental health and well-being in my communities, building communities within communities, and expanding that community tenfold.

My journey toward becoming a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) has been nourished by a deep passion for being the change I need to see in the healthcare and mental health field. My decision to pursue this career was inspired by my own experiences and a strong sense of responsibility to address the racial inequalities within the systematic structures of healthcare and mental health. Being a consumer, and patient of health care services put me on this path. I found myself struggling to find my footing in the real world and working meaningless jobs for employers who seemed unconcerned with my well-being. I often felt disconnected from my true purpose and needed to apply my innate skills and talents to a profession that resonated with my nature. My early experiences with mental health being less accepted helped me recognize the need for change and I had a fascination with contributing meaningfully to the well-being of others. My own mental health journey has been a necessary and empowering experience. For the past 16 years, I have sought therapy, and it has been an invaluable source of support and guidance through the different stages of my life. My therapists have been a rock and sounding board during difficult times. Through regular therapy sessions, I have been able to explore my emotional states, feelings, and experiences in a safe and non-judgmental way, allowing me to process through self-exploration and vulnerability. This in conjunction with my self-care practices created a deeper understanding of myself, personal growth and emotional intelligence. Starting therapy at the age of 19 allowed me to work through childhood adversities and emotional challenges. It provided me with a healthy outlet to express and process my emotions, creating a sense of balance in my life. As I navigated my internal self with the support of my therapists, I developed so much of myself. These qualities exude in how I interact with the world and others around me. On the other side, I have had terrible therapists who have given me clear insight on what I need to counteract to make the mental health space safer. My intuitive nature and heightened sensitivities to energy and emotions brought me to clinical social work. I have a natural ability to empathize and understand what others are feeling, allowing me to connect deeply with individuals. This inherent empathy and sensitivity connect me to others and allow genuine support and compassion for those in need. My experience facing challenges trying to get care in the healthcare and mental health sectors has instilled a sense of responsibility in addressing the racial inequalities that plague the world. Creating a culturally competent approach to mental health services is non-negotiable. I firmly believe that everyone deserves access to quality mental health care that is sensitive to their unique needs, and cultural experiences. My journey toward becoming an LCSW is driven by a need to help individuals heal and grow but also to advocate for those people who aren’t heard, as well as systemic change. I aim to challenge the existing structures and advocate for policies that promote equitable access to mental health services for all. My own experiences growing up in a volatile environment are where adversity was first experienced. Playing various roles beyond my years as the oldest of two children, and the daughter of an alcoholic, I was put on this path by design. I witnessed firsthand the challenges of addiction and mental health struggles, and I became a caretaker, therapist, and scapegoat for emotional outbursts. These experiences shaped my desire to advocate for vulnerable populations and provide them with access to resources that promote personal growth and well-being. It gives me insight into how to approach family structures to treat the issues at hand to support the entire family. They molded me into the woman that I am and helped instill resilience and strength in me to my very core. Choosing this career field is not a career, it is a deeply personal commitment to impact the lives of others. I am dedicated to supporting others in the ways I’ve seen people need it most. This path is rooted in my mental health journey, my intuitive nature, emotional intelligence, and sensitivity to the needs of others. I initially pursued psychology to become a licensed marriage and family therapist, intending to focus on mental health therapy. However, as I delved deeper into my life and witnessed the struggles of my mother, who battled addiction and mental health conditions, causing a domino effect on me, I understood that mental health couldn't be addressed in isolation, nor by clinicians who lack cultural awareness. Some of the aspects of the broader social structures that need to be addressed are treating and tending to the basic needs of individuals so that they can focus on their mental states without additional stressors. After experiencing severe hormonal changes induced by recommended birth control to regulate my monthly cycle, I found myself experiencing suicidal ideation. Afraid and in need of assistance, I reached out to my doctor for help. Unfortunately, their approach involved prescribing medication without appropriately managing my symptoms, leaving me feeling unsupported, confused, and panicked about how I was feeling. They had injected me with birth control that lasted 6 months and could not be removed from my system. Determined to find a more holistic solution, I sought out psychiatry for medication management. I had to go through an intake process that exposed my deepest vulnerabilities with strangers, followed by meeting with a compassionless and robotic social worker before finally meeting with an older white male psychiatrist who displayed cultural insensitivity and incompetence. Despite expressing my suicidal ideation and fears, he failed to provide the care I desperately needed. The system let me down when I needed it most, and the experience left me traumatized and emotionally vulnerable with a paper trail of judgemental notes about my mental health by people who did not understand. After months of waiting for the appointment, it resulted in a misdiagnosis, as his cultural incompetence led him to label my genuine advocacy for proper care as behavioral problems. It was disheartening, hurtful, and dangerous to feel unheard and misunderstood during such a critical time in my life. He neglected to fulfill his duty and left me without a continuance of care. When I called the front office, they told me I’d have to start the process over by waiting for another clinician and did not have a person of color for me to see. I did not see another psychiatrist for another year, and I navigated through my suicidal ideations all alone, with a new traumatic experience that I had to work through on top of the emotions that already weighed me down. These negative encounters with incompetent psychiatrists, social workers, and clinicians due to their lack of cultural awareness highlighted the pressing need for change in how mental health services are delivered to people of color. The gaps in care caused by these blind spots are unacceptable, and it's imperative to address these systemic issues, giving me another angle on my passion for mental health. I want to bridge the gap between mental health professionals and individuals seeking help by fostering understanding, empathy, and cultural competence. In becoming a vessel for advocating change, I will create spaces where individuals feel seen, heard, and understood in their mental health journeys. What I saw firsthand is that people can only meet you where they are and have been. It’s clear that these individuals only studied psychology, but were limited in personal experience. It takes more than books and tests to connect with people. It is essential to challenge these dangerous practices and advocate for a more supportive mental health system. Through my struggles, experiences, sensitivity and awareness, I naturally have a deep sense of empathy and compassion for people when it comes to emotions and feelings. My goal is to empower people to seek help without fear of being misunderstood or mistreated. Every person deserves compassionate and effective mental health care. Inappropriate and unethical treatment by mental health professionals is discouraging, and it's saddening to experience what I have, but I am grateful to understand how the system works against people of color, and what I can do to counteract it. These experiences fueled my determination to take up space in the clinical world and advocate for more culturally competent practices and individuals, and to advocate for those who fall victim to systems ill-equipped to treat people who are experiencing emotion, depth, feeling, and pain. As an LCSW, I plan to navigate the intersection of mental health and reality. Wellness is a privilege, and I want people to not blame themselves for how the world works. I want to acknowledge the impact of stress on mental health and well-being in my communities, building communities within communities, and expanding that community tenfold. I want to offer my clients therapeutic support and intentional listening with empathy, allowing them to navigate their lives with resilience and improved overall well-being. I believe that my journey has uniquely positioned me to be an empathetic and effective therapist, and I'm excited to continue on this fulfilling career path to nourish and nurture individuals and communities in the ways they need me the most.