Hobbies and interests
Cooking
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Counseling And Therapy
Bodybuilding
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I read books daily
Tanya Porter
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FinalistTanya Porter
1,515
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FinalistBio
Hello, and thanks for taking the time to check out my profile. I am a former special education 8th-grade Math teacher. I am a Licensed Professional Counselor in Louisiana, Florida, and Vermont. I work with children, families, college students, and adults in various settings. I am also a doctoral student in the PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision at The Chicago School. I love working with people and seeing them succeed. After earning my PhD, I plan to apply my skills within higher education, mentorship to upcoming mental health professionals, advocating, and publishing research. My research interests include stress, mental health, and preventative disease...
Education
The Chicago School of Professional Psychology at Xavier University of Louisiana
Doctoral degree program (PhD, MD, JD, etc.)Majors:
- Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology
Grand Canyon University
Master's degree programMajors:
- Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology
University of Louisiana at Lafayette
Bachelor's degree programMajors:
- Business Administration, Management and Operations
- Behavioral Sciences
Miscellaneous
Desired degree level:
Doctoral degree program (PhD, MD, JD, etc.)
Graduate schools of interest:
Transfer schools of interest:
Majors of interest:
- Behavioral Sciences
- Curriculum and Instruction
- Education, Other
- Community Organization and Advocacy
Career
Dream career field:
Higher Education
Dream career goals:
Higher Education, Author, Research & Development
Math Teacher; Educator; Special Education Dept.
Lafayette Parish School System2014 – 20162 yearsLicensed Professional Counselor/Contract Therapist
Kennedy Center of Louisiana2016 – 20226 yearsFunctional Family Therapist
Center for Children and Families2021 – Present3 years
Sports
Marathon
Junior Varsity2023 – 2023
Awards
- No
Research
Health Professions Education, Ethics, and Humanities
Behavior Health — Researcher and Learner2016 – Present
Arts
N/A
Visual ArtsNo2023 – 2023
Public services
Volunteering
Beautiful Young Ladies Club — Volunteer Mentor; Teacher; Educator2014 – 2016
Future Interests
Advocacy
Volunteering
Philanthropy
Entrepreneurship
Jackanow Suicide Awareness Scholarship
Hello and thank you for reading about my best friend's story, my coping, and what I learned!
My best friend of more than 10 years, Chantel, suffered from mood swings and related diagnoses stemming from sexual trauma she experienced while serving our country. We met in one of our undergraduate courses. We immediately connected and spoke to one another daily since this course. Chantel was a very smart woman and loved to party, dress up, go on dates, and shop for nice things. There were also times when she was a "homebody" and tired, which led to her spending a lot of time in bed. We would talk during those days, however, she would keep our conversations short. She was also a mother of a teenage son who loved filming and gaming. She had great relationships with her family and had a great amount of friends.
Over time, I learned that my friend struggled with Bipolar d/o. She was very outgoing and open about her experiences. She would often tell me stories about her service within and outside the country. She was a very strong woman and I admired her for her continued humor and ability to smile.
On the last evening of September 19, 2019, I received a call from my best friend's mother. She was returning my missed phone call from earlier that afternoon. She informed me that her daughter / my best friend is no longer with us and she died from an overdose. This was a surprise because I had just spoken to my friend that morning. She laughed while telling me about the sugarcane festival parade she just participated in the previous evening.
For a while, I felt confused, numb, and didn't feel anything. Chantel had the support, resources, and knowledge, so I was confused as to what led to her making her final decision to no longer want to live. I felt guilty because we would talk about mental health almost daily and I failed to ask my friend if her symptoms were affecting her. I know I was depressed at that time because I did not attend nor participate in my commencement to receive my Master of Science in Professional Counseling degree, which was held in November of 2019.
A few months later, the infamous Covid-19 virus appeared in the United States. Because of the pandemic, I believe I was able to "hide" my mourning and grief work since I was home all the time and, therefore did not socialize outside my home. Since going through the phases of mourning and the pandemic ending, I now celebrate my friend's life by visiting her favorite place with her mother and her son with balloons and laughter just as she would have it. I also keep in touch with her mother every day through fellowship and prayer.
Although I work with some individuals on coping with grief and loss, I have learned that grief and loss do not look and feel the same from one person to another. Having this understanding has strengthened my support and mindfulness within my work as a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Professional. There is no right or wrong way to feel about grief, as there will be stages and changes. Another important lesson I learned is that joy can most definitely happen amid grief. Thanks so much for reading!
In my current research as a doctoral student, I utilize these experiences to bring awareness, support, and additions to counseling techniques.
Sincerely, Tanya Porter MS, LPC, NCC (Doctoral Student)