Personal Statement
Personal Statement
I have wanted to become a mental health counselor for as long as I remember myself. All the experience that I went through in my life, obstacles that I had to overcome shaped me into the person I am now. Today I have a strong desire to pursue the career in counseling and I understand that it is a result of all the events and people that played their special roles in my life, and I am really grateful for it. Below I will show how my desire to help people as a mental health counselor was formed.
I was born in Macedonia and brought up without father since the age of 3. During my childhood my mother was trying very hard to run her own business and take great care of me. I received a valuable experience by watching how my mother coped with the situation as a single parent. Then I gained understanding of how it was possible for people to be strong in difficult situations, how to empathize with people and to support them. Now I feel that I can use these skills in my work as a mental health counselor, as it is always important to support clients and to empathize with them.
The next step that shaped my intention to become a mental health specialist was the time I came to the USA to study in college. After the first year of studying I had to return to Macedonia and take care of my grandmother who suffered from Multiple Sclerosis. I had to stay with her in Macedonia for a long time, which is why I had to withdraw my courses. Still, I had a strong desire to continue studying, which is why I registered for courses in the next semester and was going back and forth between the USA and my motherland. I felt that I really needed to be there, in Macedonia, with my grandmother for the remaining time of her life. It lasted for a year and I had to learn how to complete my tasks in the best way – I didn’t have as much time and opportunities as my classmates. Owing to that experience I saw how important it was to care about my close people, how they needed my help. Moreover, I learned to study effectively and with optimal time spent for my assignments – this skill I am still successfully using and improving.
After my dear grandmother passed away, I returned to college and started working at 2 jobs to support myself and to have an opportunity to study. At that time another challenge appeared in my life – I had a cousin who was diagnosed with cancer. The situation was so that I became the only one who could take care of him. As a result, I had to spend most of the time in the hospital, and then I understood how much I really want to help people.
I saw people as they were there – trying to be positive, praying to god and fighting for their life with all the energy they had with clean hearts and open mind. Spending most of my time in the Sloan Catering memorial hospital, I saw real people for the first time – people with souls, with problems they fought so sincerely against. It was real life, real challenges, real losses and real victories. I firmly decided to pursue career in mental health.
Spending time in the hospital was very difficult for me, but now I understand how much it helped me shape my character and understand my priorities in life. I am sure that my experience, my skills and knowledge are valuable for people. I want to study in your program in order to receive proper training so as to be able to provide adequate social and mental support to everyone in need. It is my ultimate career goal and what I have been most passionate about throughout my lifetime.
Apart from gaining experience that I want to share with people, I also speak four languages – Spanish, Bulgarian, Macedonian and Serbian. I am fluent in each of them, and I am sure that owing to it I will be able to work with people from different countries and backgrounds. Due to my experience of adaptation to life in another country, I can also help those who are in the same or similar situation, facing the necessity to adapt to new culture.
I feel that when working with my clients, I am responsible for my sincerity, attentiveness and proper use of my knowledge for the client’s benefit. To meet my responsibilities, I will work hard to enhance my skills, expand my knowledge base and work on my personal development so as to be able to give more to them. In case of some conflictual situations, I always try to see the person as he/she is. I know that some of my reactions are not caused by that person, but rather by my memories of some similar situations. The same can happen to my opponent. I try to hear myself and another person and distinguish between my memory and the present situation. It helps me to see situation more objectively and to understand the moment when I need to help my opponent.
If you give me a chance to study in your program, I will show only development and improvement, nothing but success. I am eager to represent your college in different ways by participating in research. I want to emphasize how much I want to help other people and that I feel I can do it very well. I know that with your help I will further enhance my skills and get the necessary knowledge to further my education in the chosen direction until I get PhD in the long run.
