Typically, people try to avoid or even despise the scar in their heart.

This intensi es the

psychological anguish caused by the scar, driving them further into despair. I, on the other hand,
have come to accept pain and make it a permanent companion in my life. In the course of
learning about healing, I have realized that the best approach to recovering is to learn from the
pain of the past and use it as your biggest motivator.

One of my nightmares involves taking an antidepressant, the medication that my father and
psychiatric professionals advise me to take to avoid "negative thoughts in my brain." Hundreds of
con icts occurred in my mind, wondering whether I was willing to rely on those medicines till the
end of my life. When antidepressants made me so fatigued that I could not think about the
answers during a math exam, I did not think they would work with the structure of my brain.Some
of my teenage friends also feel that antidepressants deplete their youthful energy faster than
depression. I discovered that rather than just taking medications, those who su er from
depression require a mentor to educate them on how to ride out the storm. Unfortunately, this
problem often seems to be too enormous to solve, and the prospect of such a struggle frightens
me. 

However, after declining the o er of medical treatment at a mental facility, I chose to confront my
concerns. I began by reading and watching TED Talks by well-known psychologists like Andrew
Solomon. At rst, I was afraid and wondered whether what I was seeking actually existed, if our
scienti c advancement had progressed far enough to consider a "remedy" for the soul to
complement the physical body's replacement of antidepressants. I did not grasp it until I read
"Man's Search for Meaning" that while dealing with invisible wounds, we must be accountable for
altering the attitude of the individual who was mentally unwell with their "trauma" (the original
meaning of cognitive behavior therapy (CBT)).

I know I was right this time. I do not want my friends and family to be forced to take medications
that potentially have harmful side e ects. After researching online, I volunteered at the PERG
Clinic, which has a limited number of therapists that use CBT to treat depressed patients. I have
organized free psychological counseling for teenagers who cannot a ord mental treatment. At the
time, I highlighted that they acknowledged that the su ering they had experienced had
contributed to their maturation into stronger humans, as I recognized that the disappointment of
not maintaining excellent academic results was an opportunity for me to open a new door outside
my school. 

With my encouragement, a girl was healed enough to return to school after three months without
having to take an antidepressant. The stereotype that depressed individuals must take
antidepressants used to be too much for me to overcome, but I never gave up since my little
e orts are progressively altering each person's environment. I believe that with more practical
experience and training, I may become a leader in using CBT to solve psychological disorders
and show others how deep compassion and support can have a tremendous in uence. 

It is a pleasure for me to be able to cooperate with expert psychologists, which is something that
only a few young individuals in Vietnam get the opportunity to accomplish while still in high
school. Thus, those experiences will function as a great drive for me to open the door of
knowledge and meet the challenges as an intelligent and talented healer. To prepare for this role, I
feel that psychological science at the University of Padua can provide an in-depth education that
will allow me to validate my theories. I learned that taking antidepressants was just to stop the
bleeding. The only way I have been able to repair myself is by learning to apply psychology to
going deeper into my darkest corners and facing my most painful scars.

In my imagination, I saw brain and behavior talks with university professors or an exciting lecture
on the philosophy of science, where I knew my soul was restored. So, I hope that the professors
at the University of Padua will be interested in helping me reach my goals. My instructor informed
us during our class of career seminars, "What hurts you the most will become your weapon."
Finally, scars became my guide to where I belonged. I was ready to start my journey of becoming
a psychologist before I even set foot in Padova.
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