Growing up, I enjoyed learning about science and medicine more than the other

conventional subjects. In high school, I began to have a lot of mental struggles and was

diagnosed with General Anxiety Disorder, Major Depressive Disorder, and PTSD from a car

accident. I met a psychiatrist that put me on a treatment plan that made my disorders much

more manageable and completely changed my experience of the world. I decided I wanted to

try and help others like that psychiatrist helped me. My own mental health treatment resulted in

me having a complete fascination with the brain and how it works. By the time I got to college I

knew I wanted to work with the brain in either neuroscience or psychology. Majoring in

Behavioral Neuroscience allowed me to study both subjects and explore all the careers

available to me. In my gut, I was leaning towards medicine but I wanted to see what it would

look like to do research as a PhD. I got a job as a research assistant in FSU's psychology

department working in a lab on human memory and memory disorders. I found the research

very rewarding and it was truly amazing to be a part of a team trying to find answers to unknown

questions. However, I realized I didn't want to be limited to research and academia my whole

life. I wanted to be part of the treatment plan as well. I knew to get the type of work I wanted I

needed to become a doctor. I started trying to expose myself to healthcare settings wherever I

could. I got a job at Tallahassee Memorial Hospital as a CNA working in the Cancer Center on

the OP Infusion Floor. It was probably one of the best experiences I could've been given to help

me grow as a mature, empathetic person. In my short time there I saw and did truly

heartbreaking things. I drew the blood of patients who knew that it could hold the diagnosis that

could end their life. I tried to help make patients as comfortable as possible when they were in

immense pain. I watched how quickly the chemo could ravage the body of a patient over the

span of only a few months. Sometimes we would get a call and find out a patient we wheeled

out just last week had passed away. It was a very hard job but it also showcased the light in the

dark when it comes to detrimental diseases. For all the people that passed there were more that

survived. It was incredible to see the sheer human tenacity in patients. Even with the weight of
uncertainty crushing down on them they still managed to keep a smile on their face. The nurses,

CNAS, and patients all developed special bonds over the course of the treatment. So much so

that some patients would come back and visit to say hello to the staff. That job cemented into

me that I want to be in healthcare. After the Cancer Center, I wanted to gain experience in the

mental health field as that is where I hope to practice. Recently, I got a job as a clinical

administrator for Charlie Health, the largest virtual provider of IOP mental health therapy. We

work with young adults and adolescents with mental illnesses that require a higher level of care

than just OP therapy. Being virtual I get to work with people from all over the country with a

diverse range of diagnoses from Autism to BPD to PTSD. I also get to work with many LGBTQI+

patients as they constitute 50% of our clientele. Being part of that community myself it's very

fulfilling helping kids conquer similar struggles I did when I was figuring out my identity. I may be

an administrator but face to face patient interactions are a large part of my job. As a part of the

clinical administrator team, it's my job to help de escalate a distraught patient when they

unexpectedly pop out of zoom group therapy. I help them meet with a therapist to process

whatever they need to process one on one. It is also part of my job to report any possible active

suicide, suicidal ideation, self-harm or other harmful behaviors and get the patient in touch with

a crisis therapist or 911 if need be. It can be a scary job as you are the first point of contact

when a patient is in crisis and if you don't act fast enough terrible things can happen. However, I

believe this job is confirming my desire to work in the mental health field. People's lives can go

off the rails due to mental illness and I want to help them feel grounded and safe in their own

heads.