I am applying to the University of La Verne for the Educational Counseling Masters Degree Program in pursuit of a career as an educational counselor. My interest in counseling sparked during my second year of college. After taking my first psychology class, I learned that childhood trauma could have long lasting effects on the brain. I had been dedicated to coping with my trauma and after learning this information, I decided that I was ready to discuss my childhood trauma with a professional.
After a few sessions, I realized how comfortable I was talking to an adult that did not judge me and guided me to self realization. I wished that I had a counselor to talk to during my youth. I believe that a counselor would have changed my life drastically by providing me emotional support, coping skills, and providing resources to improve my life at home. At this point in my life, I felt like all of the negative things that happened in the past had a purpose behind them. I knew that one day I would be the person that I desperately needed as a child. I felt that having first hand experience as a child that needed support would benefit me professionally and shape me into providing future students with support on a personal level. From this point on, I made it my goal to show students at the elementary
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In my first academic school year, I began as one on one aide for a student in a general education kindergarten class three days a week. At the time I was a new educator with little experience with children with intellectual disabilities and behavioral issues. I quickly learned to avoid triggers, react effectively to behaviors, and follow through with a consequence to manage disruptive behavior. For the next two years I worked with a SDC Preppy K/Kindergarten class where I became the mainstreamer for students that had goals of transferring into a general education