Hanging in my college locker for four years was the obligatory John Wooden quote that countless basketball players have been drawn to, which read, “Failing to prepare is preparing to fail.” I would read this quote every day before basketball practice with the intent of using every minute as an opportunity for growth and betterment. Though this type of focus and preparation served me well at the time, I am not sure that anything could have fully prepared me for the unique trials and learning opportunities of graduate school. Since the beginning of my graduate education, I have been challenged to understand myself and the world around me in new ways while simultaneously maintaining a posture of openness and empathy, even when this process has been painful. …show more content…
Though I have been interested in psychology since high school, I came into graduate school not quite knowing where I would fit in the field. However, I quickly found my niche in my first clinical practicum which involved working with minority, homeless families in a low-income Los Angeles neighborhood. There I discovered that I could combine psychological training with my passion for social issues like poverty, diversity, and advocacy. I have been fortunate to have a number of supervisors, professors, and colleagues help me continue to foster this passion into a professional identity. With their guidance, I have been increasingly able to utilize a holistic approach to clinical work. Specifically, I use theory-grounded therapeutic interventions in combination with psychological assessment, relevant research, community resources, and consultation while paying particular attention to the unique social context of each