Personal Statement

My interest in a counseling related profession and helping others spawned as a result of a lifetime of learning and curiosity; namely, mindfully molding my thoughts, actions, and habits into a perpetual pattern of unconscious and unpremeditated altruistic behavior. Furthermore, I have always aspired to determine the roots of all my emotions and master the behaviors of a trustworthy, loyal, courteous, and kind individual. Every day should begin with the thought, “What can I, as an individual or collaboratively with others, accomplish to relieve part of the shared and total human suffering of this world?” If such a mantra was revered by the collective consciousness of the human race, misery and suffering would be sharply reduced, if not eliminated

(Gensler, 2004).

My future career goals include becoming a successful Physical Therapist. In this profession, I will interact with people who are, in layman’s terms, broken. Most of the time, the damage received will be purely physical; however, some physical injuries can be mentally traumatizing, or can further develop into a mental problem as some patients may become highly discouraged or depressed. Personally, I can still clearly recall the very first time I needed physical therapy after an injury. I was a sophomore in high school, and had just come off a game where I scored two goals and provided an assist for my team. Needless to say, I was looking forward to testing my skills against our next challenge. Unfortunately and unbeknownst to me, our

I learned a lot about the anatomy and functions of the knee, as well as other weak points and imbalances within my own physique. More importantly though, I learned how selfless and caring the profession requires of the therapist. As a physical therapist, one is expected to not only diagnose and treat physical problems, but also to design plans that patients can implement themselves to further promote wellness in any area. In addition, the therapist is expected to listen to the patient at all times and tailor his program to his specific needs. Finally, one must physically be there with the patient for anywhere from thirty minutes to an hour. This physical presence must not be one of dread or annoyance; rather, the therapist must be present with a sense of positivity and helpfulness. For example, during my previously mentioned first therapy experience, I was becoming very discouraged with having to watch my teammates play from the sidelines while I could not, and I began to become mildly depressed and unmotivated. My main therapist noticed this and helped me through this sad part of my life, seeming to take the role of more of a listener and counselor, rather than someone who I was paying to help fix my physical injuries. When the last therapy visit had ended, and I was walking away from the office for the last time, I instantly realized this profession was what I wanted to do with my