Mental health counselling has become a core facet of public health and it has always been my ambition to participate in the mental wellness of people. I understand that your institution is one of the frontrunners in installing counseling skills for mental health. It is my desire to acquire the skills from the institution. I received my BA in communications while in Nigeria. After travelling to the United States in 2015, I enrolled for a degree in psychology aiming to focus more in humanity. This course will provide me with the requisite skills to handle clients and to adequately attend to their needs. I have held a long passion for mental health counselling since my younger days. Naturally, I am inclined at helping people and I sympathizes with those who are experiencing life challenges. I have always given an ear to people who are in pain and given them words of comfort and encouragement including strangers. I also have the ability to initiate talks and to make people feel comfortable to share without holding back on anything, a quality I believe would be helpful in practicing a career on mental health counselling.
My area of preference in mental counselling is rehab and treatment centers. There is a surge in addiction arising from substance and drugs abuse and it would be a thrill to help such people overcome their addiction. My preference to deal with concerning alcohols and substance abuse is because I have been exposed to the havocs wretched by alcoholism. Drug and substance abuse is linked to other challenges such as increased road accidents, family breakups, and increased crime rate as addicts without source of income seek ways to satisfy their urge, and other medical conditions which are calamitous. By helping people overcome addiction, the ripple effects will be experienced in many areas.
My degree in psychology gave me the basics required to embark on the journey of becoming a professional counselor. It opened me to what people think and how they react to different situations. It also helped me to understand the appropriate way of dealing with people and helping them without making them feel micromanaged. This course will guide my progress to another level making sure that I raise my standard in dealing with persons having mental health problems. A career that requires effective communication, my degree in BA Communications will come in handy. The success of any interaction with the clients is depended on the way we understand each other. Making sure that the client understands the problem properly and involving them while planning for a plan of action and making him feel like a party to those agreement is a goal which counsellors strive. With the foundation in communication, it will be easier for me to attain those goals.
A person in the career of counselling is required to be observant. I notice that in my conversations, I like to maintain eye contact and take note of the non-verbal cues. This attribute will be an asset in my career as I will be able to get most from my communication with clients. At all time, I have kept from anyone secrets that have been shared with me and I believe in my ability to maintain confidentiality, a key requirement of mental health counselling.
Furthermore, I enjoy interacting with people and am able to integrate with new communities. I understand that working as a mental health counselor will require me to work with individuals, groups and communities. Working with families is also inevitable. This I will manage since I am also able to forge new friendships within a short time and translate them to long term relationships which are defined by respect and trust.
Research indicate that about 50 percent of people globally experience mental health problems at least once in their lifetime. As at 2019, one in five adults in the United States had a mental problem, with their conditions ranging from mild, moderate to severe. Some of the common mental health problems in the United States are anxiety disorder, major depression, and bipolar disorder. This have been aggravated by the global pandemic which have led to massive loss of jobs and livelihood and loss of close friends and relatives. With the interruption of normal life, many people have been left depressed or suffering other mental health issues. During this times, my passion for mental health counselling have been rekindled. I have kept in touch with friends who have had their share of losses with the aim of ensuring that they are not mentally unwell. Looking at the needs of the America and the whole world, I feel there is a great need to have as many mental health counsellors as possible. My desire to pursue this course is informed by the need to add more knowledge that will help me deal better with mental health issues.
In regards to studying at your institution, I seek to combine all the knowledge I have combined over the years to deepen my understanding of mental health counselling. I have chosen this route to enable me fulfill my heart desire to become one of the best mental health counselor. This desire will be the driving force in my study for the time I will be in this institution.
