Conflict Analysis And Trauma Studies: A Personal Statement

There is something very surreal with hearing a person go from about six subjects in under thirty seconds without them realizing what they are doing. This is an experience that I had four years ago with someone close to me. They were starting to talk nonsense to me, my family, and others around them. After a couple of confusing weeks, we were told they most likely suffered from bipolar disorder. I’ve always had some interest in mental disorders but this experience is what really brought me to them. I googled for hours about bipolar disorder and many other disorders and from there grew a passion for helping those who suffer from a mental disorder. I think there is something truly amazing about having someone who may feel there is no way they can live a normal life but you are the person who helps make that happen for them. I have spent half of my high school and college career looking into all sorts of disorders, what causes them, and how many are helped.

I believe with my passion for helping sufferers of mental disorders, having a bachelor of science in Psychology and a minor in Conflict Analysis and Trauma Studies will make me a great applicant for counseling. Some other traits that I have that complement well is I am empathetic, I am a good listener, and I am very open-minded. I have worked in two jobs that were

very people-oriented in where I learned how to interact with many different personalities. What I have also learned from these jobs is to have patience with people. I feel that these are good traits-and the ones listed earlier-to have working with patients with any kind of mental disorder.
A psychology course that I have taken at K-State that has given me a great abundance of knowledge over mental disorders is Abnormal Psychology.

By learning about many disorders in a controlled environment was very educational and beneficial to what I would like to do in my career. I am a very people-oriented person and like to spend my free time with friends and family. A very humbling thing to hear from friends is how much they trust me and how easily they can talk to me about their problems because I truly listen to them instead of waiting for my turn to talk. This is very comforting to hear as that is a very important trait to have as a

counselor.
I am hoping to find a great volunteer option to get involved with while I am still in undergrad to get even more experience before coming to Graduate school. I think it would be beneficial to already have a better understanding of what it’s really like to work with people who are suffering from a mental disorder. I am a very hard worker and put a lot of effort into my degree because it is truly something that I am passionate about.
I feel that I would be contribution to this school with my degree and how determined I am to help those around me. I am very committed to making that happen to the best of my ability which I believe is through counseling. After graduate school, I hope to work for a great practice or even open up my own that focuses on helping young adults with suicide and depression but I am very open to working with other disorders.