I am a hard worker and a very dedicated student. I am also an African-American woman with a passion for ethnic studies and a profound interest in American Indian History and Affairs, inspired primarily by the fact that I have grown up in XXXX, Oklahoma and I love my community dearly. I fully anticipate that I will realize my long term career goals of someday publishing books as well as research articles in the area of parenting styles and its association with at-risk children and adolescents, particularly minority youth. I dream of researching and writing about sibling envy, implications of parental favoritism on children’s academic and professional success, the truth behind stigmas of interracial adoption, cultural identity development and interracial adoption, self-esteem and ethnic identity in black children, and the effectiveness of current counseling services for members of ethnic minority groups.

I look forward to a lifetime of promoting healthy social and family relationships, positive behavior, and academic success as a teacher, especially improving social skills in children with Asperger’s Syndrome, learning disabilities, and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. I want to struggle against the high rates of black male incarceration by launching an organization geared specifically toward young African-American males where they can receive academic provision, mentoring, and life coaching. Many young black males feel abandoned by society and I want to help provide them with a support system so that they can grow and develop a healthy sense of self-esteem and sense of worth.

After I earn my Masters degree and become a Licensed Professional Counselor I plan to get a job at a hospital or a community mental health agency. Later, I intend to pursue a PhD in Clinical Psychology and to further develop my consultative, managerial, research, leadership, and teaching/training skills.  After I earn my doctorate I intend to get a job in a group practice or medical setting, providing counseling services to my clients and networking and organizing with my colleagues. I dream of starting my own NGO, along with partners who specialize in mental health law, as well as policy and ethics with a special focus on young children three to nine years old. I center my practice on the counseling and treating of children in this age group facing difficulties with psychological, social, emotional, or behavioral problems, particularly ethnic minority children who often have to deal with acute societal pressures as a result of poverty, parental unemployment, and discrimination and racism. I believe that earning a Master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling in your program will help me achieve these goals.

I feel that my real-world experiences working in a psychiatric facility will help me to excel in your program, especially in my efforts to apply counseling theories, methods, and techniques to real-life situations. I also feel I am a good fit for your program since I earned my undergraduate degree at your university and I love very much being an established part of your academic community and building upon the social networks and resources that I currently enjoy. I also very much appreciate what I see as the high standards and values of our university. I see your program as the perfect place to become a leader of therapeutic groups and to develop my leadership as well as managerial skills. I was raised in Broken Arrow and I love my community very much. My rootedness in the community will also help me to excel in your program and distinguish myself in the area of Clinical Mental Health Counseling

I am most excited about studying under the direction of your entire faculty, particularly Dr. XXXX since I am so engaged with the subject of ethnic identity and it would be a special honor to learn directly from someone with such an impressive track record with respect to indigenous affairs, along with the fact that he himself is a member of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma. I have been especially inspired by his work in the area of urban Indian health care as well as multicultural psychology with an emphasis on assessment and treatment in ways that are diversity appropriate and effective at providing diversity-sensitive health care in the U. S. 

I also look forward to studying under Dr. XXXX because of my personal devotion to the cause of child and adolescent psychology and my passion for family counseling. At-risk students in elementary school stand at the center of my own professional hopes and dreams, especially minority children at risk. I too very much identify with my own ethnic roots and I seek a full immersion experience in this area. I thank you for considering my application to your program.