Yet another revised SOP draft
So after having disassembled my essay, having graduate friends look it over, and just trying my best, I'm back hoping that my essay is better than last time. The first of my application deadlines is coming up in two weeks so you can all understand the anxiety going through my being. So, here it is and I'm much appreciative of any comments, concerns, criticisms, etc. =\
Young people, in the pursuit to understand their often intense feelings and their constantly changing surroundings by themselves, have the added stress of trying to make sense of these conditions on an emotional and psychological level. Meanwhile, there is an intrinsic need to be taken seriously enough to be heard by their peers by respected adults. As a first generation American daughter of former Haitian immigrants, I understand how cultural pressures affect the mental and emotional well-being of young people. Haitian culture dictates that people, particularly children, deal with their emotional problems quietly. Therefore, children who express anxiety over normal stressors receive little support from adults and are often seen as unruly or difficult. My personal and professional experiences have motivated me to pursue a career in supporting children dealing with anxiety to improve their emotional and social well-being.
My desire to become a counselor is fueled by my Haitian culture where there was always a conflict in learning how to deal with emotional and mental issues. Haitian culture dictates that one should learn to deal with their emotions quietly, if at all. Mental health was not taken into consideration for most aspects of life. Furthermore, a younger person’s mental health is not taken into consideration due to the idea that there is no need to address such concerns. Young people are encouraged to be solely concerned with their education, their family responsibilities, and the expectations within their gender roles. Emotional growth, happiness, and development almost always takes a backseat to the pursuit of financial success, which seems to be of the most concern to immigrant parents because so many Haitians have grown up in poverty. Due to how little emphasis and education there is about learning how to deal with an individual’s environment (should I explain what kind of environment?) as well as how best to encourage positive mental health practices (I’m not sure if concepts or practices is a better word. Concepts sounds like it might be a bit vague?). Children who might have emotional or mental issues are often seen as being unruly and unnecessarily difficult. Issues that bring adults to therapy often have their root in the maladaptive thought patterns and negative schemes they developed during adolescence. Having to deal with issues that are particular to an individual and their cultural background is further heightened when there is the process of having to sort out the emotions of being a pre-adolescent or adolescent child. Without a proper outlet, there is an increased chance for the young person to rebel and become involved in self-destructive behaviors. On the other hand, with the proper outlets and a secure setting with trusted adults, a young person would be able to better communicate their own feelings without having to sacrifice their own emotional growth.
With my particular experiences, I am able to bridge an individual’s cultural background and their emotional and behavioral issues. I have not only learned about the areas of mental health but can also translate them to be easily understood by those who have not grown up with a positive perception of mental health. Without the positive venues for expression, a young person may not feel they are taken seriously nor feel anyone cares. As we have seen with recent examples, children who have been bullied and feel there were no adults to trust and talk to them, there is more likelihood that they will take drastic measures to cope with an-almost daily torment. Learning and implementing positive coping strategies in the face of conflict is important in adolescence because these patterns continue into adulthood. If a person could find ways to better resolve certain conflicts while they are young and continually put them into practice when the situation calls for it, then they will continue to put them into practice when the situation calls for it as they get older.
While working as a therapeutic aide during my time as an undergraduate, I escorted a patient to and from his therapy sessions. The time I spent with this child showed me that while he was indeed young (only seven-years-old), he had pressing issues that affected him deeply. He did not express his concerns in explicit detail, but there was a noticeable difference when he was around adults whom he felt he could talk to, trust, and respect. Observing the difference in his demeanor before and after his sessions had motivated me to work with young people. Having to live within and navigate two equally influential cultures and environments that I experienced bullying and harassment in, I have found myself greatly interested in how young people are able to confront the situations that may occur in any aspect of their life. Children are frequently relegated to not needing an outlet for expressing themselves in a manner that addresses whatever emotional and mental health concerns that could very well have an effect on their social and behavioral disposition.
[In college,] having engaged in classes and coming across teachers and peers who have had some experience in the field has influenced my decision in pursuing a post-undergraduate degree in this field. My experience as a therapeutic aide has deepened my desire to seek an education in this field, particularly with this age group and the differences a young person would encounter from being engaged in two or more cultural backgrounds. The experiences I have with bi-culturalism also allow me to truly understand the multitude of difficulties from a constantly evolving social and emotional constructs as well as familial desires and expectations of a young person’s experiences. The [SCHOOL PROGRAM] would prepare my contributions to the community by enriching the lives of young people with proper solutions and resources. These solutions and resources would help young people deal with conflicts and personal and social encounters. When a young person has the necessary tools in order to successfully navigate throughout the life, particularly during the time of pre-adolescent, there is a greater chance of being able to handle much more assertively and with much more confidence.
Also, when printing this out, would it be better to have my name and the page number as the header or does it not really matter? Just a matter of personal preferences.
Young people, in the pursuit to understand their often intense feelings and their constantly changing surroundings by themselves, have the added stress of trying to make sense of these conditions on an emotional and psychological level. Meanwhile, there is an intrinsic need to be taken seriously enough to be heard by their peers by respected adults. As a first generation American daughter of former Haitian immigrants, I understand how cultural pressures affect the mental and emotional well-being of young people. Haitian culture dictates that people, particularly children, deal with their emotional problems quietly. Therefore, children who express anxiety over normal stressors receive little support from adults and are often seen as unruly or difficult. My personal and professional experiences have motivated me to pursue a career in supporting children dealing with anxiety to improve their emotional and social well-being.
My desire to become a counselor is fueled by my Haitian culture where there was always a conflict in learning how to deal with emotional and mental issues. Haitian culture dictates that one should learn to deal with their emotions quietly, if at all. Mental health was not taken into consideration for most aspects of life. Furthermore, a younger person’s mental health is not taken into consideration due to the idea that there is no need to address such concerns. Young people are encouraged to be solely concerned with their education, their family responsibilities, and the expectations within their gender roles. Emotional growth, happiness, and development almost always takes a backseat to the pursuit of financial success, which seems to be of the most concern to immigrant parents because so many Haitians have grown up in poverty. Due to how little emphasis and education there is about learning how to deal with an individual’s environment (should I explain what kind of environment?) as well as how best to encourage positive mental health practices (I’m not sure if concepts or practices is a better word. Concepts sounds like it might be a bit vague?). Children who might have emotional or mental issues are often seen as being unruly and unnecessarily difficult. Issues that bring adults to therapy often have their root in the maladaptive thought patterns and negative schemes they developed during adolescence. Having to deal with issues that are particular to an individual and their cultural background is further heightened when there is the process of having to sort out the emotions of being a pre-adolescent or adolescent child. Without a proper outlet, there is an increased chance for the young person to rebel and become involved in self-destructive behaviors. On the other hand, with the proper outlets and a secure setting with trusted adults, a young person would be able to better communicate their own feelings without having to sacrifice their own emotional growth.
With my particular experiences, I am able to bridge an individual’s cultural background and their emotional and behavioral issues. I have not only learned about the areas of mental health but can also translate them to be easily understood by those who have not grown up with a positive perception of mental health. Without the positive venues for expression, a young person may not feel they are taken seriously nor feel anyone cares. As we have seen with recent examples, children who have been bullied and feel there were no adults to trust and talk to them, there is more likelihood that they will take drastic measures to cope with an-almost daily torment. Learning and implementing positive coping strategies in the face of conflict is important in adolescence because these patterns continue into adulthood. If a person could find ways to better resolve certain conflicts while they are young and continually put them into practice when the situation calls for it, then they will continue to put them into practice when the situation calls for it as they get older.
While working as a therapeutic aide during my time as an undergraduate, I escorted a patient to and from his therapy sessions. The time I spent with this child showed me that while he was indeed young (only seven-years-old), he had pressing issues that affected him deeply. He did not express his concerns in explicit detail, but there was a noticeable difference when he was around adults whom he felt he could talk to, trust, and respect. Observing the difference in his demeanor before and after his sessions had motivated me to work with young people. Having to live within and navigate two equally influential cultures and environments that I experienced bullying and harassment in, I have found myself greatly interested in how young people are able to confront the situations that may occur in any aspect of their life. Children are frequently relegated to not needing an outlet for expressing themselves in a manner that addresses whatever emotional and mental health concerns that could very well have an effect on their social and behavioral disposition.
[In college,] having engaged in classes and coming across teachers and peers who have had some experience in the field has influenced my decision in pursuing a post-undergraduate degree in this field. My experience as a therapeutic aide has deepened my desire to seek an education in this field, particularly with this age group and the differences a young person would encounter from being engaged in two or more cultural backgrounds. The experiences I have with bi-culturalism also allow me to truly understand the multitude of difficulties from a constantly evolving social and emotional constructs as well as familial desires and expectations of a young person’s experiences. The [SCHOOL PROGRAM] would prepare my contributions to the community by enriching the lives of young people with proper solutions and resources. These solutions and resources would help young people deal with conflicts and personal and social encounters. When a young person has the necessary tools in order to successfully navigate throughout the life, particularly during the time of pre-adolescent, there is a greater chance of being able to handle much more assertively and with much more confidence.
Also, when printing this out, would it be better to have my name and the page number as the header or does it not really matter? Just a matter of personal preferences.