Great schools and training programs offer learning opportunities that go far beyond the syllabus. We asked some amazing folks from the community to share stories from their educational journey with us.

Sara Balkanli Watkins

Becoming a therapist is no easy task! I started this journey in 2015 when I first decided I wanted to pursue a career in counseling. It took about a year to complete the testing requirements, apply to schools, and get enrolled. I finally started my graduate program at St. Edward’s University in fall of 2016. Our program is 60 hours, which is about 2 years of full time classes for 3 semesters a year. We’re also required to complete a practicum/internship experience with at least 700 hours of experience working in various mental health settings. Read more>>

Christina Fontenelle Westbrook

After experiencing a life threatening accident while attending her first semester at Illinois State University, Christina went back to to school with a newfound determination. She took advantage of TRIO, an advisory resource provided through the school for first generation students who need help adjusting or keeping up through the academic disparities. Read more>>

Marcia Blane

Most people don’t understand the rigorous pace of graduate studies during the journey of becoming a Clinical Mental Health Counselor. During graduate studies, my cohort and I began every semester by saying “​we can do anything in 10 weeks.” We would remind each other when things became overwhelming and exhaustion became part of the normal landscape, the constant cries of loved ones saying “are you still in school” that we can accomplish anything in 10 weeks. Read more>>