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.

Brooke Glahn

Graduate school was transformative both intellectually and personally. During my first week of graduate school I learned I was getting a divorce. We were a young couple who grew up religious and had followed the path that was laid out before. The path was to get married and have kids and we did that all pretty quickly. As we were together we discovered that the religion no longer fit our values and as we left the church are marriage followed. In my masters program we were encouraged to not only learn about the mental health profession and how to become counselors but we were asked to be pretty vulnerable with our cohort and do a lot of inner self work. I learned how to open up and lean on others for support. I learned how to set healthy boundaries. I learned how to listen with unconditional positive regard for the people I got to work with and help. Not only did I get to learn how the brain works and how to become a counselor but I got to grow on a personal level that I never expected that I would get our of a graduate program. I think the experience helped me understand what it’s like to be a client in the room and the difficult work it takes to open up to a stranger to help discover more of yourself and the areas that need healing. It also wasn’t easy being a single mom with two kids under 5 at the time but the training that I received during my classes, practicum, and internship and the University of Wyoming helped shape me during such a transitional time. Read more>>

Chelsea Cole

I was trained in Rexburg Idaho by poppy teeth whitening! She is so kind and she made the whole experience a great one. I have always loved teeth, and I love being able to help people get a brighter smile. Read more>>

Martha Brookley

My primary field of work was Education. I began my secondary education at the University of South Florida where I earned a Bachelor in Secondary Social Science Education with a Minor in English as a Second Language in 2010. In 2016, I became TESOL language certified at the University of South Carolina. Other than this formal education, I have found that professional add-on certifications have been really helpful in my education journey. I’ve become certified in everything from CPR to car seat technician, baby-safe sleep advocate, and babywearing educator. Certifications allow you to take courses exactly what you need for your career with minimal cost. In the future, I hope to become a certified maternal mental health support worker and a breastfeeding mentor. Read more>>