Admission essay writing strategies and personal narrative development

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For as long as I can remember, I have wanted to be a psychologist. Every academic success I have achieved thus far has been a step in the journey toward my ultimate goal. As a professional, clinical psychologist, I would advocate for my patients and help them improve their life in all dimensions. Psychologists not only help patients alleviate their suffering; they also help them overcome serious limitations and become the very best versions of themselves. My desire to pursue clinical psychology stems from my belief that we are all unique and therefore there exist a multitude of solutions to address issues related to mental and behavioral health. I seek to one day develop a practice built on compassion and non-judgmental support. I truly believe I can best serve my patients in an atmosphere of mutual respect, understanding, and encouragement. However, in order to achieve this goal, I feel it is important to continue my studies. As highlighted by the Executive Committee of the APA, professional competence to render quality clinical services to children, youth, and families is intrinsically related to training, continuing education and reevaluation to assure the maintenance of that competence" (Roberts, 1982). Thus, an advanced degree and licensure in clinical psychology will offer me the best chances of improving my ability to be of service to others.

In __, I graduated from __ with a degree in ____. I am immensely grateful, not only for an extraordinary education, but for the immense personal growth that I experienced. I am completely fascinated by the study of psychology and feel that my education and life experiences have laid the framework for my decision to advance my skills in this field. My career choice has been solidly defined at this point in my life. I am certain that clinical psychology, with its academic rigor and commitment to assisting patients in their own personal growth, is indeed the perfect field for me.

My aspiration to advance my knowledge in clinical psychology also stems from something very dear to me. For many years I have been working to cultivate and expand Faith at Work, Inc., a program offering full life skill training to young girls aged 10-18 who have been placed into group homes or foster care by order of the state. These young women are at critical cross roads in life. Many have come from neglectful or abusive backgrounds, and all are in need of guidance, support, nurturing, job readiness and independent living skills. Research findings indicate that children and youth exposed to maltreatment or violence in their homes and neighborhoods are more likely to engage in aggressive behavior or enter the criminal justice system (Litrownik, 2003). Federal legislation often intervenes to protect these children by using group homes and foster care until a suitable and stable family environment can be located. In many ways this is a band-aid solution. Without proper and personalized intervention, many of these young girls will inevitably become casualties of the system.

Faith at Work, Inc. seeks to serve as a refuge for at-risk girls and empower them to become successful and capable young women. Change is more difficult the longer a young person remains on a deviant or deprived pathway. Self-regulation and pro-social behaviors must be cultivated during the early years of development (Litrownik, 2003). Subscribing to this same ideal, Faith at Work provides individual and group therapy, alternative education options, anger management and behavior modification as therapeutic interventions by specially trained staff members. Program participants take part in life skills training, social activities, weekend outings, volunteerism, mentoring groups and spirituality. The over-arching goal is to help these girls recognize their own inner beauty and strength and become self-sufficient and productive members of society.

Working with troubled and neglected young people at Faith at Home has provided me with a very unique experience. I have been given a bird's eye view into the larger behavioral health, societal and environmental issues that cripple many of our youth. This awareness has propelled me in my quest to better understand how to combat such challenges. In order to establish trusting relationships with this population, I must first fully understand the complex dynamics of psychological development throughout the human life-span and apply that understanding in such a way that it encourages positive personal growth.

As I research post-graduate psychology programs, I have weighed several critical factors such as quality of instruction, caliber of faculty, academic emphasis, and program and institution reputation. As recommended by experts in the field, I have also considered key criteria such as program fit, practicum options and overall training mission (Dornfeld, 2012). I believe that ____ can offer me the broad-based knowledge I need to achieve my objectives and develop solid acumen in clinical psychology.