This position would allow me to educate the public, by discussing battering in various situations and helping reach target populations where battering is not discussed or is considered normative. However, I understand that working with batterers is not simply about education; the vast majority of them have been abused, themselves, and need assistance resolving issues from their own past in order to move on and create better futures. Furthermore, childhood abuse is positively correlated to later substance and mental health issues, and I would like the skills to recognize, assess, and treat those tangential issues. Another interest that I have is working with pregnant teenagers and young mothers in a family education system. I believe that it is unfortunate that our society fails to provide its members with adequate education concerning essential life-skills. I am interested in developing a program targeted at young, impoverished mothers, which would teach them basic skills, such as how to rent an apartment, how to turn on utilities, opening and maintaining a checking account, budgeting, how to access community resources for childcare and other assistance, and also basic childrearing skills.
While many abusive parents act out of malice or anger, I believe that many cases of abuse can be attributed to frustration and a lack of knowledge. By targeting young mothers, I would hope to end some of this abuse. My third area of interest is to work in a halfway-house or probation-office type setting, helping people turn over a new leaf. Talking to acquaintances who work in probationary settings, I understand that many criminals have a strong desire to become law-abiding citizens, but simply do not know how to do so. I would hope to educate them regarding some basic life-skills, and direct them towards job education programs. I would also like to ensure that they receive the appropriate treatment...
As someone who hopes to enter into the mental health arena, I am extremely aware that using a job to define oneself as a person is a hazard. On the other hand, I believe that one must have a tremendous level of commitment and
passion for any career to be rewarding. I believe that Springfield College has the type of
environment that will teach me to balance social life, work, and family in a satisfying and rewarding manner.
It may seem that I could meet my personal, educational, and professional goals through any Masters at any
university. However, I believe that Springfield College would provide me with opportunities that are unavailable at other institutions. I am extremely impressed with Springfield's commitment to the service of humanity, and believe that I will find myself surrounded by others like me, who have an innate need to help other people. I feel that the graduate programs of many other schools emphasize academia and research, rather than the application of existing knowledge to better humankind. I am not interested in that aspect of my field, but, instead, want to apply psychology to help people. I believe that Springfield's emphasis on practical experience, including volunteer work, will provide me with the opportunity to create a practical and helpful foundation in my field. I am also impressed with the credentials of Springfield's faculty, and I believe that, under them, I will be able to meet influential and helpful people in my field. Hopefully, my
educational experience will help me meet the contacts that I will need to really help people, and perhaps even begin the pilot educational and counseling program, which I described in my professional goals. Finally, I am impressed that all of Springfield's Master's programs, regardless of
discipline, focus on the helping professions. I feel as if I will be in the right
place to learn skills from other disciplines, if my education, laboratory, and volunteer experience reveal a gap in my knowledge.
