taking the leap: graduate school

thanking the people who made this possible for me

I just submitted my final application for grad school.

with all the violence taking place in our country and world right now, I question on a daily basis whether/how I should show up on social media, whether it makes sense to share things like this.

for now, I have decided to begin sharing more about what I'm thinking about and working on, and all the people and communities who are supporting, guiding and teaching me.

when I feel the deepest despair, it helps me to look around and find the helpers-- the people standing against violence, fighting in countless ways for love and humanity.

and this milestone, of finally taking the plunge and investing in my ability to advocate for change at a larger scale, would not have been possible without the many, many helpers that I have the privilege to learn from and work alongside everyday.

so, I want to shout out a few people who have not only supported my development as a helping professional, but who are doing their own healing, liberatory work in the world every single day.

@ Dion - thank you for bringing me into the recovery gym community, teaching me what it means to lead by example and promote recovery through movement (& for putting up with my BS daily)

@ Daniel - thank you for not only introducing me to the world of adventure therapy research, but also for giving me the confidence to develop my mental health promotion skills at the graduate level. I quite literally could not have gotten through this process without you.

@ Jeff - thank you for being a fantastic social science educator, and introducing me to the world of qualitative research when I was a baby undergraduate.

@ Jerilyn - thank you for being an empathetic, badass coach for people in recovery, and one of my favorite co-workers (& also putting up with my BS daily lol). you inspire me to show up with tenacity and put my whole heart into coaching

wherever I end up going, I hope to carry forward what I've learned from each of you, and many others not mentioned, and work toward a world where all people are safe, supported, and free.