Dani Dawson - Clinical Psychology Student
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Dani Dawson - Clinical Psychology Student

March 18th, 2019
To whom it may concern:
Rather than explaining to you my accomplishments in life, I would rather show you why I am so passionate about my studies, and why I am so passionate about this field. Being a retired athlete and a current student, I have always been dedicated to any task set before me. Whether that be the next hit on the softball field, or the next “A” within the classroom, I strive for greatness. And recently, my dedication and passion led me to switch majors and become a student within the clinical psychology field.
A few of my closest friends suffer from mental illness, and not only was I able to see how mental illness affected each of them in different ways, but I also was able to notice how it affected the relationships surrounding them.
I have a couple close friends who suffer from severe depression, and I was able to see how depression sucked the life out of them, and led them to a deep pit of feeling hopeless and alone, despite the outside support they had. This made me want to help, in any possible way I could. So, I listened to them. I never knew how much listening would actually help someone. Being a lending ear made them feel heard, made their sufferings more acknowledged, and made them more susceptible to receiving help.
Another close friend of mine suffers from narcolepsy. I was able to see the dramatic effects the mental illness had on her studies, as well as her own self-worth. She felt she was in a constant pit of tiredness, and a lack of understanding prior to her diagnosis only made her feel incompetent in school, making her lose motivation. So, I listened. She felt supported and loved, and this led her to acknowledge the issues she was dealing with and to receive help. She received her diagnosis, is on medication, and although it is a constant, daily battle, she feels she has more answers and knows how to manage her illness better.
Lastly, I will speak about my close friend who suffers from severe, hereditary anxiety. She was my roommate at my old university in Phoenix, Arizona, and I saw her deteriorate before my own eyes. She was constantly sluggish, tired, emotionally drained, but this sluggishness and tiredness only led her anxiety to rise, due to a lack of motivation to finish her schoolwork or go to her job. This only increased her anxiety more, knowing that she needed to earn money to pay for school, and by her not completing either of them, she was wasting money. This constant cycle of increasing anxiety led her to have nightly anxiety attacks, where I would be called into her room, late at night, with her crying over everything bottling up. Thus, I learned what she needed specifically. She needed someone to hold her as she calmed down. She needed someone to listen to her vent while she cried, and she needed the support that she felt she was lacking.
All of these people surrounding me, constantly struggling with something that not many people took seriously or supported them with, only pushed me, and sparked that dedication and passion that I have possessed, into the mental illness realm of clinical psychology, specifically with children and young adults. I know, no matter what career I possess within this field, I will fulfill my duties with my whole heart, knowing that I am helping people be heard and helping people feel the support they deserve and need to heal. I know each and every person has their own set of struggles and insecurities, and I am ready to help each and every person receive what they need. Please help me help them. Help me give them the greatness they deserve. You will not find a more dedicated and passionate person than me. Thank you.
Sincerely,
Danielle N Dawson