Personal Statement

            Psychology is where my passion lies I have been interested in psychology since middle school and in recent years I have had the opportunity to take a few courses in both psychology and sociology. I can definitely trace back when and why my interest in the field developed. About 10 years ago, when we moved here from Mexico, my family was not doing well and our financial situation was worse. My father was frustrated; unable to find a job, so he began drinking more, which led to alcoholism. This ended my parent's marriage, leaving my mother to raise us four kids by her self. My little brother Gerry started going to counseling with a child psychologist because he has always had a bad temper and problems with his anger management. Although this was an additional expense we could hardly afford, its importance was crucial. Whenever Gerry became overwhelmed he would get really aggressive, he would physically hit people and destroy objects by throwing them and breaking them. As Gerry continued to see the psychologist there was a definite improvement in Gerry's attitude and behavior. The psychologist helped him find ways to deal with his anger in a more reasonable manner by giving him a sense of control over the situation. The psychologist was so helpful; she gave us tips on how to treat Gerry so that he would not explode with anger whenever he became upset. The psychologist also helped us understand him and informed us, of why Gerry acted this way. She also cued us in on different learning strategies that were best suited for him in order to optimize his education to the fullest. Even though this process was long and expensive, its money worth was justified in the long run by the outcome. Through her, we learned many things about Gerry including that he had low self-esteem, which was playing a significant role in his behavior. Seeing all the improvements in Gerry inspired me to become a psychologist.