Why I Want To Be A Social Work Essay

I have chosen to enter the profession of social work because I want to help people who are suffering from mental illness and who are underserviced when it comes to getting help for mental illnesses. By working with a distressed person to become better, not only will I be able to enhance their life, but also the community will transform into a more positive place. I view transformation as a ripple effect, where changing the situation for one person eventually causes a change in the majority. This is especially true when it comes to mental illness and the stigma that surrounds it. I have been highly involved in mental health work on my college campus since my sophomore year. I am one of the founding members of our Active Minds chapter, and have …show more content…
I was fortunately able to be a part of our campus Out of the Darkness Walk, where I was available to interact as a support system for people of all ages who have been affected by suicide in some way. Being able to present myself as a form of guidance to someone less fortunate than myself, who is struggling with things I may or may not have experiences with, is where my passion lies. I want to continue to be an advocate for mental health beyond college by integrating it into my profession. Equity is a driving force behind my desire to become a social worker, and I know by combining my passions for mental health and equity I will be a booming voice in the profession. Without proper economic, cultural, political, and even historic conditions, and individual beings life at a disadvantage and is more susceptible to developing a mental illness. By implementing equity, every individual would be able to receive the tools they need to improve life circumstances, and from there recovery can truly …show more content…
Although I am focused on mental health that is not the only thing I want to learn about or practice. I am interested in all aspects of social work, including the historical, cultural, economic, and political areas. There are always multiple factors that join together to create an individual’s disadvantage, and I hope to be able to learn ways to identify and improve those factors. I am happily awaiting to learn from Dr. Margaret Severson about mental health and psychopathology, and well as the impact of mental health from Dr. Amy Mendenhall. My hopes relate to my future plans as a social worker by giving me a well-rounded education of social work while being able to focus on my main area of interest, mental health. My ultimate goal is to work in a crisis setting, specifically with suicidal individuals. By understanding social work in its entirety, I will develop better communication and understanding skills that will benefit the individual I am directly working with. Attending the University of Kansas gives me the opportunity to learn from many extremely knowledgeable individuals in all aspects of social work, which can only positively enhance my future outcome as a social worker. As I hope to enhance my own education, I wish to educate and better the lives of the numerous people I will meet in the profession. My degree will be used as a tool for unequivocally changing my life as well as my clients. It