Monica's Story
New York, NY USA
"It wasn’t until I was diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder at 26-years-old that I knew I wanted to work in the mental health field. I wanted to support others in the way that I was supported during the most challenging period of my life.
During my recovery, I met someone with Schizophrenia who told me that talking to me calmed the voices in her head and it was the only reason she could sleep at night. I ruminated on those words and decided that, through Social Work, I could use my own personal experiences to help others.
I began taking classes through NYU's Silver School of Social Work and started working part-time at two Clubhouses*, helping people in their own mental health recovery journey. I recently was accepted to Columbia's 2-year Masters of Social Work program and will start in the fall.
My goal as a social worker is to continue working with individuals who have mental illnesses that have disrupted their lives. I want to inspire people to believe that they can live happy and productive lives, despite having a mental illness, just as I have."
*Clubhouses - offers people living with mental illness an opportunity for friendship, employment, housing, education, and access to medical and psychiatric services through a single caring and safe environment. It gives them the opportunity to recover and fully participate as valued and respected members of society. (clubhouse-intl.org)