August 30, 2021
I am incredibly thankful to be in the ISM program and to start my journey. My main goal of my independent study is to bring light to eating disorders and work on finding a way to inform adults on what to look for and how to notice eating disorders in adolescents. I will strive to find a way to help others, and for this reason, "Help one person at a time, and always start with the person nearest you," a quote by Mother Teresa impacted me, and I will use the idea of always doing what I can to have a positive impact on those around me to guide my study. I hope to find a mentor who is an eating disorder therapist in order to assist me with my specific goals, but I would also be appreciative to shadow someone who is a psychotherapist, because that would allow me to expand my knowledge on the psychology aspects of mental health issues and how to help. I'm very eager to learn more about eating disorders as well as mental health issues so that I can use my knowledge I have obtained to leave a positive footprint on society. So far in ISM, I have learned how to show the professionals I come in contact with that I respect them, such as the skill of how to remember names. Through this journey, I hope to not only make connections and grow professionally, but also to grow as a person by learning what my values are through my independent study and mentorship.