Operation Future Counselor

Who Am I? Good Question.

I am a career changer. I've been a photographer, but now I'm transitioning into the mental health field. I've always liked helping people with their problems, and now I've decided to make a career of it. People absolutely love it when I tell them I want to be a counselor. Inevitably, they say, "I wish you were one now. I need help."

So I need to get my education. And that takes money. 

Where Am I Going To School? 

I'm finishing my BS in psychology in the distance education program at Upper Iowa University, where I currently have a 3.6 GPA. I'm not naturally smart at psychology. I simply love it, and I work my butt off to learn about it. I expect to finish in December 2014. At the same time, I'm planning to work on a mental health associate degree program at Montgomery College, in Silver Spring, MD. It's such a great program that I want to finish it along with my BS before I go to grad school, which I'm aiming to do at Johns Hopkins University, or at Wake Forest University.  Eventually, I want to get my doctorate in counseling psychology.

What Kind Of Therapy Do I Want To Do?

I want to use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Solution- Based Therapy in my future private practice. These types of therapy get to the root of a person's problems quickly, and focus on solutions, which most patients are more interested in now. In terms of specialties, I want to specialize in individual therapy, personality disorders, working with veterans on issues like PTSD, eating disorders, substance abuse, and health psychology. I also want to be a life coach, for peope who need help clarifying things in their lives, but who don't necessarily need serious psychotherapy. 

How Much Money Do I Need?

Right now, I need about $8,000 to finish my BS, and about $2,500 to finish the associate degree. And right now, the tuition for grad school is around $43,000. My name is actually Fortune, but, like most people, I don't have that kind of money lying around! 

I would really, really, appreciate your help and support on this.