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I took my first psychology class

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when I was in junior year of high school,
and I got really curious

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about the intricacies of the human mind
and our behavior.

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So I decided to pursue a bachelor's
degree in Venezuela, my home country.

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And after migrating to the United States,

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I was really set
on becoming a psychotherapist.

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And to do that,
I needed to pursue a master's degree,

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and I chose marriage and family therapy.

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I've been in the clinical

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psychology field since 2018.

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I've been doing a lot of group therapy,
individual therapy,

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as well as peer support
in case management.

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I like to make sure that clients know

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that my role is to support them

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and meet them

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where they're at, regardless of
if that's where they want to be or not,

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and unconditionally listen to them
and come up

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with ways
to make changes that would serve them.

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I definitely see myself

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working actively
to make mental health care accessible.

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I want to continue serving minorities
and advocating for diverse populations,

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especially Hispanic immigrants
and the LGBTQ plus community.

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I also plan on pursuing a doctoral degree

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next to possibly lead the way

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in projects and initiatives
that I plan on carrying out in Venezuela.

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When I do go back, eventually.

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I became a member of AAMFT in 2021,

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when I was still working
toward my master's degree.

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AAMFT consistently provides me

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with opportunities
to continue my education.

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They share information
about events, current research,

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and they have also allowed me,
most importantly, to connect with

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wonderful, inspiring professionals

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that advocate for ethical practices
that are gender affirming

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and that are systemic, and being able
to connect with those people

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and feeling supported in my own
journey is extremely valuable to me.