Building Hope Counseling Services

From a young age, I have worked to be a vocal and compassionate member of my community. Through community service and service-oriented jobs, I have striven to improve my environment and the lives of those around me. Social work and therapy are my life’s callings. Through the act of self-exploration, together we will change our world for generations to come. I am honored that you have chosen to go on this journey with me.

A House of Service

I was raised in a house of service. When I was a child my parents engaged in community service weekly, usually multiple times a week. My sister and I often went along with them. As I aged, I began engaging in these acts of service independently, as they were the foundation of my identity.

When I was in elementary school, I served food to the homeless in my hometown after the soup kitchen closed early on Thursdays. Through the intense New England seasons, we could be found ready to fill in the gaps that the hardworking social services in our town could not. We would offer people down on their luck a meal and a smile and a prayer. That’s where my understanding of my own privilege became coupled with a desire to give back. That’s where this path started, behind the local library in a small town in Connecticut.

In middle school, my mother and I would scrub the church once a week. Not merely sweep and pick up. No, we would spend hours on bended knee in service of our community, cleaning every inch until the place shined. My mom showed me the importance of doing a service that would not be noticed if done well but would be commented on if done poorly. Babies could crawl on the floor, people could serve food from the kitchen, my church community would have a sense of belonging because of the work we did. The calling to serve goes beyond external praise.

In high school, I volunteered as a tutor. I helped students younger than me to improve their studying and writing skills. When parents tried to pay me, I would turn them down, proud to be a blessing (usually… I was 16 years old, give me a break). The greater reward was seeing someone understand a difficult concept they had been struggling with and the look on their face after they received a grade higher than they had imagined possible.

In college, my ever-changing part time job would continue my tendency to serve – Supporting my psychology department professors, raising money for scholarship funds for my university, improving training opportunities at one of the largest hospitals in the country, watching kids for a community outreach program… The list of jobs I had in college goes on and on. I took pride in every position, from figuring out a finicky department printer to successfully obtaining donations for undergraduate students in need. But the theme remains – Serving my community.

The Reason Why

In his books “Think Like a Monk” (2020) and “8 Rules of Love” (2023), Jay Shetty introduces the Vedic idea of dharma, or personal calling. Shetty defines dharma as the intersection between passion, expertise, and service. When what you are good at lines up with something the world needs, you have found your life’s purpose. Through learning, practice, consistency, struggle, and celebration, we can travel a personal journey of fulfillment. Serving the residents of Massachusetts through therapy is my personal dharma.  

I became a therapist for a very simple reason – I have always desired to live a life of service. Helping others is one of my highest personal values. The motto of my graduate social work program was “Be a Changemaker”. I have held on to this phrase through all phases of my career. I want to make a change in my community. It is my passion to help others identify and break patterns that have held them back for far too long. My goal is to help others live their best life according to their own personal values. Nothing is more rewarding to me than watching someone transform from a seed to a flower to a whole garden.

So, when I sit down to think “why” or “what does this career mean to me” – I think of the joy and pride I get to share with my clients as they progress on their mental health journey. I think of the change I am making in my community. But mostly, I think of that 9-year-old girl who was unafraid to physically throw herself between two angry, cold, hungry people about to fight, her belief that she could change the world so strong, even in that moment. (I’ve improved my boundaries since then, but the fire remains the same.)

In Summary

There is no greater honor or privilege than to be your therapist. This career has given me the opportunity to impact my community in the most glorious of ways. My fire for service has given my life a sense of purpose. This fire has driven my decisions with intention since childhood.

I am proud to be a resource for my community. I am proud to be a social worker. I am proud to be a therapist.

Sources:

Shetty, J. (2023). 8 rules of love: How to find it, keep it, and let it go. Simon & Schuster.

Shetty, J. (2020). Think like a monk. Harper Thorsons.