Keep Going: A Letter on Depth, Resilience, and Becoming

I remember sitting in a group class and repeatedly asking questions that did not always have immediate answers. At that point in my life, I often believed that the way I processed things was wrong and that it affected how people understood and viewed me. When my questions went unanswered, that familiar uncertainty showed up again. 

Then my professor told me that my questions made people stop and think. I remember the relief I felt. Someone had taken something I had spent much of my life questioning about myself and allowed me to see it differently. NYU gave me a space where, instead of feeling corrected, misunderstood, or rejected for the way I thought, I felt encouraged, valued, and accepted.

Care Beyond Theory

At NYU, I continued to have these types of experiences. During my time there, I learned what care could look like beyond just theory. While balancing full-time work, clinical training, and classes, I experienced a miscarriage. I was so focused on continuing to function that I did not fully recognize how much I was carrying, but others did. I was so used to moving on to the next step despite how I felt, that the kindness and humanity my professors and classmates showed me fundamentally changed the way I thought about therapeutic presence. They reminded me that supporting someone does not always require the perfect intervention or the right words. Sometimes care begins with recognizing what another person is carrying and being willing to remain present with them.

That final semester, I was diagnosed with ADHD and autism. The experiences I had at NYU made it easier for me to accept this new understanding of myself and, in turn, better help my clients understand themselves. The questions I asked, the connections I made, and the way I processed the world started to look different to me. I had spent so much time learning how to extend care, curiosity, and acceptance to other people. Through this program, I began learning how to extend those same things to myself.

Since graduating, my career has continued to exceed what I imagined was possible so early on. I have built a career as a psychotherapist specializing in ADHD, neurodivergence, PTSD, and complex trauma, worked with clients from many walks of life, received professional recognition, and been invited to share what I have learned about building and sustaining clinical work. I have built relationships with providers and organizations, learned to advocate and negotiate for myself, and now, less than two years after graduation, I am exploring opportunities to teach future counselors. Even being asked to share my story here is another moment I could not have planned for myself.