Paper Example. Personal Statement for Master of Social Work (MSW)

I am pleased to apply for the Master's in Social Work (MSW) program at Simmons University. I firmly believe that this program is the next step on my plan to being a mental health advocate for the disadvantaged and underserved population, a goal that has motivated me throughout my professional experiences.

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My initial exposure to mental health career began during my position as a mental health counselor at one UHS facility in Pennsylvania. I assessed clients experiencing psychological distress symptoms under the supervision of a psychiatrist, provided emergency stabilization and support to children experiencing emotional and behavioral, and psychiatric crises. I also talked to clients concerning their life experiences, emotional experiences, and thoughts and identified the circumstances and behaviors, which could interfere with their health status. Besides, I examined patients’ social problems, which could affect their psychological status. Some of the critical social issues I examined included peer influence, intimidation, drug abuse, occupation stress, financial and health challenges.

The organization served clients that were incredibly diverse in terms of background and experiences, and many had a history of trauma. I believe this position has taught me how to apply intervention strategies, common behaviors during a crisis and build my toolbox of flexible solutions. My passion for social justice and having a measurable impact on individuals who need assistance on life assessment and developing plans for addressing their issues contributed to my decision to be a professional social worker. These experiences have prepared me to be well-rounded mental health professional. A graduate degree in social work from the esteemed Simmons University would help me actualize my professional goals.

The particular aspect social work that interest me the most is mental health because it will enable me to get actively involved in influencing people's lives in society. Other aspects of social works that will be of more interest to me will be health, justice, and correction. Mental health will enable me to interact and assist the marginalized and less fortunate individuals in getting their necessary needs, helping them realize their full potentialities, and helping them understand and exercise their human rights. I have a strong interest and passion for listening to individuals' challenges and getting ways to help in such issues. Generally, in their daily lives, many individuals undergo many challenges, which makes life difficult to approach.

I enjoy helping people with mental illness needs like therapy and assistance with connecting to resources and managing medications. I worked directly with the nurses and other health care workers, social workers, therapists, psychologists, and psychiatrists. I have also shadowed my colleagues as an approach to observing and learning from their experiences and work. After spending the past two years as an employee in the mental health department, I have realized that I had strong interests and passion for assisting the marginalized and the disadvantaged people.

The knowledge and experience of social works will be a boost to becoming an advocate, counselor, risk assessor, and the ability to work on professional care plans. My current position of work limits me to follow only the care plans already put in place. However, I wish to get involved in professional decision making that impacts the lives of people directly. Qualification for the Degree in Social Works is a boost to improving people's lives, especially the most vulnerable individuals. It is essential to uphold their rights, protect them from harm, and help them build their own meaningful lives.

I believe I have skills and experience that I can add to the university such as positive attitude, commitment, amiable character, and the urge to make a difference in any system of professionalism and life. My professional and academic life has prepared me extensively for social work. I am a mother of three children, and this has modeled me to have proper time management and improve my organizational skills through family management. Besides, having attended my school as a mature individual, I had greater improvements in more effective communication skills, the ability to work within a team, and social interactions. These past experiences have greatly equipped me with the necessary skills for graduate social work. I have the full support of my family and my husband, thus becoming more committed and dedicated to becoming a social worker. Despite the complexities and challenges of social work roles, my current occupation has molded me adequately to fulfill the expectations of being a social worker.

The role of being a social worker requires an individual to impact the lives of the people around them. As such, I plan to change my school community and fellow students' lives by bringing in new and all-around ideas and experiences into the system. I will share my past experiences and learn from my colleagues' experiences to help build not only myself but also society and my colleagues. My role and experience in the health sector have made me understand how to implement different approaches to different people with different problems. I will offer that dimension to my fellow students as I gain instructions from other experienced staff.

I will not forget about my field education after securing a chance in the graduate course of Social Work. I plan to manage my demands of the coursework in Social Work and my field education by proper time management. I will manage my time by avoiding planning fallacies and practicing risk management. I will also balance the two fields by applying the course work into my education career field. Keeping my ultimate mission in practice and mind, I will form a reliable network and always tap into them for any kind assistance.

The Simmons University mission of educating social workers will be the catalysts for lasting change and scholars and leaders within the field resonates deeply with my professional and personal aspiration. My prior skills and level of experience and my positive motive for social works will enable me to become an essential asset for the MSW program. Thus, the program will influence my goal of impacting the society surrounding me through social works.