Getting into Psychology

I completed my under-graduate studies with journalism, 2 years ago. Despite the major that I
was taking, I became initially interested in psychology when I was helping a cousin who was
having problems at home and was considering suicide. I felt so helpless trying to deal with her
problems that I decided to learn more about human behavior and how to help those in need.
This experience led me to enroll in an introductory psychology class in order to understand
more about what motivates people.

I have become more and more interested in the field of psychology within my four years as an
undergraduate journalism major. In addition to my educational experience, I actively joined
seminars related to psychology. I volunteered with social service organizations caring for
mentally and physically abused. In this role, I encountered students who had problems relating
to their family, depression, suicide, alcohol, and drugs. I attained an internship position during
my senior year as a volunteer supervisor at the Suicide Prevention Myanmar (SPM). I witnessed
counseling of both clients and their families, and I learned to administer and score several
psychological tests used in clinical assessment (e.g., the Wechsler Memory Scale and the
MMPI). My volunteer experience has proven to me how much more I need to learn and as a
volunteer with social service organizations caring for mentally and physically abused, I have
discovered - to my surprise - how many members of the Myanmar population live with
psychological scars and mental illness as integral components of their lives. Moreover, in 2016,
there were approximately 9.5 suicides per 100,000 of the population in Myanmar. This was a
dramatic increase from 2005, in which there were approximately 3.5 suicides per 100,000 of
the population in Myanmar. Beside that, we -Myanmar people- are facing scarcity in
psychologist. I became more interested in psychology for those reasons.

It is for this reason that I am applying to the Masters Program at the Carleton University. I
believe that both my knowledge and life experiences render me a very suitable "fit" with your
School. Furthermore, I intend, upon completion of the M.A. Program, to go on to pursue the
Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D) degree at the Carleton. The knowledge and experience that I
would acquire in the course of my studies at the Carleton will give me the tools and
opportunities to fulfill my career goals of working on alleviating adult mental health problems
through counseling. In the process, I will be able to give back to communities in Myanmar
-where the is no professional psychologist- something of what this generous and diverse land
has given to my family and me. Finally, as the fulfillment of a personal "dream," becoming a
certified professional in psychological counseling will allow me to address the inner sufferings
of my fellow human beings as I once alleviated physical sufferings.