Marriage & Family Therapy Program Applicant
Research
RESTORE
RESTORE is a community-based research and education program dedicated to promoting resilience and empowerment among survivors of sex trafficking.
​
During my time as an undergraduate research assistant with RESTORE, I had the opportunity not only to learn about sex trafficking and survivors, but also to contribute to the body of research with survivors. It has been a huge privilege to get to work alongside Dr. Ruhlmann and the rest of the team.
​
One opportunity that I have had to present my work with RESTORE was at this year's This Is Research! Student Symposium. I had never participated in a poster session before, but it was a great experience to be able to tell so many people about the work that we are doing in RESTORE and the positive impact that we hope to have.
​
I also had the opportunity to attend the Alabama Human Trafficking Summit, where multiple community figures and Alabamians concerned about the issue of human trafficking came together to discuss and learn about what is happening and what can be done in Alabama to end Human Trafficking.
​
I truly believe that participating in RESTORE as an undergraduate student will be a cornerstone in my continued education and professional life as a therapist. I have learned so much about trauma and trauma-informed care. This knowledge will prove critical for me professionally, because as a therapist I will need to be able to treat traumatized clients appropriately.
Photo: Taylor Gnagi, B.S.
Photo: Lauren Ruhlmann, P.h.D.
Internship
Auburn Marriage and Family Therapy Center
In the final semester of my undergraduate journey, I had the amazing opportunity to be an intern at the Auburn Marriage and Family Therapy Center. Throughout my internship, I had opportunities to step into leadership positions, observe therapy, participate in clinical research, and contribute to the MFT Center administratively. Through this internship, I not only learned many skills that will aid me in the administrative part of being in therapeutic practice, but also gained more perspective on why I am drawn to therapy as a career choice.
​
One of the most important parts of my internship at the Marriage and Family Therapy Center was the therapy that I had the opportunity to observe. More than anything else in my undergraduate years, observing therapy further developed in me empathy, compassion, and a curiosity for what actually works in therapy. All of these will be critical for me as I move further along the path of becoming a marriage and family therapist. My internship was certainly challenging, but I believe I am going to be so grateful that I was exposed to so much of the therapy world before taking the final plunge and going to graduate school.
Photo: Anna Weldon
