For as long as I can remember, my life has centered around ballet training and a plan to become a professional dancer. From an early age, everywhere I trained I was told I was a gifted dancer, so I followed this path unquestionably. By age 10, I was the youngest dancer to complete the Bolshoi Ballet Summer Intensive and before long, I performed alongside the renowned ballerina Misty Copeland. By 17 years old, I had lived independently for over three years, training and performing across Russia, the United States, and Latvia. The ballet company in Russia I had always dreamt of joining offered me a position when I turned 18. My path couldn’t have been more clear. Then, later that same year, I suffered a tear in my FHL tendon, which gave me no choice but to quit ballet. The plan I had since I was a little girl became impossible.
I now find myself four years later in my junior year of college at UNC studying Psychology with a newly discovered passion for understanding and treating eating and anxiety disorders in populations who experience high rates of trauma. In my many years of ballet training, I’ve witnessed how mental health difficulties – especially struggles centered around eating and body image – have forced even the most dedicated dancers from their passion. These experiences sparked my dedication to delivering compassionate and effective mental health support. I never thought I’d be thankful for my life plans to be derailed, though I find myself feeling truly grateful for the opportunities and experiences I never would’ve received had I not quit ballet. One of these incredible opportunities came to me this semester: matching with The Emily Program as a clinical psychology intern through the Karen M. Gil Internship Program.
The Emily Program is an eating disorder treatment center that provides patients of all ages and genders with the personalized, collaborative, and evidence-based care they need and deserve, guiding individuals through every step of their unique recovery journey. I have the privilege of having Sarah McCarty, the clinical manager of The Emily Program’s Douglas Center, as my exceptional mentor. The Emily Program gives me the unique opportunity to play an active role in patients’ recovery through direct meal support, utilizing the skills and techniques I’ve learned from my lectures at UNC and the guidance of behavioral health technicians. Additionally, I am shadowing 1:1 therapy sessions, learning clinical language and note-taking practices, gaining familiarity with navigating patients’ medical charts, and observing group therapy sessions. In the near future, I will have the opportunity to co-facilitate therapy groups, allowing me to use the clinical and therapeutic skills I’ve been developing during my time at The Emily Program. Working at The Emily Program has only strengthened my passion for providing compassionate, supportive mental health care to my community, equipping me with invaluable tools and experiences to grow both as an aspiring clinical psychologist and as a human. I am overwhelmingly grateful for the priceless opportunities the Karen M. Gil Internship has provided me. I want to thank Dr. Steven Buzinski, the Karen M. Gil program director, Emily Dolegowski, the Karen M. Gil program manager, and Sarah McCarty, my mentor at The Emily Program, for their trust, support, and encouragement; their guidance has been instrumental to my growth. I look forward to carrying these transformative experiences with me as I continue my journey toward becoming a mental health professional.
Comments