The What If Scholarship
APPLY HERE: WHAT IF SCHOLARSHIP
I often say that being a psychotherapist allows me to have the privilege of being able to witness "a- ha moments" where suddenly all the pieces come together and the client has developed a deeper understanding of themself or their situation and it's the starting point where their life changes drastically. It's these moments where I derive great value in psychotherapy.
The a- ha moments hit greater when I witness acts of bravery and courage in my clients. Courage to be their authentic self and the bravery in creating and following a path that they carved out on their own. Whether it's deciding to press charges against someone who has sexually abused them or deciding to cut out a toxic friend in their lives, these individuals have made the decision to choose themselves and rise to the challenge of facing the consequences of their decisions.
Choosing to live authentically can manifest in different ways. Although I know that this is something that I struggle with in many areas of my life, I know that I've always prioritized being authentic with my goals and passions. I've always known myself to be a dreamer and I experience great joy when the dreams I had as a little girl come to life. Though, I've never dreamed about being a psychotherapist, I believe that my commitment to be true to my passion in helping others led me to my dream job.
Were there struggles along the way? Absolutely. I didn't always get support for going “off track” (failed future doctor over here!) but that's ok because it has helped me learn about confidence and resiliency. I am so impressed by the young women I meet in the therapy room who have endured or are enduring similiar struggles. These are women who become wide-eyed bursting with excitement when talking about their dreams and goals, and yet those same eyes are filled with tears as they explain why they feel these goals are unattainable. Their passions are considered "risky" or "unrealistic" for a woman. Stephanie (not real name) dreams of working at a production company that will allow her to work on set in different countries but her mom doesn't support her because it's not a great long term plan. Savannah would like to work in computer science but is questioning her ability to thrive in a male dominated industry. Both women, among many others I've worked with, are at crossroads in which they are to choose between a stable, comfortable career, or one that brings them genuine joy. It's a tough decision to make, for sure, with both options having clear benefits.
The What If Scholarship was created to help women like Stephanie and Savannah who find themselves at this crossroads and are flooded with “What if” questions. What if I follow my heart ? What if this is what I'm meant to do? What if I take the chance? What if I succeed? What if I can't make a difference? What if I fail?
The What If Scholarship aims to support women who have chosen to embark on a journey on the road less travelled, asked those what ifs and decided to follow a "non-traditional" route, obstacles and all. These women, who really don't know the outcome of their decision, have bravely chosen to follow their dreams not knowing how they'll get there.
A total of $3000 CAD will be awarded to the individual who has decided to set the standard for chasing dreams and dedicated to the pursuit of deep, genuine joy. The ideal candidate is one who is able to explain why they believe their chosen path is 'non traditional' and what sparked their interest in the first place. In addition, candidates are asked explain the obstacles that they’ve faced or what they anticipate to face, but also why they decided to pursue their goal anyway.
APPLY HERE: WHAT IF SCHOLARSHIP