Tammy’s Story
One of the biggest goals, and something I’m most proud of is getting my Master’s Degree. I had known since high school that I wanted to be a therapist, but wasn’t looking forward to all of the schooling it was going to take to get to this point. I was a good student, but I had to work for it. I don’t think I realized exactly how hard graduate school was going to be. My program was extremely hard, and fellow classmates were dropping like flies after 2 months! There ended up being only 3 of us left in the M.A. program, and we had a great connection. We studied together and leaned on each other when it got rough. There were several times when I wanted to quit, but with the love and support of my parents and (now) husband, I was able to keep my eye on my end goal.
How did I do it? It took alot of organization, planning, and asking for help throughout those 2 1/2 years. It was hard going to an internship all day, then going straight to class until 9pm at night, only to start all over the next day. Then, weekends would be filled with studying and writing papers. I had to be very organized to know what was due when, and pre-plan study time. I had to ask for help with cleaning, grocery shopping, and remembering to have a balance to have fun and relax. I had to remember that this “pain” was temporary. I also had to keep in mind that I was doing this for a purpose (my dream to be a therapist) & that there was an end. And to know I had people believing in me and supporting me.
Not only did I accomplish my goals, but I also discovered how strong of a person I was, and I also gained my closest friendship out of graduate school as well. I realized it’s not just about reaching the goal, it’s also about the journey and who you may pick up along the way.
Written by: Tamara Wilhelm MA, LMHC
*Tamara enjoys doing marriage counseling, individual counseling, & couples counselingat Imagine Hope. We also specialize in family counseling, child & adolescent counseling. Imagine Hope serves the Indianapolis area, including the surrounding areas of Carmel, Noblesville, Zionsville, Westfield & Fishers.
