Emilie Parham
EMP Psychological Services, LLC
Columbus, GA USA
"You're not always gonna know if what you're doing is right. You just have to take it one day at a time, one step at a time, and be true to yourself."
Career Roadmap
Emilie's work combines: Education, Science, and Learning / Being Challenged
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Day In The Life
Skills &
Education
Advice for getting started
I was encouraged by a coworker to go back to school to advance my career, but at the time I was juggling being a new mom and didn't think I could balance school. I eventually realized that I was capable of balancing it all, so I did.
Here's the path I took:
High School
Bachelor's Degree
Fashion/Apparel Design
Auburn University
Graduate Degree
Educational Leadership and Administration, General
Georgia State University
Graduate Degree
School Psychology
Georgia State University
Life & Career Milestones
My path in life took a while to figure out
1.
Got her undergraduate degree in fashion and apparel design—interned in New York City with Liz Claiborne and later became an assistant buyer for the Ralph Lauren and Ann Taylor retail stores.
2.
Tired of the harsh New York winters, she moved back to the South where she worked in marketing for an insurance firm, and then later in magazine design.
3.
After her marriage, she moved to rural Meriwether County, Georgia, where she struggled to figure out her next career move due to how isolated the area is.
4.
Has always had a passion for helping people with physical and mental disabilities, and decided that she wanted to pursue a career as a special education teacher.
5.
Participated in the Georgia Teacher Academy for Preparation and Pedagogy, which helps people with degrees in subjects other than education get a jobs as teachers and receive on-the-job training.
6.
After having her first child, she became a stay-at-home mom, but quickly realized that wasn’t the right move for her, so she began working on her first master’s degree in educational leadership.
7.
She was encouraged by one of her coworkers in Meriwether County to pursue an additional master’s degree in school psychology, and has been working in that field ever since.
8.
Says her favorite part of her job is working with students—who are struggling with various learning issues—figure out how to make school work for them so they can excel.
Defining Moments
How I responded to discouragement
THE NOISE
Messages from Myself:
I'm 30 years old, I can't go back to graduate school now.
How I responded:
I was encouraged by a coworker to go back to school to advance my career, but at the time I was juggling being a new mom and didn't think I could balance school. I eventually realized that I was capable of balancing it all, so I did.
Experiences and challenges that shaped me
Once I got married, I moved to a rural county in Georgia. The isolated nature of the area meant there were limited opportunities. I had to dig deep to figure out what was available to me and use that to my advantage.
Balancing work, family, and social life began to take its toll on my marriage so my husband and I decided to get divorced.