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Career Roadmap

Jennifer's work combines: Non-Profit Organizations, Medicine, and Helping People

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Day In The Life

Social worker/peer advocate

Provide clients with compassion, empathy, and guidance through my personal experiences and recovery.

Skills & Education

Here's the path I took:

  • High School

  • Bachelor's Degree

    Psychology, General

    William Paterson University of New Jersey

Here's the path I recommend for someone who wants to be a Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers:

High School

Associate's Degree

Bachelor's Degree: Psychology, General

Graduate Degree: Social Work

Learn more about different paths to this career

Life & Career Milestones

I've taken a lot of twists and turns

  • 1.

    Graduated high school knowing I'd go into mental health.

  • 2.

    Went to community college for 4 years.

  • 3.

    Transferred to a four year school, got my grades up, excelled in my psych classes.

  • 4.

    Graduated, found a part time job as a peer advocate at a non profit organization.

  • 5.

    Applied to graduate school for my masters in clinical psychology.

Defining Moments

How I responded to discouragement

  • THE NOISE

    Messages from Society in general:

    You're gonna be in school for a really long time.

  • How I responded:

    Ignore them. Know you are good enough. If it's what you love, don't let anyone have the power to take that away from you.

Experiences and challenges that shaped me

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  • I've been involuntarily hospitalized twice, took 7 years to finish my undergrad degree, I'm a victim of domestic violence, and am a consumer of mental health services.