Brandon Mears
Marriage and Family Therapist Trainee
Rio Hondo College
Whittier, CA USA
“We are all human.”
Milestones
My road in life took a while to figure out.
Came into my undergrad as a biology major and failed two classes my first semester.
Was put on academic probation, and my GPA was too low to qualify for financial aid.
Took my first abnormal psychology course and knew I wanted to do something with mental health.
Graduated with a bachelor's in psychology.
Denied from every graduate program I applied to after I graduated.
Took a year off and worked as a Behavioral Therapist, Payroll / Human Resources Assistant, and as a Scheduling Coordinator.
Reapplied to marriage and family therapy programs and got accepted to my number one choice.
Made it to my practicum year of my graduate program and got accepted to my top site at Rio Hondo College.
Keep following my journey
Education
High School
Whittier High School
Whittier High School
Bachelor
Bachelor of Arts - Psychology, College of Humanities & Social Sciences
Cal State Fullerton
Bachelor of Arts - Psychology, College of Humanities & Social Sciences
Cal State Fullerton
Graduate
Master of Science - Counseling, College of Health & Human Development
Cal State Fullerton
Master of Science - Counseling, College of Health & Human Development
Cal State Fullerton
Career
Marriage and Family Therapist Trainee
I conduct individual therapy, co-lead support groups, and advocate for clients.
Career Roadmap
My work combines:
My work combines:
Education
Science
Helping People
Day to Day
On a typical day as a therapist trainee, I conduct individual therapy and co-lead support groups for single parents bi-weekly.
Advice for Getting Started
Here's the first step for college students
For someone looking to pursue a career in marriage and family therapy, I would recommend for them is to see a licensed therapist first. It seems a large proportion of psychology students don't really want to be psychology majors. Rather, they need a therapist to help them figure their lives out. No harm in seeing a therapist either way.
Recommended Education
My career is not related to what I studied. I'd recommend this path instead:
Bachelor
Human Services
Human Services
Graduate
Counseling
Counseling
Hurdles
The Noise I Shed
From Peers:
"I heard phrases and criticisms meant to hinder me from pursuing what I truly wanted."
Interviewed By
Anonymous Student
Student at Roadtrip Nation
