I believe the mind, body and spirit are all interconnected. In my Hmong religion, our shamans believe when one’s spirit is lost or not with the body, this leads to sickness or ill health. So, as a single mom of four, when my kids were sick and the doctors didn't know what to do besides waiting it out and I didn't want to keep asking the shaman, I felt at a dead end with both medicine and my shaman culture. I got into this program to learn more about what is out there. I’m interested to know more about the spirit side and more about healing my children.
I am currently a mental health case manager at the Wilder Foundation working with the Hmong population. I'm hoping to incorporate what I learn from this program into my work. I see it starting to happen — this holistic approach, not just the mental and physical. I'm hoping to educate my clients in that same way.
St. Kate’s is the only school I know offering this program. Financial aid was also a huge part of my decision to go to St. Kate’s. I had some scholarship and there was also a Kissinger scholarship through the program. Otherwise, it wouldn't be affordable. I have friends who went to St. Kate’s, too, who are highly educated and that was another reason.
When my program switched to online, I needed a laptop to do all the research. The IT department worked to loan one to me. That’s been really helpful. Because I don’t have a laptop, I could not make this education happen otherwise.
For me, this program has been a bridge to what I need to know. All this information has opened my eyes and given me everything I need to help my clients going forward. In this industry, you're kind of stuck without extra education. That was a barrier and why I decided to pursue my master’s degree. So I looked for something I wanted and loved to do.
Be open is what I would say to other students. Just do it for yourself and remember why you are here. I had to really motivate myself because no one's going do that besides myself or my professors.
St. Kate’s is a school that empowers women. They really do that through this program. There’s a lot of self-discovery and a lot of learning to advocate for myself. I feel I have changed throughout these years. I've come a long way. I don't know how, but I feel I have become stronger.