When the cards are stacked against you.
From Adversity to Purpose: A Journey of Resilience and Transformation in Forensic Psychology
Personal Statement
I come from humble beginnings, and although I did not recognize it at the time, I was born into circumstances characterized by multiple Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) that shaped much of my childhood and adolescence. I was the third of four daughters born to my parents in one of the poorest communities in Hawaii, where neighbors knew one another and families were closely connected.
Some of my earliest memories involve my father's incarceration, during which he was imprisoned for approximately two and a half years. Following his release, he secured employment as a welder, our family moved into a larger home, and my mother became pregnant with my youngest sister. For a brief period, life appeared to be stabilizing.
Early Adversity
Shortly after our move, I experienced sexual abuse by a neighborhood resident. Frightened and ashamed, I disclosed the incident only to one of my sisters, who responded by making fun of me. As a child, I interpreted her reaction to mean that my experience was something to be hidden, and I never spoke about it again.
Around the same time, my father lost his job, my maternal great-grandfather passed away one month before my youngest sister was born, and my mother began exhibiting symptoms that would later be recognized as postpartum depression. At the time, mental health was rarely discussed, and neither our family nor our community recognized the significance of what she was experiencing.
Before these events, my mother had been an attentive and devoted parent. Despite struggling with her weight, she exercised regularly and never missed picking us up from school. I vividly remember waiting for her under a tree after school one afternoon when I was in the third grade. As the hours passed and she never arrived, I walked the mile home alone. When I arrived, I found her asleep on the couch—something that had never happened before. Looking back, I recognize that this moment marked the beginning of profound changes within our family.
Homelessness and Family Instability
Within the following year, my parents became involved with substance use, and our family entered a prolonged period of homelessness. I was approximately seven or eight years old. Much of that time remains fragmented in my memory; however, I clearly remember my youngest sister being removed from my mother's custody because of neglect. This loss further deepened my mother's depression.
Although my parents remained together, their relationship became increasingly unstable, complicated by infidelity, financial hardship, and ongoing substance use.
By the time I entered adolescence, my father had become involved in drug trafficking, and the presence of individuals actively using drugs had become normalized within my environment. Around the age of ten, my mother was diagnosed with schizophrenia but consistently refused treatment. As my father's absences became more frequent, I assumed many caregiving responsibilities for my mother despite being a child myself. The emotional burden, coupled with the ridicule I experienced because of my mother's illness, contributed to my decision to leave school after completing the eighth grade.
Finding a Path Forward
Although I stepped away from school for approximately one year, my father consistently emphasized that completing my education was my primary responsibility. Eventually, I enrolled in an alternative school for at-risk youth, where I completed both the eighth- and ninth-grade curricula within a matter of months.
Throughout high school, I continued to experience housing instability, relying on relatives who temporarily opened their homes to me. These arrangements were often short-lived because of my oppositional behaviors, which, in retrospect, reflected unresolved trauma rather than intentional defiance.
A significant turning point occurred when I became a mother at nineteen years old. The responsibility of caring for my son fundamentally changed my perspective and motivated me to pursue stability. I entered the workforce and, for approximately the next decade, routinely worked multiple jobs to provide for him. Although the circumstances were challenging, motherhood gave me a profound sense of purpose and determination that ultimately changed the trajectory of my life.
Academic Pursuits
Throughout adulthood, I developed a deep interest in criminal behavior and the factors that contribute to offending. At the age of thirty-two, while continuing to work overnight shifts, I enrolled in college to pursue a degree in Criminal Justice.
As I progressed through my undergraduate studies, I became increasingly interested in understanding the psychological processes underlying criminal behavior rather than focusing solely on the criminal justice system. That realization led me to complete my bachelor's degree and continue directly into graduate training in Forensic Psychology.
Graduate education challenged me intellectually while also helping me better understand the experiences that had shaped my own life. The more I learned about trauma, resilience, and human behavior, the more committed I became to using both my lived experience and my education to help others.
My Long-Term Goal
Today, I am approaching the completion of my doctoral degree in Forensic Psychology. My educational journey has been driven not only by intellectual curiosity but also by a commitment to improving the lives of vulnerable youth. My long-term goal is to establish a trauma-informed treatment facility for at-risk adolescents who have experienced adversity similar to my own.
I believe effective intervention can interrupt intergenerational cycles of trauma, substance use, and involvement with the justice system. Every young person who heals and builds a healthier future has the potential to change the trajectory of an entire family.
In many ways, this work represents an opportunity to provide the support, safety, and hope that I once needed as a child. While I cannot change my own past, I can dedicate my future to helping ensure that other young people have the opportunity to heal, thrive, and realize their full potential.
That purpose continues to guide both my academic journey and my professional aspirations.
