A blog post from SOLES MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, Ambassador, Leila Atiyeh
Moving to a new city. Adjusting to a different pace of life. Going back to school well
after a decade of graduating from undergrad. Adjusting to a new lifestyle. Changing
careers. Forming a new professional identity.
It’s hard for me to believe that all of that happened in less than 3 years. In August 2015,
I moved from NYC to San Diego to start the CMHC grad program. Prior to starting the
program, I worked in business / management consulting for approximately 13 years. It
has always been my dream to be a psychotherapist, so I decided to follow my passion.
My two worlds couldn’t have been anymore different. The adjustment was challenging
and there were highs and lows. I recognize that it is all part of the transformation
process, and I wouldn’t change a thing about it.
The intimate cohort size, the relationships formed, the support from faculty, the warm
sunny days that feed my soul, and the magnificence of the ocean have all aided in my
evolution.
I am now 3 months shy of graduating. The magnitude of my evolution still hasn’t fully hit me yet. However, I am ready to spread my new pair of wings. I have ideas of what I
would like to achieve in my career as a mental health clinician, but for now, I am excited to have the opportunity to flutter around in the wind, bask in the sun, and go wherever the
wind takes me.