Right now, I am at the University of Calgary working towards a Bachelors of Science in Psychology. I plan to get into the Honors degree stream, which will prepare me for a Masters of Science in Clinical Psychology. Following that, I plan on getting my PhD. After school, I would like to become a therapist that works with at-risk teenagers and youth, specifically in Indigenous populations. As a Métis woman, I want to give back to my community and I will do so by providing Indigenous populations with access to the mental health services that every community should have. Furthermore, using my education and skills to help others improve their mental health is something I believe I will really enjoy. The skills I have learned while working at FACTSnet will help me reach these academic and career goals.
I had two main roles while working with FACTSnet this Summer. Firstly, I researched mental health during COVID-19 and used that research to create both a blog post for the FACTSnet website and assignments that people could use to assess how the pandemic has affected their mental health. Second of all, I was responsible for reviewing and editing documents about Global Soul Wellness topics. These documents were then posted on the FACTSnet website for public use.
In the first half of my term, I researched Soul Wellness during COVID-19. I used databases to find psychological articles relating to mental health and mental disorders during COVID-19, and I read research pertaining to how people have been coping with isolation and social distancing. I compiled key points from these articles into a working research document, which is accessible to the whole Soul Wellness group so that we can all use each other's research materials.
In the second half of my term, I finished the Mental Health During COVID-19 blog post and completed other mental health assessments and blog posts. I ensured that these documents were publishable and ready for the public to use. For the Mental Health During COVID-19 blog post, I focused on the following topics: the immediate impact and long-term consequences of COVID-19 on mental health, how one can protect their mental wellbeing while social distancing, the impact of this pandemic on families, and places to volunteer for COVID-19 relief. I also wrote a Remove the Elephant blog post about taking small steps to care for your mental health, and a mental health assessment in which people can take different mental health inventories, answer questions, and see how their mental wellness has been impacted by this pandemic. Finally, I completed the Areas of Growth project. I went over the Self Care, Balance, Story Time, and DISC Relationship Series assignments for the employees doing the CIN certification, and gave them suggestions for areas of growth in their lives.
One skill I have developed while working with FACTSnet is the ability to work from home. At first, I found myself getting easily distracted. However, it is now much easier to focus since I have learned strategies and tools that keep me on task and help me work efficiently. Another skill I have developed is collaborating with a team. Completing projects with my coworkers and learning about the DISC model of personality taught me how to work with others more effectively.
One weakness I have identified is that I take on too many tasks at once. This makes me overwhelmed and I am unable to give my full attention to every task. Instead, my focus becomes fragmented which is counterproductive. I am working on this by keeping a daily planner and only taking on commitments that I know I will have time for.
One task that still needs to be done for the Global Soul Wellness project to be complete is the introduction to the Global Soul Wellness Annotated Index. I have started this task, but there needs to be more information added to make it complete.
