Kayana is firmly on her chosen career path!

When I first found out about Hopeworks I was a sophomore in college. My friend, who was a GIS intern at the time, recommended Hopeworks since I needed an internship and more experience in my field before I graduate. I’m a double major in Psychology and Childhood Studies, so Hopeworks, being a trauma informed organization, was perfect. I genuinely love what they do for youth. At first, I struggled with balancing school, sports, and training, but with the help of my career readiness coach I was able to organize my schedule and set goals for myself. Despite having to work remotely, I eventually earned an internship with the Youth Healing Team. 

While being a part of the Youth Healing Team I’ve been able to step out of my comfort zone, virtually train hundreds of schools, businesses, and non-profit organizations about the impact that stress and trauma can have on our brains and bodies and share healthier ways of coping with stress, especially during this pandemic. 

Through my internship, I was qualified to obtain a position as a Crisis Counselor for the Center for Family Services even though I’m still a Junior in college.   In this new role, I provide support for communities, individuals, and families. It is a great early start to my career.  I plan to continue beyond college and attend graduate school to earn my Masters and Ph.D. in Psychology to become a trauma therapist or a psychologist with my own practice.

I’m a firm believer in knowing you’ll always end up where you need to be and Hopeworks is a testament to that. I took this step not knowing where it would lead me, but it was an experience I will always be thankful for, shared with people I will always be thankful for.