Diane Garcia-Becker is applying to the Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology/MFT graduate program at Argosy University. She has experience working with children and families through volunteer work and looks forward to learning how to best serve military families and children in her career. Her experiences as a veteran and mother of four will help her connect with clients facing similar challenges from military life. She is committed to continuing her education to become a successful counselor and help others overcome barriers.

1. Professional Portfolio Part 6By: Diane Garcia-BeckerUndergraduate StudiesArgosy University, 2011

2. Statement of PurposeI am very interested in continuing my education after undergrad at the Argosy University Inland Empire Campus in the Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology/MFT graduate program. If accepted I will start the graduates program this fall in October 2011. I am certain that furthering my education will help guide me into becoming a successful Counselor. The Master of Counseling Psychology graduate program offered at the Argosy University Inland Empire Campus provides some very important options that I can work with in my busy schedule as being a mother of four and veteran still in recovery can be challenging. Counselors are mandated to follow ethical codes, in which outline standards of excellence in practice in the field of counseling. “The primary purpose of a counseling code of ethics is to support the idea that a counselor will do nothing to harm the client” (American Counseling Association, 2011).These values are extremely important to me, therefore I am committed to furthering my education so that I can follow all of the ethical codes and guidelines contained in the American Counseling Association. I am looking forward to learning how to protect client confidentiality, nondiscrimination, and seeking supervision when necessary.

3. Statement of Purpose Throughout the last two years as an undergraduate student, I have had the opportunity to work with children, families, and individuals and have been able to help them as well learn from them in the process. For me serving my country was a privilege and it comes natural to me to continue to serve others and pursue a career in counseling. I am patient, hardworking and no matter how difficult any situation may be I always do my best to provide support and loving advice when someone comes to me for help. I have been able to incorporate what I have learned throughout many psychology classes I have completed in several personal situations with my friends and family. This past year I volunteered and worked with children and was moved by the interactions I shared with them they are truly the most significant individuals to work with. When I was an assistant to the teacher, I worked with as a Catechists Volunteer I was privileged to interact with many children. This experience provided me with some exposure to how some parents demonstrated how they cared for their children including parents with poor conditions that to me did not look as if they cared about the well-being of their children. I have always wondered why some parents are the way they are and why some bring a child into this world; if it is merely just to let them suffer? I am an adult child of an alcoholic, and I can remember as young as 12 years old that my mother was a closet alcoholic. I have suffered a lot which is why I can empathize with children that are not cared for. My mother abused me both mentally and physically and it was not until I became an adult and was out of that environment that the abuse stopped. A lot of what I have endured has caused me to be unable to manage my life to which is why I have been more prone to developing mental and emotional pain it has not been until recently that I have forgiven my mother for causing me so much pain.

4. Statement of PurposeThe consideration of dedicating my life to children like me has never been an issue; I am ready to get that aspect of my life accomplished with the education that I am getting and as well as working with children of veterans like my own. My experiences as a service member and a mother of children that have been affected by my personal sacrifices makes it even more a reason to want to devote my life to helping overcome challenges in which affect service members and families endure . I believe my personal qualities will benefit my career in the future, my commitment, loyalty, hard work, and understanding will give provide me with the ability to be a successful counselor in the near future. Being a veteran and mother has also given me the opportunity in getting to know other amazing families from different diversities and cultures that are all going through similar changes in the process of deployments. It has not been an easy task challenging a military career and being a mother and there have been countless sacrifices along the way that I have endured as well as my family. I can only say that it has been a reward and being able to learn more about families and children that have different backgrounds than me, gives me the chance to learn about their diverse cultures and beliefs.

5. Statement of PurposeIn the process of learning how to adjust and support my own family as a service member in the military gives me the advantage of being able to successfully and effectively be connected with others experiencing similar challenges. I believe that deployments affect the entire family unit emotionally, whether single or married with children. This to me is an important issue that I would want to have an opportunity to address in my graduates program. Being able to make a change in the way professionals can help military families and children is a priority that all those in the mental health profession should be experienced in. Deployments are very difficult to deal with and can be emotionally draining in relationships, those directly affected need to have faith and support from others in order to get through the months in which there loved one’s are deployed.Military children take a big toll in trying to understand why their Mom’s or Dad’s leave during a deployment. For this matter and for having had first experience moves me to stepping in for military families. Being able to help families in the military will one give me the opportunity to learn from them in the many struggles as I have endured as a service member and a mother as well as being able to give moral support and advice help families affected. My current spouse is also a veteran and understands the challenges that are often in involved when my children and I struggle to communicate. He is currently undergoing training with the Department of Veterans Affairs to help him become a better care provider when it is needed for him to care for my children and me.

6. Statement of Purpose As a current undergraduate student in the brink of receiving a degree in Psychology, I have had both many struggles and successes as a student. I have experienced the countless pleasures of writing psychology papers that will benefit my future, and my studies. The long dedicated hours of reading lectures has allowed me the honor of being nominated in to “The National Honor Society of Collegiate Scholars.” My strengths as an undergraduate is knowing how to balance my work load, reading lectures and having the enthusiasm in writing whereas my weakness are known and obvious in my math abilities. The method in which I have used to improve my abilities in math has been by hiring a tutor and being able to take more time in studying and focusing on the subject to become better at understanding the concepts found in math. I distinguish it as learning a new concept or theory in the field of psychology where I am applying those very same methods in the mathematical terminology. In order to pursue my goal in this graduate program I will be required to continue following my own treatment plan and by participating in the Vocational Rehabilitation Program. In addition, financial aid and the subsistence allowance provided on a monthly basis will facilitate this process for me. I am prepared for the challenges that come across in this preparation of being considered a student in this graduate program at the Argosy University Inland Empire Campus. I am prepared to let go of the things in my life that have held me back so that I can become a successful counselor, in military children and families population. I will be able to provide for my family and give my children the example that anything is possible in life as long as you are determined and ready to go on to.

7. ResumeDiane Inez Garcia-BeckerVictorville, California 92395(760) 596-3736Garciadiane76@msn.com PROFESSIONAL PROFILE:I am applying for a position as Marriage and Family Therapists where I can make the most of my interpersonal skills in workingwith families and children in a counseling/therapy setting, my long term goal is to complete my Master’s of Arts in Counseling. Additionally with a service-focused commitment to helping the needs of Veterans and their Families, and the special-needs populations to include children with disabilities. EMPLOYMENT HISTORY:California Army National Guard, Bell, California August 1996- PresentHuman Resource Specialists primarily helping Soldiers develop Army careers, and providing personnel support and assistance to all divisions of the Army. Preparing and processing awards for recommendations and decorations and arranging for awards and ceremonies. Ability to organize, updates, and coordinates requests for evaluations, which include responding to evaluation inquiries. Evaluate personnel qualifications for special assignments and process requests for transfers or reassignment. Secondary specialty in operating all wheel vehicles and equipment over varied terrain and roadways for support of combat operations. Managing entrucking and detrucking of personnel being transported and providing guidance to subordinates in accomplishing their duties. Organize and participate in convoys, dispatch vehicles; and verifying vehicle logbooks.GMAC Mortgage, Costa Mesa, California December 2004- August 2006 Sr. Cancellations Specialists primarily processing every denied/canceled transaction by meeting federal and state laws as well as company requirements. Duties included gathering and processing Adverse Action Letters, and processing Credit Score Disclosure/Notices to home loan applicants within 30 days of denial. Additional tasks included assisting with legal and customer service issues pertaining to canceled files and all other corporate support as needed.EDUCATION:American Intercontinental University, Hoffman Estates, Illinois April 2007-August 2008Associates of Arts in Business Administration Argosy University Phoenix, Arizona September 2009- August 2011Bachelor of Arts in PsychologyREFERENCES PROVIDED UPON REQUESTS

8. ReflectionAs a current undergraduate student on the rim of receiving a degree in Psychology will have to admit that I have experienced some struggles as well as some successes as a student. I have experienced numerous delights in writing psychology papers that have and will greatly help me in my future, my studies; lengthy hours of evaluation enabled me the honor of being nominated into the National Honor Society of Collegiate Scholars. My strengths as an undergraduate are that I am able to discern my work load, I enjoy reading intuitive lectures and I have an enthusiasm for writing whereas my weakness is in my mathematical abilities which is not as great as I desire. The method in which I have applied to help improve my skills in math has been by hiring a tutor and by taking more time studying and focusing on growing and understanding mathematical concepts. I distinguish it as learning a new perception or theory in the field of psychology where I am just applying that same method but in a mathematical expression. I have academically learned a lot throughout my courses as an undergraduate student and also in various of my psychology classes such as children and violence and substance abuse in the family. I believe that my passion is in learning more about families and children going through military separations, abuse and violence and most importantly helping those affected to overcome the barriers involved that often times interfere in the quality of living life.

9. Table of ContentsCognitive Abilities: Critical Thinking & Information Literacy.

10. Research Skills.

11. Communication Skills: Oral and Written.