As people embark on their journey from youth to adulthood, they are often paralyzed with fear and confusion. The overwhelming step of having to decide their future career consumes their thoughts as they have to first deal with envisioning their future. However, for Charter alumna Brittany Evelyn, becoming a therapist was a career that she knew was destined for her.
After graduating from Charter in 2019, the start of adulthood for Evelyn began. She went off to graduate from the University of Florida in 2023 with a Bachelor of Science in Public Relations and a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology. When deciding on her major, sociology, Evelyn took into consideration her interests in therapy. She knew psychology, which focuses on the brain, was not for her—but sociology, which looks more at systems and human interactions. Later on, after taking a marriage and family class, Evelyn voices, “I wanted to focus on marriage and family therapy because it gives me an opportunity to look at these relations and interactions. I feel really drawn to couples and relationship work, versus working with children or larger groups.”
However, it is not only couples Evelyn wants to help, but to build connections with all of her patients. Reflecting on this path, Evelyn expresses, “I think, ultimately, my interest in therapy comes down to wanting to help people and allowing them to feel seen and heard in a safe space.”
As of now, Evelyn is working towards a degree in Master of Science in Marriage and Family Therapy at Northwestern University. During her courses at Northwestern, she learned about Integrative Systemic Therapy (IST), which looks at entire systems that individuals and groups are a part of. Before university, Evelyn’s high school years were spent working on the PPCHS newspaper—the CHAT. Evelyn reminisces on why she joined the newspaper saying, “I didn’t really have a niche thing like playing an instrument or being passionate about theater or sports, but joining [the] newspaper really gave me an opportunity to explore communications and grow within the CHAT.” Over the years, she went from being the Business Manager, Entertainment Editor, News Editor, and then Managing Editor.
Although she was a part of the digital aspect of the class prior to COVID-19 years, Evelyn made the most of it. Through her experience in the CHAT, Evelyn developed valuable skills in communication and leadership, which she continues to utilize in her pursuit of becoming a therapist. Transitioning from journalism to therapy can be a significant shift in career focus; both fields require excellent communication skills, but the nature of the communication and the impact on individuals is quite different. Although sometimes stressful, Evelyn’s love for the CHAT and wanting to be a part of it led her to grow a strong set of skills assisting her today.
With the success of her dreams, Evelyn’s hopes of becoming a therapist will soon become a reality after graduating from university. It has been a passion of hers to become a therapist ever since taking a career prediction test in eighth grade and with the addition of being in the school newspaper, she has obtained significant talents that will allow her to bring happiness to souls.
