Haylee Burnett
Sacred Struggle
Submitter Statement:
It was during my freshman year at BYU that I first experienced the healing power of therapy and realized I wanted to help others through that process as a therapist. Like therapy itself, my experience getting my Master of Social Work at BYU was beautiful, challenging, messy, and rewarding. I learned so much about how to be a therapist– from understanding research, to applying theories, to implementing interventions– but my biggest takeaway was that the true healing power of therapy comes from connection; not only connection between myself and my client, but to the Savior and His guiding light. This understanding allows me to share the beacon of light within me with those I engage with as their therapist. I view the sharing of light as an ongoing chain reaction: as I continue to connect with the Light of Christ, my own unique beacon of light shines brighter, which can help my clients connect with their own light in turn. As their light grows stronger, it continues to spread to those around them, thus impacting not only the individual, but the larger community–and, in a way, the world.
I decided to create a collage to visually represent the opportunity BYU has provided me with to connect deeply with complex humans in my unique role as a therapist. I collected and organized words and images that I feel represent my role on the therapist side, and those that I feel capture some of what I see in the clients I meet. I felt it was important to depict the fact that when I meet with clients, we are not just two individuals sharing a space–we are connecting on a deeper level, sharing with one another the light that is within our hearts as we engage together in the sacred struggle.
Entry Description
11.5" x 10" mixed media collage (paper, ribbon, tissue). The collage depicts two figures in a therapy office. One of the figures represents myself as a therapist, doing my best to embody the principles I learned at BYU and beyond. The other is a depiction of the clients I work with, who come to see me with a variety of complex experiences and feelings. There is a golden ribbon connecting our two hearts, representing the sharing of light between the two of us.