At LifeWorks NW, our mission is wellbeing for all. Wellbeing often requires more than just clinical treatment: it requires opportunities to grow as a person, and to grow a vision of a new future. That’s why we offer supported education and supported employment programs, helping clients access the skill-building and resources they need.
Lana (not her real name) came to our supported education program in 2021 to complement the work she was doing in therapy to envision her new future.
“One of my counselors suggested it, because I told her I wanted to go to school,” Lana said. “I didn’t know something like this existed before I connected with my education specialist.”
Lana had already tried out a college program, and needed to figure out how to bridge the education gap that stood between her and her employment goals.
“I had some pretty elaborate goals, such as earning a lot of money (which I still plan on), and building a community for houseless folks,” Lana said. “We had lots of discussions about the steps to work toward that goal, and we wound up having a mountain of goals to accomplish.”
That mountain of goals might have been intimidating, but Lana and her employment specialist worked together to figure out her path.
“We worked on the FAFSA and figured out how to qualify for in-state tuition, and connected to Residency at Portland State University,” Lana said. “We discussed where to live near campus, setting boundaries, finding appropriate study spaces, and connecting to different resources available on campus.”
Lana was already motivated to work toward her goals, but working with an education specialist helped give her a sense of direction.
“There were times I didn’t really want to listen to her,” Lana said.
Our education specialist, who worked with Lana, reflects on the challenges they worked through: “Supported education services can be a catalyst for change in a client’s health and mental health. Sometimes in supported education services, we have to ask the client if this is the best time to pursue an education goal, or if there are other priorities that need to take precedence.”
Lana agreed. “We had many conversations, and she helped me weigh out the decision between whether I should go to school or close my case. Take that leap. I probably would have still been trying to figure things out. I wanted to go, but I think I was kind of scared, it had been a while. I wasn’t sure if my brain could even process the information. Luckily it’s all still there.”
Now that she’s working on her education, Lana has been able to set achievable goals for the future.
“My current goal is to finish my Bachelor’s degree in Quantitative Economics, with a minor in Business Blockchain,” Lana said. “I hope to get an internship toward the end of my program so I can gain experience.”
“Then, I would like to work as a Financial Analyst for a while. Eventually, I want to start my own business.”