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Hi, there! I actually spent a total of nine years as an undergraduate because I was diagnosed with bipolar II disorder, borderline personality disorder, and recently, OCD. I had to take leaves of absence. I've just started my MA in English a month ago, and I'm really grateful that Ive been stable for months now. I'm working part-time, and I also signed up for the part-time program in our university. I was just wondering if there are any people who have struggles with depression, anxiety, what have you. How do you deal with it as a grad student? What's a typical week for you? How do you get the support you need? I'd love to hear from you!

Does anyone have any advice/experience with disclosing a mental health condition or chronic illness to an adviser? I have schizophrenia and it is very well-managed, but I was thinking I might let my adviser know in case I happen to have any relapses in symptoms. I am an incoming Master's student for Fall 2018. I have been stable for two years now - I take my medication, go to therapy, and see a psychiatrist on a monthly basis, and this has gotten me through the graduate school application process without any issues. I understand graduate school will be challenging, which is why I'm asking these questions now! I am in a MUCH better place than I was in undergrad, where I was forced to disclose and take time off due to psychotic symptoms, but I want to be prepared in case anything happens again. How should I go about disclosing my condition to my adviser in terms of timing (when to disclose), specificity (how much to disclose), and planning (how to prepare for any problems)? Thank you in advance for any advice!

Hi there, My name is Marjorie and I'm applying to be a non-degree seeking student at UWM this fall for their MA in Philosophy so that I can explore whether or not I want to pursue this field of study, instead of continuing down the psychology/social work career path. I was hoping to possibly get some feedback on my reason statement, which is based off of the guidelines they provided. Any constructive criticism is welcome; I'm not looking for perfection here, just want to make a good impression. Thank you in advance for taking the time to read this and offer feedback. Having studied psychology during my years as an undergraduate, I initially thought I would pursue graduate study in social work or counseling psychology, with the goal of becoming a counselor. Fast forward a few years since graduation, and I am seriously reconsidering this career path. I currently work at a hospital which specializes in the treatment of mental illness. This new position has made me question some of the practices of modern-day psychiatry and has emphasized the reality that the helping professions run an exceptionally high risk of burnout and a loss of empathy called compassion fatigue. I want to be part of a revolution that changes the way we approach mental health care and I think the best way to do this is through the lens of philosophical enquiry, particularly through applied ethics. I also desire to catalyze a resurgence of philosophy by examining it and distilling the knowledge into a practical philosophy that is both accessible and useful for the general public. I earned a 4.0 during my first two years of college, earning a place on the Provost’s list during that time, and was inducted into Phi Eta Sigma, a freshman honorary society. After that, I was on the Dean’s list nearly every year and graduated after five years of study with a Bachelors of Science in Psychology, Bachelors of Arts in Spanish, a minor in Environmental Studies, and a Mental Health Skills Certificate. My broad undergraduate experience gave me the confidence and writing skills to succeed in masters level classes and the two philosophy courses I took enhanced my ability to think critically and gave me an idea of what doing philosophy means, and why it is important. Reflecting on my college career, I have realized that philosophy courses were the ones that I was most engaged in, and challenged me the most intellectually. Topics of interest for me range from the study of logic and ethics to philosophy of religion. I am particularly interested in the philosophy of eastern religions and the intersection between psychology, neuroscience, and philosophy. My hope is to explore these interests further as a student at UWM, with the intention to eventually pursue a PhD in the subject.