MSW Substance Abuse Arab Grandmother

Arab Grandmother with three adult sons and a granddaughter applying to an MSW program.

I am writing this in support of my application to pursue an MSW Degree at ____ University. I consider myself fortunate to be alive and to be an experienced social work professional who is content, engaged, curious, and productive—helping others is my passion. This is especially true because I have experienced struggles similar to those of many clients I have assisted. My own battle with substance abuse led me to skid row as a young woman. However, I discovered an inner strength and held onto it.

The other side of substance abuse is the correctional system. Therefore, the more success we have in treating the substance abuse of individuals processed by our criminal justice system, the more success we will have in controlling the growth of our prison population, particularly recidivism. This is the area in which I aspire to excel, and I am eager to become a probation officer, seeing myself as an advocate. I strongly believe that many people entangled in the criminal justice system do not fully understand their rights, and I want to empower them to take action and move past their experiences. I hope to eventually manage my own private practice dedicated to women's sober living, a halfway house for women released from prison, and a shelter for families escaping domestic violence, always with therapy as a central focus.

In 2003, I earned an AA Degree in Psychology along with a Chemical Dependency Certificate. Although I did not receive my Bachelor’s Degree in Human Services until 2014, I had already become a social worker by 2002, working with the same organization I continue to serve today, Shields for Families. I am currently part of the ____ Dual Diagnosis Program, working as a Counselor II/Mental Health Case Manager. Soon, I will have six years of experience providing one-on-one counseling sessions for clients and conducting group therapy in areas such as Relapse Prevention, Drug and Alcohol Education, Anger Management Education, Domestic Violence Education, Seeking Safety, Group Counseling, Life Skills Education, Gender Issues Education, and Movement Therapy. I create treatment plans for new clients, provide orientation, and conduct initial psychosocial assessments. I strive to identify all available resources for each client and create discharge plans once they graduate from our program. I thoroughly enjoy my work, but I now feel it is time for me to take on greater responsibility and make a larger contribution.

I began my professional journey with ____ for Families in August 2002, serving as a Case Manager and Outreach Worker for pregnant mothers and children under two. It is clear that I discovered my calling long ago, and I am pleased to have a wealth of experience to share with peers and colleagues in your program. I look forward to learning from their experiences as well. This program, called the “Healthy Start Program,” was indeed a healthy start for me. Over the years, I have continued to learn while working with the ____ Program and the ____ Day Treatment Facility. I have also volunteered with the Heros & Sheros organization, providing crisis intervention and prevention services, aiming to help parents achieve and maintain sobriety.

I am a dedicated professional with 11 years of experience in the human services field as a case manager and substance dependency counselor. At 47, I feel I possess the professional maturity necessary to excel in your esteemed program at ____ University. I also look forward to contributing to the diversity of your program as an Arab woman who was born in Jordan and spent her early years there. Although immigrating to America as a child meant I never learned to read and write Arabic, I can still speak my native language. I thrive on diversity and love the dynamic environment of America’s melting pot.

When I was three years old, my father was forced into exile from Jordan for political reasons. He brought several sisters and their children with him to America, making the adjustment particularly chaotic. Shortly after arriving, I began to experience physical and sexual abuse by an older cousin, which lasted from ages four to nine until my cousin became involved with my older sister, whom he later married. It is a deep shame that, due to my cousin’s male privilege within the extended family, my parents refused to defend me. This experience has heightened my sensitivity to the horrors of cultural patriarchy and male privilege, which are prevalent in many immigrant communities in America, particularly among Arab immigrant families.

I always felt like an outsider at school, not resembling the other girls. Being overweight, as food was my only comfort, I never truly fit in at school or in America until I discovered the “stoner” crowd. Drugs made me feel accepted, and I started early, using marijuana in elementary school and drinking alcohol around the same time. Alcohol consumption was common in my family.

At 13, my sister married my cousin, who abused me. In response, I ran away and began using cocaine, eventually becoming a prostitute under the control of a man I initially believed I loved. I oscillated between home and this man, experiencing abuse, exploitation, and violence. At 16, back home, I became addicted to meth. My father moved us to Santa Clarita, CA, hoping for a fresh start, but I soon met my children's father, and we became "Deadheads," indulging in psychedelic drugs. Despite his addictions, he maintained a full-time job, supporting our family with three young boys and funding our substance abuse. Before I achieved lasting sobriety, I faced losing my children and a potential three-year jail sentence. I hit rock bottom, but God intervened through a friend who had been there from the start. She was a minister who distributed food to the homeless, and that's how we met. She took in my children when I was on skid row and had the church write to the judge to keep me out of prison. She is a leader in World Women Ministries and often uses my story in her seminars as an example of God's transformative power.

My dear friend was firm when necessary and never judged me. Once I became sober and reflected on my life and what I wanted for my children, I realized I wasn’t alone in facing hardship. Through growing social support and healing, I understood that abuse is, unfortunately, common in some sociocultural contexts like mine. My own mother came from a family of 15 children, and her father was not kind. I learned that my mother also suffered as a child and married my father at 14 to escape her home.

While I became a redemption story for my special friend, I was also a difficult case due to my persistent substance abuse. My children were eventually placed in the system, and I was expelled from several programs for using. Meanwhile, their father lost his job and descended into severe alcoholism. At that point, I vowed to God, my children, and myself to get clean. I reached out to various programs despite still using drugs daily. I found ____; they were the only ones willing to accept me and my children. To this day, my children’s father continues to struggle with alcohol and drug abuse.

I graduated from ____ in February 2002 and was employed by September that same year. I moved into my own home in December 2002, while my children's father continued his addiction, living with his mother. He overdosed in February 2003. I was left to raise three boys alone, uncertain of how to proceed. My oldest, who had been living with his father, joined me and his younger brothers, and we faced significant challenges.

Today, I am still working through some issues and seeking direction in my professional life, aiming to fully understand and express my redemptive journey. I have made significant progress but recognize there is more to achieve. I learn from every experience and am grateful for learning to forgive. I have overcome substance abuse and its underlying causes, and I understand what it means to be homeless and lost. I know what it takes to get back on track, which is the core strength of my application to your program. I take great joy in my 5-year-old granddaughter, a blessing from my oldest son. My middle son is in his third year of college, my youngest is in community college, and I am applying to graduate school. I am now at the perfect point to dedicate myself to graduate studies.

Thank you for considering my application.

MSW Substance Abuse Arab Grandmother