"I realized one of the things that drew me to an English degree is that I loved hearing people's stories, understanding diversity considerations in people's lives, and have face-to-face meaningful conversations with other people."
When did you graduate from BYU?
BA English 2018
What is your job/position? And how would you describe what you do in that job/position?
I am a marriage and family therapist at Wasatch Family Therapy. I help individuals, couples, and families navigate difficult challenges in life and create open and secure relationships to increase their mental and emotional health.
Describe the path that you took from your BYU English degree to your current career, highlighting the important realizations and turning points that paved the path for you.
I received a minor in editing, and after graduation I began applying for communications and editing positions. I was having a hard time finding a position, especially one where I wasn't behind a computer all day. I realized one of the things that drew me to an English degree is that I loved hearing people's stories, understanding diversity considerations in people's lives, and have face-to-face meaningful conversations with other people. I then decided to apply for a master's degree in marriage and family therapy. I graduated this year and have been working as a full-time therapist since.
What are the specific skills that you cultivated as an English major that you now use in your professional life? And how do you use those skills in ways that set you apart from your colleagues?
- Analytical thinking: In therapy, I have to be able to take the information that clients give me and find patterns (positive and negative) to make sense of the client's distress.
- Effective communication: Frequently, I have to distill complex thoughts and emotions clients express into something more simple for them to make sense of their experience. I also guide clients through clinical interventions that may be difficult to understand at first.
- Research: In order to make sure I am using evidence-based practices, I use the skills I learned to research when finding new interventions, writing my own blog posts, or sharing information with clients.
What are some of the surprising ways in which your English degree helped you in your life?
Although many of the people in my master's program or my agency studied psychology or the social sciences, I never felt like I knew less or was behind because of what I learned in my English degree. Though we didn't study mental health, in my classes I learned how to read articles and texts and take away salient points that other students found difficult. I was able to write professional treatment plans, case notes, and research papers because of the rhetorical skills. I learned how to see race, gender, ability level, and sexual and gender orientation through theoretical lenses which helped me to connect and help clients experiencing discrimination feel understood and safe.
What do you wish you had known as an English major? Is there any advice you’d like to share with current students?
You do not have to pick a specific career path as an English major or any major for that matter. There are so many different roads that lead people to the careers they are in, and the more I talk to people in other fields, I realize that there is no right way to get experience for your career. Instead of focusing on the end point and whether you are doing what you need to get there, focus on the skills that you want to develop, the experiences that interest you, and those will help you find your path. I focused so much on the end point (job), and when I got there, I realized that it wasn't right for me. But thankfully I had gained so many skills and followed passions throughout my degree that lead me to where I wanted to be.
Contact
leslimortensen44@gmail.com