When Ashley Heaton enrolled in the Master of Science in School Counseling program at Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions (RMUoHP), it had been 16 years since she had been in school. Despite personal setbacks and the challenges of balancing school with family and other responsibilities, Heaton has found success in all she and her family have accomplished.
For Heaton, she had always wanted to pursue a graduate degree after finishing her undergraduate studies, but the timing never seemed to work out. In May of this year, “It finally felt right and I knew what graduate degree I wanted to pursue,” said Heaton.
“I think the biggest challenge I’ve faced is myself. I believe we can instill many self-doubts, and I had to recognize that I kept myself from pursuing my dreams. I had to put those fears aside and decide that I was capable of doing this,” said Heaton.
Heaton enrolled in the School Counseling program with the hopes of becoming a school counselor in a middle school or high school after graduation. And the little successes along the way have provided her the confidence and motivation to continue.
When she started the program, Heaton explained, “It had been such a long time, 16 years, in between getting my bachelor’s degree and starting graduate school. I wasn’t sure I would remember how to study, write papers, and take tests. But finishing that first semester proved to me that I was capable and ready to be in graduate school.”
She adds, “When I start a new course in the program, I can get overwhelmed looking at the syllabus and all I am supposed to accomplish in a short time. Turning in that last assignment always feels very satisfying, and that I made it through another semester.”
For Heaton, success has also come through her family. “I feel successful when I look at my children and see all that they are thriving at or achieving. I think it’s easy sometimes to feel like you are failing as a parent, and then your kids go and do amazing things, or someone recognizes and tells you what a great person your kid is.”
With the support of her family, Heaton has already seen how her time in the program has made a difference.
“I’ve loved the education that I’ve received thus far in my life. It’s helped me have an open mind and think about things happening around me. You can never stop learning because the world keeps changing. There’s always something new to learn. Having an education has given me opportunities and experiences that I wouldn’t have otherwise received,” said Heaton.
Heaton also appreciates how her diverse heritage and her education and experiences will impact her ability to provide care to patients from diverse populations. “Being bi-racial, both white and Navajo, I think it helps me to understand others better because I can understand both worlds and how it feels growing up and living in a bi-racial world and being treated differently because of how I look.”
As a mental healthcare provider, Heaton recognizes the importance of diversity to better relate to and care for patients. Diversity “impacts healthcare for the better,” said Heaton, “It gives more people someone to relate to. They can identify and feel more comfortable with someone they think they can relate to.”
Heaton shared how her husband, who is half-Mexican and grew up speaking Spanish, had cancer as a child and because the nurses at the hospital couldn’t understand him, his parents decided to stop teaching him Spanish so now he only speaks English. “We have more bilingual healthcare workers now, which is good,” said Heaton.
With her Navajo heritage, Heaton understands the importance of recognizing and learning about other cultures. “It’s good to recognize Native Americans and their culture, to teach others about a different culture than their own. It’s essential to keep the Native American culture alive and not forget the indigenous people of this country. “
Awareness of diverse cultures can help healthcare professionals provide better patient-centered care, and Heaton is excited that her own experiences will make an impact on her future patients. “It’s important to recognize other cultures and how they think differently, which will provide better healthcare to those diverse populations,” said Heaton.
