Hello!

My name is Brooklynn Marie Ray and I am a student at Southern Adventist University (SAU). I have received my Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC), and now I am working on receiving my Masters (MSW) , with an emphasis in Trauma and Emergency Management, in Social Work at SAU.

I was born and raised in Nashville, TN, to a family of 5 and then it grew from there. My parents always allowed me to be myself and to experience what life has to offer to me. As a “normal” kid I always adventured out and tried new things. My interest changed almost every couple of years. When I was younger the first thing I wanted to be when I grew up was a Veterinarian. But  learned quickly that I might have to cut into animals, and I wasn’t okay with that. After realizing that, I changed and wanted to be a forensic investigator but I hate science. The next thing was I wanted to be a chef because I loved to cook but having a big family, I became tired of always cooking. So, then that changed and I wanted to be a lawyer because I loved debating but I hated Social Studies. That is when I had to sit down and ask God why he put me on this Earth. I looked deeper into my family, my history, and learned that God put me on this Earth to help others and to bring other’s peace. I remembered my parents motto, “Take care of one another, no matter what.” After learning and remembering that, I researched what career will allow me to communicate with others and bring them a sense of peace that they’re missing. That is what brought me to Social Work, because I learned as a social worker your job is to always help your clients in the best way possible.

After receiving my MSW, my plan is to continue to work at Camelot Care Center in Chattanooga for another year and then to move back home. Pursuing Social Work has provided me with many blessings and opportunities in the four years I have lived in Chattanooga and I cannot wait to see what those blessings and opportunities will be in my future career.

 

Mission Statement:

As a developing social worker, I want to endorse a better understanding and a common ground between couples and families by using different roles of a social worker such as a counselor, mediator, and an advocator. My desire is to demonstrate the NASW Code of Ethics as it has a focus on the importance of human relationships and the dignity and worth of all humans. My goal is to use my abilities, any way possible, to lower divorce rates, strengthen couples and families communication skills, and to help families understand the role that each person plays in the relationship.