My name is Marissa Norman and welcome to my portfolio! This website will take you through my journey of obtaining my Master’s degree in Social Work at Southern Adventist University. My chosen emphasis is Child and Family Advocacy and Treatment with a desire to ultimately be a Social Worker in the school setting.
Social Work put a label on the passion I’ve had to help people and work with children. I learned about the field of Social Work from career searching and shadowing two Professional Social Workers at Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital in Nashville, Tennessee. I gained valuable insight about Social Work, career options within the field, and their personal experience. This opportunity was the pivotal point in my educational journey. Continual exploration and coursework further confirmed this was the right field for me. I pursued Graduate school to increase my skills and learn more evidence-based techniques.
My goal is to assist future clients by inspiring lasting change one person at a time. I have always possessed genuine compassion for people who need help and support. Thus far my experience working with children and families has allowed me to develop professional skills, build relationships, and gain insight into the needs people have. Volunteering at Christian Women’s Job Corp (CWJC), an agency that assists Latinx-Americans with obtaining their GED and learning English. Interning with an after school program gave me valuable insight into the positive affects a Christ-centered, safe and nurturing environment for children has on the community. Working one-on-one with the students my role evolved from volunteer to mentor as I connected with them on a deeper level. While interning at the Susan Gray School, an institution for preschool aged students where the emphasis is on inclusion and acceptance of children with disabilities in the classroom; where I witnessed and participated in the rewards of evidence-based practice to promote growth and change. Being a team member in a research study to assist a non-verbal child communicate with a Dynavox was very rewarding. As a result of his word usage increasing we realized that the techniques we were using were effective. My interest in Autism grew as I had the opportunity to help a mother’s son further enhance social engagement with peers and achieve developmental milestones. With the Austin Hatcher Foundation I had the opportunity to work with children with pediatric cancer and their families, not only did I put my clinical facilitator skills into practice, I also gained knowledge about cancer diagnosis and treatments.
Life isn’t perfect and many people experience circumstances that can appear to be insurmountable setbacks. Challenges that I once viewed as a problem and limitation, I have grown to embrace, admire, and use as motivation. My rigorous academic work and personal experiences over the years have equipped me to be resilient, determined, and hardworking. I feel confident that facing and overcoming challenges will allow me to better relate to my future clients and positively impact their lives with a “can do” spirit.
Obtaining an education is very important in my family, but outside of work and school I enjoy spending quality time with my friends and family. For fun I like to do Zumba, dancing Salsa or Bachata, anything with arts & crafts, running and going to the theatre. Currently my self-care practice includes journaling and coloring anti-stress pages for adults.