Spotlight on Social Sciences Alumni: Leah Koretz
Name: Leah Koretz
Age: 29
Occupation: Developmental Therapist
Education (UR and additional): B.A. in Psychology, University of Rochester; M.S. in Mental Health Counseling, University of Massachusetts.
Current city/state of residence: Milton, MA (just past the outskirts of Boston)
Family: Currently single and looking!
Why did you choose to attend the University of Rochester?
I chose the University of Rochester because it was the most prestigious school I had gotten in to, and I was attracted to the focus on a liberal arts curriculum. I liked the “clusters” requirements because it allowed me to choose courses that I was actually interested in. For the math/science requirement, I took brain and cognitive science courses which enhanced my understanding of certain psychological phenomenon. I feel that my entire undergraduate education was cohesive, thorough, and helped me explore and define who I am.
When and how did you choose your major?
I was fortunate to have AP Psychology offered in my high school, which I took as a senior. I became fascinated with the subject from then on, and knew that I wanted to pursue psychology as a major when I first started at UR. I did dabble with the idea of doing a double major with political science or art history, but soon realized how much work that would actually entail and dropped the idea. J
What did you do immediately after graduation? How did you decide to take that path?
It was hard for me to leave Rochester after senior year, I think mainly because I was afraid to be forced into the adult world! I also did not have a job lined up. I admit now that my Mom found me a job in a childcare right after I’d moved home to live with her. Once I had a stable job, I was able to move into an apartment with my friend, and identify some more concrete goals for myself in working with children. I had worked with children in daycare settings or babysitting since I was 12 years old, so childcare was an easy job for me to pick. Over the years, I found ways to integrate my love of children with psychology. This started out first in working with typical children, then to children who were involved with protective services and the foster care system, then to my current job in Early Intervention with children who have developmental and emotional disabilities. The main way that I have integrated theories of psychology in my work with children is by focusing on the parent/caregiver and the attachment with the child, therefore extending my work with children to be more relational.
What do you do now and why did you choose this career?
I am a very busy lady these days! I have been working as a Developmental Specialist in the Early Intervention Program of Children’s Hospital Boston for the past five years. This job has allowed me to truly blend my knowledge and skills in early childhood with counseling and psychology, and it was a dream for me to be accepted to work for one of the top pediatric hospitals in the country. Early Intervention is a federally-mandated program (part of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) which provides home-based services to children aged birth to three who have developmental disabilities. I visit families and childcares in the Boston community, all of whom come from backgrounds varying greatly on socioeconomic status, race, immigration status, education level, etc. The job also involves service coordination, community outreach, advocacy/support with family needs, and counseling for families. Many children I see have significant, lifelong disabilities, such as Down syndrome and autism, and I really enjoy helping parents work through their grief for the child toward acceptance.
After two years into the work, I decided to pursue my Master’s in Mental Health Counseling to enhance my skills as an in-home therapist. I saw how counseling was so important to facilitating the development of the child through the parent, and honing my skills as a counselor has allowed me to create rich relationships with families. I am now three years into my Master’s program at UMass Boston. I have been attending school part-time (two classes a semester) while continuing to work full-time in the Early Intervention program. I have found it invaluable to be able to apply theories learned in class to actual work that I am currently doing with families. This year, I am working on my internship. I was very fortunate to be accepted as an intern with The Child Witness to Violence Project at Boston Medical Center, one of the premiere trauma treatment programs for children in the country. We use Child-Parent Psychotherapy to treat parents (mostly mothers) and young children who have been affected by violence, mainly cases of domestic violence. In this internship I have continued to extend my academic passions, as Child-Parent Psychotherapy blends theories of early childhood development, attachment theory, and psychodynamic theory. I have been getting really wonderful feedback in my internship, although it is hard emotional work, I have been able to put tools in place over the years to practice good self-care.
How do you balance your work and professional life?
I take time to allow myself to just be. I am the type of person who needs a lot of reflective time, so I work that into my busy schedule. I have several people in my life that I can count on for unconditional support. I constantly strive to be open and authentic, which means that I try to channel my true self all the time, even when working with families. I have found that it is more work to try to “be a therapist,” and instead, I just be myself and that seems to be working well. J
Where would you like to be in five years?
Of course, I would love to start a family. I would also like to be pursuing a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology, or a Psy.D. At this point, I feel that I have a specific interest within psychology, Infant/Maternal Mental Health, which will allow me to tailor a doctoral degree to my academic interests. I plan to take at least a year of, though, after I finish my Master’s and continue with my Early Intervention program in a new role of Mental Health Counselor.
My advice for students who are thinking of graduate school would be to not rush into it. I took four years off between undergraduate and graduate school, and this allowed me to gain experience in the field. I think in comparison to some of the students in my courses who were fresh out of undergrad, I had more real-life experiences to draw from in learning to apply theory. I also would encourage students to explore different options for graduate school and try to find something you are really passionate about. For me, the passion I have for learning how to help children and families has truly made my graduate experience worthwhile.
Also, try to find a career that makes you happy in some meaningful and organic way. It will transform your life.
