MA with ABA Spotlight

Kalee LaPointe

Hometown: San Angelo, Texas

Program: MA with ABA

Book I would recommend: Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

Favorite Quote: “Blessed are the curious for they shall have great adventures.” -Lovelle Drachman

What would people be surprised to know about you? 

I have a wide array of music I like to listen to. For example, I will listen to Hillsong United, Taylor Swift, Morgan Wallen, Post Malone, Ed Sheeran, and Halsey in the same playlist on my drive home!

Name a cause you are passionate about.

I am passionate about helping others.

Why did you choose MSP?

I appreciate MSP’s approach to a collaborative environment between students and staff, as well as the smaller class sizes which are conducive to a more intimate and personal experience. I also sought out the MA/ABA program, and I could not find any other schools in Michigan or neighboring states that offered it besides MSP.

What do you want to do with your degree?

I still don’t have all of the details figured out, and I think even if I did my feelings might change as I grow and learn through this masters program. For right now, I’m passionate about working with children and young adults on the Autism Spectrum, and I would love to be a therapist for those age groups and their families.

How did you first get interested in the mental health profession?

I have spent years struggling with my own mental health, from depression and anxiety to eating disorders and PTSD, and I have understood as a patient how frustrating and exhausting it can be to get help. Not to mention when you finally do talk yourself up to reaching out or you can actually afford to see a mental health professional, it is a journey to find the right “fit.” Whether that means a therapist, a psychiatrist, medication–all of those steps take dedication and strength. I want to be the person to help those who are struggling to find their place; to find a person who can help and support them as they pursue their journey of healing. Additionally, a loved one of mine was diagnosed with Autism a year ago and I have seen firsthand how that diagnosis and subsequent treatment can affect a family. I want to help those who are going through those tough life transitions and be a system of support as both the patient and the family pursue life through their diagnosis.