At just 26 years old, Yorkville University Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology (MACP) alumna, Kayla BreeLove Carter is already making her mark on the world as a Registered Clinical Counsellor, an entrepreneur and a “Woman of Distinction”.
From Moncton, New Brunswick, Kayla graduated from the MACP from Yorkville University in 2012. After graduating Kayla opened BreeLove Services, a private practice where she works specifically with trauma, severe and persistent mental illnesses.
“Working in private practice allows me the freedom of making my own hours and working with the clients I want,” Kayla said. “It also helps to have a good relationship with my referrals, such as social development, doctors, and other community practitioners.”
In May of 2014 BreeLove Carter was given a Young Woman of Distinction award from the YWCA, which recognizes exceptional young women aged 18-25 who demonstrate leadership, maturity and compassion.
Kayla recently sat down for a Q&A about her life and her YU story.
How has your education from YU helped you in your current role as a clinical counsellor?
What has it not helped with? It has allowed me to be a credible practitioner, open doors to private practice and becoming a strong contributor to the field of mental health and clinical services. It has also helped me develop my own identity and learn things about myself that I believe would have stayed stuck for many years if it wasn’t for the self-reflection and really getting deep with each class and new learning. It has helped me develop and become the professional individual I am today!
How did you end up enrolling at YU?
After completing my bachelor’s program at St. Mary’s University in Halifax, NS, I was really looking for a program that could be flexible to my current situation (working full time) and challenging at the same time, I wanted a program that would challenge me in ways that could help me find not only my identity but also push me to the potential I knew I had, but just simply could not find from a conventional classroom. YU seemed like the perfect fit.
What was your experience with online learning like?
I had taken a few classes during my undergrad; this helped me have a little background understanding of online format classrooms. Nevertheless, an entire program and curriculum online could have been challenging, I guess this was one of the challenges I was looking for. Something that would push me to be proactive, resilient and organized- this helped to develop my own organizational and learning style. It also helped to learn and stay consciously aware of the different learning styles that individuals may face within society and allowed me to build empathy around that, even as I continue to work with others as a Registered Clinical Counsellor.
What kept you motivated while you studied with YU?
Knowing that this was what I wanted to do, I truly found not only my identity but my strengths and weaknesses- It allowed me to challenge myself in ways that a conventional classroom may not necessarily do, it pushed me to be organized and to think outside the box.
What advice would you give to current or future students?
Be organized, it will do wonders. Don’t focus so much on worrying about whether you will become an expert in your class, the professors and staff are extremely helpful in guiding you in the right direction. If you have a thirst for learning and for counselling psychology and you are organized, then you’ll succeed!
