Airicka Garnere received her bachelor’s degree in Forensic Psychology from John Jay College of Criminal Justice. She knew before she graduated that her lifelong dream was to become a counselor, so she decided to stay at John Jay and advance her education. She is now finishing up her final year of graduate school in the Forensic Mental Health Counseling program. Upon graduation, she hopes to work with trauma survivors. She is currently working with adolescents at a nonprofit organization whose goal is to give youth a safe space to practice positive social and community engagement, develop life skills, and assist them in exploring areas of interest. She also volunteers with CrisisTextLine where she provides empathetic mental health support and crisis intervention to those struggling with various aspects of their lives.