Three Years, One Purpose: A Future in Behavioral Health

Jaylin Sims has been set on working in behavioral health since she was in high school. But it wasn’t until her own therapy experience that she discovered her passion for helping individuals work through traumatic life events.

After a car accident upended her life, Sims sought out a therapist to help her work through the post-crash turmoil. Through months of work and reflection, she started to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Having the guidance and support of a mental health professional made her realize that she wanted to use her future profession to help others in similar situations.

“It made a difference in my life, and I would love to make a difference in somebody else's,” Sims said.

At the University of Nebraska at Omaha, Sims used her class opportunities as a psychology student to focus on positive psychology, a research area that she developed a keen interest in. Her fascination led to research with Prof. Lisa Scherer, who she worked with on a project teaching strengths to local third graders. Additionally, she’s spent the last few years as a peer support mentor, helping new students adjust to life as a Maverick.

Her time at UNO flew by — thanks to credits she earned in high school, Sims completed her undergraduate degree in just three years. As she looks to the future and begins to plan her path to a master's degree in counseling, she feels certain that she is prepared thanks for the foundation she built while at UNO.

“I feel all my professors cared about the work that they were putting out, and cared about the students that the work was affecting,” Sims said. “And that's all I could literally ask for — is an equitable teacher who thinks about their students.”