Advocacy Opens Both Hearts and Career Opportunities
Mariska Hargitay, also known by her role on Law and Order: Special Victims Unit as Detective Olivia Benson, is an advocate for Social Justice in America. Hargitay founded the Joyful Heart Foundation, an organization that helps to heal and educate survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence (location hubs in Hawaii, New York, and Los Angeles). Hargitay did not major in psychology, but she is featured on this site to help students understand how they can use their advance psychological knowledge in settings that desperately need the help of professionals in behavioral health care (non-traditional career opportunities).
Students seeking a non-traditional role for psychology in the workplace can learn a lot from Hargitay's leadership and efforts. Such students also have the option to become community advocates (non-profit organization leaders). Community advocates like Mariska Hargitay, whether officially trained in psychology or not, create organizations (in face-to-face and virtual context) like Joyful Heart Foundation to bring immediate services (i.e., counseling, literature on self-care, etc.) and legislative changes to communities in need. In fact, Mrs. Hargitay has been working with several states to end the back-log for sexual assault kits. Proudly, she has worked with state legislators to approve bills that will subsidize funding for rape kit testing (Ohio, New York, Idaho, etc.). Another powerful action taken by Hargitay is her advertisement campaign that made headlines because it was the first advertisement on sexual assault and domestic violence to "ever" play during the SUPER BOWL.
Students from backgrounds like Social, Counseling, Forensic, and Clinical Psychology can follow step with Hargitay in taking on a non-traditional role in bringing healing to families and individual clients. While Hargitay is traditionally trained in theatre and the arts, she is still using her foundation to connect citizens with counseling, resources, advocacy opportunities, and awareness. I recommend any student passionate about an area of psychology to follow their dreams, even if it means a non-traditional career.
http://www.joyfulheartfoundation.org/
