Kristen Lewis Introduction

Hi!  My name is Kristen Lewis, and I’m from Lansdale, PA (which is about 35 minutes from Philly).  After finishing LS this year, I plan on majoring in Applied Psychology in Steinhardt with a concentration in child and adolescent mental health studies.

I had an intellectual experience last semester when I had the opportunity to observe a child psychiatric evaluation at the NYU Child Study Center.  It was a unique experience, because I had never witnessed a mental health professional at work before, and I learned a lot about the career I plan on pursuing.  The biggest thing I took away from that experience was not just learning about the effects of a disorder on a child, but also the effects of the disorder on an entire family.  When I learn about psychiatric disorders in school, I do not usually think about the families of the children and adolescents with these disorders.  After seeing this evaluation, I understand now that mental illness does not just affect one child or adolescent, but it also affects the entire family; and, many times, the entire family needs help.