(♪) (♪) Growing up, we kids are taught to do things to take care of our bodies, like drink plenty of water, don't forget to exercise, brush your teeth twice a day, get at least 8 hours of sleep and eat snacks without too much sugar.

But even though we take care of our bodies, sometimes we still have to go to the doctor for some medication or treatment.

And that's perfectly normal.

It happens to everyone.

The same is true for our mental health.

Just like with our physical health, there are things we can do every day to help our minds stay healthy, like get plenty of rest and exercise, ask for and receive hugs, tell yourself positive statements, limit screen time and talk to someone you trust when feeling sad, worried or stressed.

Anyone can experience overwhelming feelings and need the help of a counselor or therapist, and that's perfectly normal too.

I’m Emmy, and today we're at CrossWinds Counseling and Wellness in Emporia to meet with a mental health provider who helps all ages of clients.

Who knows?

Maybe after watching this video, you might decide that this is a job you'd like to learn more about.

Come on, let's go!

I'd like you to meet Marah, a therapist here at CrossWinds.

Marah, can you please tell us what therapists do?

Sure.

Everyone has feelings.

Sometimes those feelings can make us feel good, but sometimes they can make us feel bad enough that we can't do our jobs or go to school.

Therapy is the process of helping a client manage difficult feelings or physical symptoms with the goal of feeling better.

Sometimes difficult things happen in our lives, and talking with a therapist can be helpful.

Our goal is to help clients understand what's happening within themselves that leads to them feeling and acting the way they do, and they can better understand what changes to make so they feel better.

Therapists teach people to do specific things to cope with or improve their situation.

The hope is that with practice, those new behaviors and attitudes become a natural and healthy response.

To practice, sometimes therapists give their clients homework between sessions.

Emmy: Homework?

Really?

I had no idea therapy came with homework.

Marah: It's not like the homework your teachers might give.

In therapy, I give clients suggestions for things they can do differently when they experience their symptoms so they feel better.

Things like how to talk kindly to yourself when you're feeling sad, going outside for a walk if you feel anxious or taking deep breaths to calm your body when you feel angry.

So for some reason, when I think about therapy, I think about someone lying on a couch talking to the ceiling.

Is that how it works?

Not exactly.

I want my clients to feel comfortable when they come in, but the idea of lying on a couch talking to the ceiling is pretty old-school.

I usually provide my clients with a comfortable chair, and I've tried to decorate my space so my clients feel calm and relaxed when they're here.

But not all therapy happens one-on-one.

Group therapy happens in a larger room with many people sharing a common experience like divorce or loss.

When I work with young kids, I often use play in a therapeutic process, which means using toys, games or crafts to get kids to open up and talk with me.

Games also can teach kids skills such as how to understand and identify their feelings.

Do therapists give patients medicine to help them feel better?

Some mental health providers do prescribe medications, but I'm not one of those.

Psychiatrists go to medical school and must pass exams to be physicians and prescribe medicines, just like the doctor you see when you're physically sick.

They have specialized training to identify and treat mental health conditions, often with medicines.

Psychologists are trained to evaluate and use tests to assess a person's mental health, as well as diagnose and treat different types of conditions.

They usually have the highest level of college degree called a doctorate degree, but they are not typically licensed to prescribe medication.

So what kind of therapist are you?

I'm a licensed master of social work.

So I'm similar to psychology in that I can assess and diagnose mental health conditions and perform talk therapy.

As a part of my training, I got hundreds of hours of practical experience working under the supervision of a licensed master social worker.

Like a master social worker, other kinds of therapists and counselors also have a master's degree plus training to qualify for a license to do therapy.

OK, so now that I know about the different types of providers, can you tell me more about your job here at CrossWinds?

Sure.

What makes community mental health so special is that we serve everyone of all ages and walks of life.

Two days a week, I spend time serving CrossWinds clients at our local middle school.

What kind of feelings or situations make middle school students need the help of a therapist?

Middle schoolers are dealing with a lot of changes within their social circles, their identity and their families.

They're adjusting to changes in their bodies that come with puberty, and they often have fears or worries involving friends and fitting in.

Sometimes kids at this age just feel angry, and they don't even know why.

In some cases, how they feel makes them do or say things they later regret or that can get them in trouble.

At this age, many kids just need someone who can help them better understand what they're feeling, why they're feeling it, and what they can do to feel better.

Being your age is hard.

It can be even harder when you're dealing with parents divorcing, changing schools, or your parents going through hard times themselves.

That makes sense.

So do you also work with younger kids?

Marah: Yes.

One day a week, I work at an elementary school helping younger kids.

I help to figure out why a kid is doing things that are disruptive to their own learning or the learning of other kids in their class.

Kids at this age often behave disproportionately when they are overwhelmed, upset, anxious or afraid.

No matter who my client is, it's my job to help them figure out what's happening within them, teach them skills to help manage their feelings and then help them develop positive ways to manage their feelings in the future.

Emmy: I understand.

So what else do you do?

Marah: I also type up progress notes about all of my clients so I can keep track of how they're doing and if they're feeling better.

I take classes to continue learning new skills as a therapist, and I meet with other therapists to discuss how to help clients.

I also do a lot of paperwork for insurance and billing.

My job is never boring, and there's never a shortage of people who need my help.

But there is a shortage of people doing this type of work.

Emmy: What do you mean?

Kansas is near the bottom of all 50 states in the number of licensed providers to serve our residents, especially in our rural areas.

Kansas needs a lot more people to go into mental health careers.

Would you like to do some role playing to see what it might be like to be a therapist?

Really?

That'd be fantastic.

Let's go to my office at the elementary school.

I have a few things in mind you can try out with some of my friends.

Shall we take a fun way to get there?

Sure.

What do you have in mind?

Close your eyes.

Take a deep breath.

Roll your shoulders.

Relax your body.

When I count down from three and snap my fingers, we're going to be at the elementary school.

Three, two, one.

(SNAP) OK, that was a definite time saver.

Very impressive, Marah!

Glad you liked it, Emmy.

So, let's go to my office.

I'd like to introduce you to Oliver.

We can play a social skills game.

Sound fun?

Yeah.

Follow me.

Marah introduced me to Oliver.

We played Conversation Jenga, which teaches social skills, patience, connection with others and taking turns.

Marah: So this game is going to work on social skills, and it's a little bit of feeling talk.

So if you draw, you're going to ask him the question.

And if he draws, he's going to ask you the question.

OK?

Who always believes in you?

Like, who has ... Oliver: My mom.

Emmy: Your mom?

Perfect.

Tell me about a time you helped another person.

There was this time at the store when this little girl was trying to buy a pack of gum and she didn't have enough coins for it, so I gave her an extra dollar.

I lost!

Oliver won the game, which was awesome.

That was fun.

I enjoyed getting just a little taste of what it might be like to be a therapist.

Marah, can I ask you why you decided to become a therapist?

Sure.

Growing up, I always wanted to be a lawyer.

I think I watched too much Law & Order.

But then in high school, my mom and brother passed a year apart from each other.

Oh, wow.

I'm so sorry to hear that.

That must have changed your life.

It definitely did.

As I was dealing with my grief, I found myself in my high school counselor's office a lot.

I was very confused about what I wanted to do after high school, but my counselor helped me realize I had to find something productive to do with my life.

He introduced me to several social workers in the area, and I started thinking about becoming a school counselor like him.

When I was in college, I realized that I wanted to help people through therapy, so I majored in social work.

Marah, thank you so much for sharing your story.

It's amazing how you turned such sadness in your own life into a career of helping other people.

So, I guess my last question would be to ask you for some advice.

How can a kid prepare for a career as a therapist?

Sure.

If your school offers human development courses, I would recommend taking them.

If you can take a general psychology class, that would be helpful too.

Any volunteering work you can do within your community can also be helpful, whether that be at churches, local schools, senior centers or nursing homes.

And certainly consider job shadowing or interviewing a therapist to get a better idea of what this type of career is like.

Being a therapist can be very hard, but can also be very rewarding.

Thank you, Marah, for showing me what you do.

And thank you to everyone at CrossWinds Counseling and Wellness for sharing with me what it's like to be a therapist.

Mental health careers are very important, and we need more people in Kansas to consider going into this profession.

Think about whether this is a possible career for you.

Learn more about this and other high-demand careers at HirePaths.com.

Until next time, this is Emmy, signing off in Emporia for Cool Careers.

Have a great day!

Hi, I'm Raisa, and today I'm here at Stormont Vail Health to learn about medical imaging as a career.

Stormont Vail Health is a healthcare organization that runs hospitals and clinics all over Kansas.

Even though Stormont Vail's main hospital and 14 of its clinics are in Topeka, they also have 11 clinics in other parts of the state.

Altogether, they have more than 5,200 employees taking care of patients all over Kansas.

That's a lot of people.

Today we're going to learn about medical imaging and the job of an imaging technologist, who plays a very important role in diagnosing illnesses and injuries.

Let's go.

I’d like to introduce you to Hanna, who works as an imaging technologist at Stormont Vail.

Hanna, do you want to tell us what medical imaging is?

Sure thing.

Medical imaging is the use of different technologies to see inside the human body to help doctors diagnose any injury or illness.

Each of those technologies are called modalities.

Each modality sees into the body a different way.

So what's the difference between imaging and radiology?

I've heard a lot about radiologists on TV shows.

Radiology and imaging are very similar.

The term radiology comes from the invention of the X-ray that was made over 120 years ago.

X-rays are a type of radiation.

We use different intensities, or levels, of that radiation to see inside the body.

The doctor uses those X-rays to diagnose if you have a broken bone or not.

Imaging is just a general term classifying all the different modalities that we have.

Each of those modalities see into the body a different way.

Some use radiation, and some use other technologies.

X-rays are typically the first type of equipment imaging techs learn to use.

Overall, it's kind of the gateway to the imaging world.

I had an X-ray once when I broke my finger playing kickball.

It didn’t hurt a bit.

Well, the X-ray part, that is.

Yes, most kids are familiar with X-rays just because they either broke the bone or it's because it's the first thing we learn for the letter X. X-rays work by moving a type of energy called radiation through a body part toward a detector on the other side.

The detector picks up the X-rays as they pass through the body, and they turn them into an image.

I studied X-rays while going to college at Fort Hays State University to get my bachelor's degree in medical diagnostic imaging.

While there, I also learned more about CT, PET scan, MRI, and interventional radiology and ultrasound, which is my favorite.

Raisa: So why is ultrasound your favorite?

Ultrasound is so fascinating to me.

It's so awesome how you can see inside the human body without harming the patient.

During college, while I was learning how to be an imaging tech, I was reminded about how much I love to solve puzzles.

And with puzzles you have to put small pieces and clues together, which is much like an ultrasound.

I use a doctor's notes as to why they want the tests done.

Before I start, I interview the patient to get to clues about where to look for the cause of their symptoms.

Then I use the ultrasound machine to see inside the body for what can be causing the problem.

I use everything I know about the human body to keep searching for any possible explanation, hoping to solve the puzzle and help the doctor treat the patient in the best way.

I take images or video loops of everything I find to later present to the doctor or radiologist, who looks at all the evidence I gathered to make an official diagnosis.

It's very cool.

Besides being the eyes of the doctor, what else do you like about being an imaging tech?

So for the ultrasound specifically, they're just really cool.

When I'm doing an ultrasound, I move a probe that's called a transducer in the areas of concern on the body.

The probe gives off different levels of frequency of sound waves, and you can't hear those sounds.

But when they bounce off of different textures or densities of the body, they echo back to the transducer, where a computer creates the image.

It's very similar to echolocation sonar technology that submarines use to navigate the depths of the ocean.

Dolphins also use a type of echolocation when they hunt and move around in the water.

Raisa: That's so cool to think about - that you can use sound to see inside something like a body.

Who would have thought that a machine would have something in common with a dolphin?

Would you like to see an ultrasound in action?

Yes, absolutely.

Now we've just got to decide if we're going to scan your body or mine.

Hmm.

How about both?

Sounds like a plan.

You know, I think — I think I might need some scrubs for this.

Looking like a natural.

Thanks, I feel like it.

Well, let's go.

Hanna showed me how the ultrasound machine works.

She put this gel stuff on my neck and arms, then firmly pushed the probe against my body.

It was so cool.

Then we switched places, and I got to use the transducer on Hanna to see her internal organs.

In case you're wondering, all of our insides looked super awesome.

Well, what did you think?

That was awesome!

You have one of the coolest jobs in the world.

I think so too.

I really enjoy it.

So what inspired you to become an imaging tech?

So it goes back to when I was a junior in high school One of my math teachers brought in a CT head image of her husband because he was going through brain cancer treatments at the time.

And after seeing that, I just thought it was absolutely amazing of how they could see inside the human body from the outside.

I then found out that I could get my degree into medical imaging from Fort Hays State and decided that's what I wanted to do next.

So what do you like the most about being an imaging tech besides solving puzzles?

I'd have to say it's the people.

I really enjoy helping my patients come through that door, whether it's good or bad, helping them find a diagnosis and getting them the correct treatment that they need.

It is a very rewarding feeling, knowing that they're going to be taken care of and being able to move on with the rest of their life or get the care that they actually truly need to get to that point.

There's also a lot of job security in my imaging field as a whole, whether it's in any type of modality.

You can really get a job across the entire country right now, and as well as it's a pretty good-paying job, too, which is always a good bonus.

Your job is so cool, and you must have so much fun with it.

Thank you so much for teaching me all about it.

You bet.

It was my pleasure.

So if I do end up wanting to become an imaging tech, what should I do now to start getting ready?

First, you want to apply for an imaging program, and those can be pretty competitive to get into.

So you have to make sure that you keep your grades up so you look good when you apply.

You'll also want to make sure that you take as many biology-related science classes as you can, and make sure that you enjoy them.

If you don't find biology and the human body fascinating, then this might not be the right career for you.

So I know you went to college and got your bachelor's degree, but is that the only way to become an imaging tech?

Nope.

There's actually a lot of different ways to get into medical imaging.

One way in particular is to get an entry-level position at your local hospital right out of high school.

A lot of our employees work at the hospital while finishing up their degrees from either a community college or technical school too.

Not everyone has to take a long six-year route like I did.

You can finish an imaging degree in 2 to 4 years, too.

Well, you've certainly given me a lot to think about.

This could be a really cool career one day.

I think you’d really like it.

I want to thank Hanna and everyone at Stormont Vail for letting me come out here today and learn about all different types of modalities, especially ultrasound, which was my personal favorite.

Be sure to visit HirePaths.com to explore other high-demand careers.

Until next time, this is Raisa signing off in Manhattan for Cool Careers.

Have a great day!

Next time on Topeka RN.

Out of the way!

We've got an emergency!

OK, I've got a pulse.

Deep breath in.

Just staying alive.

Stay alive.

Back to your hive in no time, OK?

Well, those CPR classes really paid off.

Alright, little man.

I'm going to get you feeling better real soon.

Just wanted to let you know that you are my favorite patient.

Don't tell anyone that, OK?

Shhh.

Hi, I'm Kamryn.

When you were a little kid, did you love to pretend to be a doctor or nurse with a favorite toy or a younger sister as a patient?

I know I did.

Maybe it was because of dramatic scenes I saw on TV, but I often imagined what it would be like to work in a hospital someday.

If a job in health care sounds interesting to you.

Consider nursing, one of the most in-demand jobs in the world.

The United States will soon be short 450,000 nurses.

Today, we are going to meet a registered nurse who works here at Stormont Vail Health in Topeka.

But a hospital is just one of many places where nurses work.

Nurses work in every city, state and nation in the world.

This is a high-demand career that more kids like you and me need to go into.

Let's go!

I'd like you to meet Marissa, a registered nurse who works in the Spine Center here at Stormont Vail.

Marissa, can you tell me about your job here at Stormont Vail?

I'm a registered nurse here at Stormont Vail on the Spine Center, which means I take care of patients that are in the hospital recovering from recent injuries or back or neck surgery.

With the patient's doctor, I oversee their care while they're in the hospital.

That may mean performing medical procedures, like putting in an IV, managing the patient's medication to keep their pain under control, making sure the patient is clean and well-fed, looking out for signs of infection or other problems, answering questions for the family and patient, and making sure that they have everything they need as they grow strong enough to go home.

Kamryn: Wow, that is a lot of different stuff.

What inspired you to become a nurse, anyways?

Did you used to give your toys and dolls checkups?

Sometimes.

I knew I wanted to be a nurse when I was still in middle school.

My mom always told me I had a really big heart and I'm an empathetic person, which means I understand and I share other people's pain.

Growing up, when I went to career fairs and learned about nursing, I always knew this was the field for me.

I did more than just pretend to be a nurse.

I received my certified nursing assistant credential, or CNA, when I was in high school, and then I began my first job at a nursing home when I was a senior.

Kamryn: I didn't know that high school students could start working as nurses.

That's really cool.

Yes, being a CNA is a good job for someone who might not have even graduated high school yet.

What do CNAs do?

CNAs take care of patients' basic needs while they're in the hospital or nursing home.

They help patients with everyday activities like eating, getting dressed or taking a bath.

Being a CNA is a great way to figure out if you like working in health care.

Kamryn: I didn't know that there were different types of nurses.

What are some others?

Oh, there are so many.

Some people choose to become patient care technicians in a hospital like I did when I first came to Stormont Vail.

As a PCT, I also learned to operate a lot of medical equipment and was trained to do some medical tasks like removing IVs or get an electrocardiogram, or EKG, to check a patient for different heart problems.

From there, some people go on to become a licensed practical nurse, or LPN.

LPNs monitor patients' vital signs, manage patient health records, do basic medical treatments, plus they communicate with family members about a patient's progress.

What do you do as an RN that is more than what a CNA, PCT or LPN can do?

And by the way, how do you keep all those letters straight?

Yes, there are so many abbreviations in health care.

It takes a while for anyone to get them all down, so you're doing great.

A registered nurse has a college degree in nursing and has passed the RN exam.

RNs with a four-year degree are called a BSN RN.

They can administer medication, do higher-level medical procedures, and can help patients and their families learn how to take care of themselves and to be healthier.

So can you show me some more of what you do here in the Spine Center?

Yes.

But first, you need to look the part.

(SNAP) Ooooh, OK.

These are actually really comfortable.

Looks good.

And we can't forget.

(SNAP) OK. Well, I'm like a pro now.

Yep.

Now you're ready to do some nursing.

Now you're ready All right!

to do some nursing.

Let’s go.

Marissa took me on the floor and showed me things that all kinds of nurses do to take care of patients.

Good morning.

My name's Marissa.

I'm going to be your nurse today.

This is Kamryn.

He's going to follow me along today and kind of learn what I do.

OK, I'm going to take a listen to you, do your assessment, and we're going to get some vital signs.

OK?

We checked vitals and helped patients get in and out of bed like a CNA.

I watched her chart a patient's medical record and checked an EKG, like an LPN.

And then she showed me how as an RN, she oversees the other nurses and does medical procedures like put in an IV, which is a big needle that allows medicine and fluids to drip directly into a person's veins.

The Spine Center is a very busy place with all kinds of care going on everywhere I looked, but it was super fascinating.

I loved getting the chance to see up close what it's like to be a nurse.

I hope I can do this type of work someday.

I enjoyed seeing what you do here in the Spine Center, but where else have you worked?

As I mentioned already, I got my start working at a nursing home, taking care of older adults.

Next, I worked in an assisted living community, helping older people who can still live on their own but just need some help.

How did you go from working at a nursing home to here at Stormont Vail?

I started working at Stormont Vail as a PCT before applying to Baker University to get my nursing degree.

I was able to use Stormont's tuition reimbursement program to help me pay for going to school.

That made it much more affordable for me to earn my bachelor's degree.

Then once I passed my RN exam, I got promoted and started working in the Spine Center.

I've worked here ever since.

So let me see if I got this straight.

Since you have a bachelor's degree, that means you're a BSN RN?

Yes.

I can tell you've been listening very closely today.

That's because I find all of this super fascinating.

I really do think I'd like to become a nurse someday.

Is there anything I can start doing now to help me get a head start?

Well, I suggest you take as many math and science classes as you can, and be sure you make good grades, because you have to apply for nursing school, and it can be tough to get in.

After that, I'd recommend volunteering at your local hospital or job shadowing a nurse, which means finding a place that will let you watch nurses work for a few days to see if this is something you'd really like to do.

But more than anything, I'd recommend you find a CNA training class when you're 16.

Plus, it's a great job to have as a high school student.

You'll get first-hand experience taking care of others, and lots of jobs are usually available.

I'll be sure to work a CNA class into my plans.

Do you have any other advice for me?

I'd just say that nursing is a lot of hard work.

Some days are hard.

They can be challenging for your body, your mind and your heart.

But the reward is better than any hardships you'll experience.

It feels good to know at the end of the day, you were able to help someone who really needed you.

Nursing offers so many ways to help take care of people.

The sky's the limit.

I definitely encourage you to go for it.

Thank you, Marissa for teaching me so much about nursing.

I loved every minute of it.

Thanks also to everyone here at Stormont Vail who showed me around and helped me to see what it might be like to work in a big hospital like this someday.

Check out HirePaths.com to learn more about other high-demand careers in Kansas.

Until next time, this is Kamryn signing off in Topeka for Cool Careers.

Have a great day!

(♪)