Jemimah (Jem) Bulos, who received her Bachelor of Science degree in Health and Occupational Sciences from Maria College in 2019, credits our faculty for providing a supportive, foundational experience that led her to her calling.
When Jem started at Maria, she never believed she could do well in college, or that she might achieve more than a Bachelor’s Degree. It was the faculty she encountered that persuaded her otherwise. “The professors at Maria are really genuine,” Jem says. With the encouragement of Dr. Keylon Cheeseman in her Anatomy and Physiology classes, Jem learned how to study effectively and began to get high grades.
The Occupational Therapy Assistant curriculum sparked Jem’s interest in sensory and somatic (body-centered) work, but she was uncertain whether the OTA credential was right for her. Dr. Alton Brisport urged Jem to pursue these interests through a Master’s Degree, but at the time, Maria did not yet offer its MSOT Program. With the help of Dr. Carla Theimer, Jem completed her Bachelor’s Degree in Health and Occupational Sciences early, and continued into the Master of Science in Occupational Therapy program at Sage Colleges.
Jem’s interest in linking somatic work with mental health counseling ultimately led her to switch to St. Bonaventure University, from which she graduated with a Master of Science in Education in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. “If you’re not mentally well, you’re not physically well,” Jem asserts. “There’s a connection.”
Jem now offers various therapeutic approaches in her Capital Region-based practice (find her at chappinmd.com), including somatic, creative arts, play, and trauma-informed talk therapy, and has training on racial and trauma healing. She hopes to continue working with all populations, especially marginalized groups and students of all ages, to help process feelings, cope with trauma, and feel connected. Students need more mental health resources to get through, she says. “It’s really important to have support,” Jem tells me. “The teachers at Maria were my support.”