Education is the key

BY DEXTER MCCREE, Feature Writer

ST. PETERSBURG – Education has always been an important aspect in the life of Loretta Snow and it continues to be as important to her today as it did years ago.

It stands to reason that she has received a Bachelor’s Degree in Human Development with a concentration in Creative Arts from Eckerd College. The world is changing and if she is to change with it, she will need to remain competitive and knowledgeable.

“I have grown to believe that education is the key to freedom from oppression. It has paved the way for many concepts that were instilled and taught to me from a very young age,” she said.

Snow believes that education is more powerful than some might believe. She said it develops personal growth, improves quality of life and can make dreams come true. It is also essential in order to be successful economically and socially.

She’s found the benefits of education to be endless, which is why she plans to attend Webster University in August. There she will pursue a Master’s Degree in Family and Child Play Therapy.

In 10 years, her plan is to have her own financially secured business and a partnership with social service and mental health programs where she can offer pro bono services to indigent persons in critical need of therapy.

“I will also be able to assist children, who have suffered some type of trauma, express their feelings due to lack of vocabulary through play therapy, since play is the universal language for children,” said Snow. “We don’t have enough of these services for the demands of this population of people.”

Snow has spent more than 30 years providing counseling and case management services to diverse populations of men and women with substance abuse and homelessness.

The exact moment when she knew she had a gift for counseling and providing case management services was in 1988. She had just been employed at Horizon Hospital as a mental health technician. This was the nearest mental health hospital in the Pinellas County community.

There her skills were developed with the assistance of Psychoanalyst Dr. Eugene Crone. This development motivated Snow to continue her education and she enrolled in a License Practical Nursing Program.

Once she became an LPN, she obtained employment at St. Anthony’s Hospital as a psychiatric nurse and eventually moved on to Operation Par where she cased managed 137 men and provided them with aftercare services.

“I loved working with people who are in need of empowerment. Assisting people in navigating through difficulties in their lives is something that I’m extremely passionate about,” said Snow.

The world is changing and Snow is educating herself to change with it. When she is successful in opening her practice following graduate school, she will be able to help others on a larger scale.

Snow is an inspiration to anyone who is thinking about furthering their education and advancing in their careers.

To reach Dexter McCree, email dmccree@theweeklychallenger.com