About Marc Scott

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In the fall of 2021, I decided to explore a new avenue of giving back and began my Master’s in
Counseling from Wake Forest University along with a Certification in Addiction from University
of Florida. The aspect of my studies that has sparked the most passion in me is the area of
psychology, neurobiology, and how these result in substance use disorder with individuals who
have trauma. I am fascinated by the formation of cognitive and behavioral processes in youth
and how these can influence/change a person once in adulthood. How the amygdala,
hippocampus, and prefrontal cortex associate fear (and the resulting pervasive anxiety) within
the brain and holistically throughout the body seem to me to be significant precursors to
addiction that deserve significant exploration. I also would like to investigate stigma, more
specifically unconscious bias, and how an individual can have an unconscious bias against
themselves based on childhood beliefs and maladaptive schemas because of their trauma. While
my initial focus began with counseling’s approaches and theories, it has developed significantly
into an interest of what happens neurologically in addition to consciously.
As I look back on my journey to date, I looked back at one of my essays from 2004, when I
applied to the University of Florida and earned my Master’s in Business Administration. This is
what I wrote:

“As my career path continues, the need for constant improvement and adaptation to change is
important and inevitable. This has been the focus of all that I do and all that I have done to this
point. In life as well as on the career path, improvement is essential for success, and this will
necessarily bring change. It is how one deals with that change that will make or break a person
in work as in life.”

I truly believe that the next step in my evolution both personally and professionally is to obtain
my additional education in my quest to learn about the mind and contribute to my both my
immediate community and the society at large through making deeper connections between
neuroscience, trauma, and addiction. I believe that creating greater understanding of these will
help both legitimize and heal those who suffer from trauma and as a result, suffer from both
addiction and unconscious bias against themselves, in turn preventing them from leading a life
full of joy and belonging.

To put specific goals around my desires, it is my hope to continue my education for the next
three to five years. I believe that with the insurgence of fMRI and other studies, there is an
abundance of material that will be available to explore and digest. While my journey began and
continues to be centered around addiction, there are many avenues that can bring that into focus,
while not being the sole focus. To define my journey beyond that is difficult, as I enjoy walking
through new doors, whether they lead to success or failure, they all provide learning
opportunities.