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Is it silly to want to be a professional actress?

Something that I have always wanted to do was perform; from ballet to cheerleading and various kinds of acting, even putting up vlogs on YouTube, it has always been something in the back of my mind despite being shy and due to extenuating circumstances could never really be a part of. On the other hand, something that was brought to my attention from one of my friends and my school counselor was the idea that becoming a child and teen psychologist is also something that appeals to me; also, there is the slight pull of being a child lawyer (which especially flares up when I watch things like Escaping Polygamy and Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath). These seem to be connected in my mind because they are all about helping people in some way. While it’s strange to some, I was helped through some tough times by fictional characters and the actors that brought them to life in a sense. I want to be that person to someone else, not to mention I just enjoy being characters instead of myself, which greatly helps me when I write stories. If I can help someone by getting someone out of a terrible situation, either by providing them with a sort of escape in fiction, letting them deal with inner demons or literally removing them from a toxic lifestyle, then I think I would be happy.
Should I pursue acting as a career and take acting classes or should I follow the more stable path of psychology? Even if I decide to act for a living, I’m nineteen and haven’t done much work in that field. Would taking classes help people in the field even take me seriously? #acting #voice-acting #psychology #counseling-psychology

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Lo’s Answer

Hi Heather! While I cannot tell you what you should do, I can suggest some avenues you might want to explore further. I am thinking specifically about psychodrama (uses acting as a form of therapy) and Narrative Therapy (which explores a client's stories and help the client rewrite their own ending, so to speak). I have provided some links to both. There are many ways to integrate all of your interests. Get creative! Best of luck to you!

https://www.goodtherapy.org/learn-about-therapy/types/psychodrama

http://dulwichcentre.com.au/what-is-narrative-therapy/
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Andrea’s Answer

At this stage, I'd say enroll in college with a Psych major, minor in Film/Performance and try things out! See which classes appeal to you most, and then further invest from there.
To address your concern on coursework, if you decide to act, you should absolutely train and folks will definitely take you seriously once you begin taking classes. There are exactly zero working actors on any of my old call sheets that have no training whatsoever. Acting classes not only hone your skills as an actor, but they make you a better public speaker. Adding this to say, it'll never be a waste of training because public speaking is a transferrable skill to corporate settings should you choose to work there in the future.

Good luck on your search!
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