LCSW Su Roth’s personal and professional experiences reinforce her passion for bringing mental health services to underserved populations.
Su was born in Burma when the country was under a military regime and isolated from the rest of the world. As a child, she felt like it was a good place to live, having believed the propaganda spread by the government. Her perspective changed when her father, a visiting professor teaching the Burmese language in South Korea, relocated their family.
The exposure to democracy and new freedoms was a revelation for Su; she also learned Korean during this time. Su’s older sister developed an interest in Western culture, which inspired their parents to pursue opportunities in America. Just before she turned 16, Su’s family won the green card lottery and emigrated to the United States.
The transition was tough for Su, who started high school with limited English skills and felt lonely and anxious as the only Burmese student. Nevertheless, she worked hard and improved her grades from Fs to As. Her college years were transformative. She met a diverse group of international students, made lifelong friends, and even participated in an exchange program to South Korea. At first, Su followed the pre-med track due to external expectations, but an introductory psychology course sparked a deep interest in her. Despite her family’s stigmatizing views on the subject, Su went on to earn a minor in Psychology from Purdue Fort Wayne (PFW).
““I love working with refugee populations because they demonstrate a willingness and eagerness to learn. These individuals have overcome so much to be here, and they put extra effort into anything that they do”.”
Su’s time at university was also her first point of contact with Crime Victim Care of Allen County (CVC), which later became Amani Family Services. She met Babra, a program manager with CVC, who introduced her to the agency. Through this contact, Su began working as an interpreter and collaborated with Ewelina, current Amani CEO and former CVC therapist. Babra and Ewelina were both influential figures in Su’s life who showed her the impact she could have in the mental health field.
Working with Amani was an amazing experience for Su, which provided valuable insights into navigating American culture and systems. Ewelina encouraged Su to pursue counseling, which led Su to follow that passion to Indianapolis and earn her Master of Social Work (MSW) from IUPUI in 2020. While working at a clinic in Indianapolis, Su interacted with many Burmese refugees. She noticed that they were incredibly hardworking and focused on providing for their families, but often struggled with balancing work and home life. “Refugees are often misunderstood because of the title attached to them,” said Su. “Talk to people and listen to their stories. It can be heartbreaking, but you will understand how they are seeking stability for their families, just like everyone else."
In 2022, Su moved back to Fort Wayne to be closer to family and worked as a therapist at a local facility. She recently passed her clinical exam to become a fully licensed Clinical Socal Worker (LCSW) and returned to work at Amani through funding provided by the Refugee Health Collaborative. “I love working with refugee populations because they demonstrate a willingness and eagerness to learn,” said Su. “These individuals have overcome so much to be here, and they put extra effort into anything that they do”.
Outside of work, Su is a mother of two young children, aged 6 and 2. She enjoys cooking, traveling internationally, and spending time in nature.
Amani Family Services is hiring! This is a wonderful time to join our team and play a critical role in supporting our immigrant and refugee community. Learn more here: amanifamilyservices.org/careers