“What does mental illness look like?” This question was raised in my abnormal psychology class in college, raised but not answered. It wasn’t until I did my mandatory 250 hour internship junior year that I answered this question for myself. Of course I had learned about mental illness during this class, I learned about the symptoms, potential causes, diagnostic criteria and potential treatments; in short, I learned the book version of it. What I hadn’t done was partake in the treatment process with these individuals who were diagnosed as having severe mental illness, that is until I received my internship offer. I was to intern at the STIRS program, which stood for Southern Tier Integrated Recovery Services; it was a day treatment program for adults with severe and persistent mental illnesses, where they received group and Individual therapy, medications and meals. This was my chance, to see the real thing and do the real work to help people.