More observations of a counselor

I know that I have been sufficiently immersed into something when I start dreaming about it.

About a month ago I had a dream about Dr. Hanshew's red homework book being passed around in which panic ensued because apparently I did not complete the assignment correctly and I was going to like fail the class or something.

I've also dreampt about CBT techniques, which honestly, is just sad.

Overall though, I am starting to get more of a glimpse of why God called me to start this program full-time. More then ever in the past two years that I've been working through this, I really do experience God's pleasure (as Scott Seaton asked me last night) when I counsel others. It still sounds a bit odd writing that "out loud" here on the blog. Sometimes I think you've got to be crazy yourself to be a counselor. However, when I'm in my element in the practice sessions, and the combination of fear, excitement, empathy, uncertainty, etc runs through you, at the end of the day I am tired, but very happy.

Another thing that's been a neat by product of counseling school is that it causes me to think a lot about truth. The one piece of truth that I probably think about the most is that we have such hope as Christians to be able to spend eternity with the Lord in heaven. On the days that I wonder sometimes how there can be so much suffering in the world, and how I can offer comfort to my friends who are going through hard times not to mention a complete stranger at some point soon, I think about the truth in the Word, like in the verses below. Sorry I think this is turning into a devotional instead of a blog. I guess it's a devoblog.

I also wanted to say that I love my community group. They are so super supportive of me and my counseling school and don't mind me talking about the things I'm learning and praying that I can make it through my classes and homework. It's so totally awesome.

There are others in the category above that do the same and I am grateful to you too even though you don't come to the Seaton's house on Wednesday nights!!

I've also included a picture taken in my backyard from last Tuesday which was when we had an absolutely gorgeous day here in Atlanta. And also, there's a really cute picture of Sox, showing how she spends her days when she's not in the window.

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away." He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new!" Then he said, "Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true." He said to me: "It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life. He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be my son. ~Revelations 21:3-7

Week of doom over

I really appreciated all the supportive comments from my last post. It was a good boost for me.

I have finished my main week of doom for this semester. I completed my competency test (proving that I am ready to see clients), did a group presentation on teaching social skills to children with Asperger's, took a final, and did another group presentation on people with disabilities.

The last two things occured as a part of a class that addresses Social and Cultural Issues in Counseling. For various reasons, this class has not met my expectations. It's been quite frustrating, frankly. However, the group that I worked with was extremely awesome. Each group had to have at least one guy and one African American person, because those are the main minorities groups in all of my classes. The median age in my group was also about 38, one girl was Japanese-American, and I was the only single person. We ended up going to lunch a few times together in addition to working on the project and we had some great discussions. They also asked me some neat questions about being single. Not the whole...what's wrong with you why aren't you dating type..but the more like how can I understand your life type. Sweet.

So I'm going to miss them, but not the class.

After class, Amy Mo, C-tina and I went to the gym. The last time we went to the gym together was after a weekend intensive class I had in March. Both C-tina and I almost fell off the treadmill within 5 minutes of each other. Amazingly enough, today Amy Mo almost fell off the treadmill. Spectacular.

Also, I got to try a great Cuban place that I've never been to before tonight with Amy Mo, Laura, Angie, and C-tina. Little Havana was it's name. Really authentic food. And a good destressor.

Only 3 weeks to go before the end of this semester. And as of tomorrow, I have one month before I start seeing real clients.

The countdown begins!

Why didn't I stick to Anthropology?

This week I've really needed a reminder as to why in the world I chose to study the counseling profession, and, go into full-time graduate school in general.

I think the poop hit the proverbial fan on Tuesday, which was when I spent the third consecutive Applied Lab class going over the Clinical Training manual. This manual, or PSI's Counseling "bible" if you will, is basically a summary of all policies/procedures/practices of PSI's Hope Counseling Center and internships in general. It's quite a lengthly manual. We've been told over and over again that the test we have on this, which is this Tuesday, is very difficult. And not multiple-choice.

As we go over the manual I learn how with each client I see I have to fill out like a billion forms. Some of these forms I can take to supervision with me. Some I can't. Some if I don't do correctly I could risk getting kicked out of the program. No joke.

We also go over stuff in class like the six things you discuss with clients who present with suicidal thoughts. After like a forever discussion on this, my professor proceeds to tell a story about a time one of the secretaries at at my school found a gun in a drawer randomly one day. The gun was placed there by a student counselor who had a recent session with a suicidal client. Apparently the client not only had the "means" (one of the things you're supposed to ask) for suicide, but they had the gun with them!! Obviously this is a way extreme example and will probably not happen to me. However, I think with that story, and then a very long orientation time that evening at my branch of the Hope Counseling Center, I was really exhausted. And freaked out. I have no idea how I am going to remember what form goes where at what time not to mention being like, you know, a counselor to my clients. So you can see how some days I feel pretty overwhelmed with all of this.

What is looming in my mind as of right now is doing my two group projects and studying for this test all by next Tuesday. Eek. Oh. And it's Easter apparently. Who knew. So why did I think I could go to Six Flags today?

I really think graduate school is like undergrad on crack. I know people make it through, but this is one of the days where I don't really see how.

Anthropology was my undergraduate passion. I could have spent my graduate school days studying a remote tribe. In a mud hut. Which honestly sounds strangely...appealing right now.

Great idea in theory

This week is my friend Amy Mo's spring break, along with the rest of Atlanta schools. Woo-hoo spring break '07!!! That's what we say every time we've talked this week. It's hilarious.

Last week she heard about Q100's radio promotion of Six Flags Ditch Day which allowed anyone who got to Six Flags this morning before 9am to get into the park FOR FREE. We could not pass this up so John and I made plans to meet at Amy's around 6am, thinking that should allow plenty of time to get there in rush hour traffic and wait in potential lines.

Here was the time line of events this morning.

5:30am. My alarm goes off. Start petting Soxie.

5:33am. I stop petting Soxie and get out of bed.

5:50am. I am ready, downstairs, drinking coffee and crunching on my Kroger brand strawberry cereal.

5:52am. I see on the news that I-20 is backed up in both directions because so many people were trying to get to Six Flags. Hmmm...I think. This could be a problem.

5:58am. Start driving to Amy's house.

6:02am. My phone rings. It's Amy. Six Flags had already reached it's fully capacity at 5:52am.

6:23am-7:35am. John, Amy and I instead spend Six Flags ditch day morning at IHOP.

Apparently people had been lining up for this since 3:30am. We were not that hard core. People also were so desperate to get in that since I-20 was a parking lot, some folks were getting out of their cars and trying to walk to the entrance. The radio station starting telling people that they were never going to make it in if they were still on the highway. We never even left the house.

Looks like we'll have to wait and go later with those sweet $5 off coupons from Coke.

But I have a whole extra day now to finish up projects!!! Woo-hoo!! Now that's a spring break. When you're 27 1/2.