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.
8 comments:
Jess~ God has called you on and will equip you in this journey. You are going to make an awesome counselor...actually I already think you are. :)
Ditto what Jamie said
Ditto to Amy and Jamie!
True, but if you had spent your days in a mud hut, you wouldn't be able to post on your Blog. And the internet would suffer from it.
You know how the word "goodbye" came about? People used to say "God be with you" when they parted ways. It got shortened to "God be with ye" and finally morphed into "Goodbye." All I know is, even though counselor training and graduate school seem pretty crazy, God is with ye. :)
someone told me something once about something kind of different that i think holds true here. i think i'd be more concerned if you were like, i'm totally ready for this. i'm going to be a kick-ass counselor.
you're smart, compassionate and leaning on Him. that can take you a long way. this test sounds brutal, though.
go vikings! (both kinds)
So... did you finish your projects? How was the major test?
i don't know how i would have survived last summer and the months and almost year after without you and our scheduled and not scheduled one on ones. i can't wait to see how OUR amazing Father lays out an amazing life for you...whether it be in a nice comfortable air-conditioned office or in a mud hut. and, honestly, i'd prefer the later, too. maybe we can find a two bedroom one to share...
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