I Got a Practicum Way Over Town That's Good to Me

It's the moment we've all been waiting for. I finally have a practicum site! On January 14th, I had my first day of work at Gaudenzia with the Women's Co-Occurring Program.

It was funny because although my supervisor had told me it might be a difficult site not made for the weak, I found that the clients were all welcoming, accepting, and willing to learn. Of course, there have been difficulties with the clients. Sometimes they aren't quite so willing to learn; sometimes they don't want to participate in group activities; sometimes they throw tantrums (either about the program and their having to be there or about their interactions with other clients). And I know there will be more difficulties like these, but I'm just so excited to continue working there and to see what kinds of improvements I can make at the site.

Just yesterday I conducted my very first biopsychosocial assessment with a client who I will be continuing to work with throughout the duration of her stay in the program. Through this experience, I learned about what it might be like to work with a client in the pre-contemplation phase of changing his or her drug and alcohol addiction, in other words, a client who does not yet see the negative consequences of addiction and therefore is not self-motivated to change.

I expect that this experience will be both challenging and rewarding, and I am looking forward to working with the client and moving forward!

Along with that, I've finished with my application for the second year of the counseling program. We're all thinking about whether we need the second year for our overall goals and how we should further our counseling training. I think one of the best pieces of advice I can give in this situation is to always CONSULT. I got a little worried when I spoke with friends in the program because I was so concerned about paying for a year of education that I might then find out I didn't need. So I consulted with my sorority sisters who are in the counseling field, and they let me know that you need AT LEAST an LPC to become a mental health counselor on a college campus.

I would encourage new students in the counseling program to consult with anyone they can: sorority and fraternity sisters and brothers, family members, friends, professors, to make sure that they are doing what is necessary to fulfill their overall career goal. Well, that's all for now. Wish me luck getting into the second year!

READY TO GO

I am so so so ready to go home. It's not even that cold yet, but it'll be so good to get back to the warmth of the Caribbean. I snapped a picture of my bikini in my suitcase, and I must say it's amazing to be able to pack a bathing suit when you're on your way home for Christmas. I don't think there's quite a feeling like it. I threw about six pairs of shorts and two short skirts in there; I'm ready to go.

Sadly, it won't be a completely free vacation. The application for my program's second year is due early in January, so I'll be working on my new statement of purpose while I'm chilling at the beach. I kid, of course. I won't be bringing my laptop to the beach.

Since I love you all so much, I will continue to blog throughout the Christmas break, and of course will provide braggy photos of the Caribbean sun and the palm trees swaying in the breeze of the Caribbean Sea. See you in Trinidad!

You're Adlerian? Prove It!

Today was our very final interventions class! It's kind of funny how all of our professors are so excited that the semester is finally over. Not that I'm not excited...I guess I'm excited. But I feel like I could go for a few more weeks. Maybe that's because I don't have a practicum yet, so I'm not as worn out by life as some of the other members of the cohort are.

OH but I do have a practicum! Last week I went out to an interview at Gaudenzia, a co-occurring drug and alcohol treatment center where three other members have already been placed. I'm a little nervous: the interviewer told me as I sat there that the site is not for the "sensitive", and as much as I would love to see myself as having a tough skin, I definitely do not. So I'll have to grow one if I want to be successful. I wonder if that's something I'll be able to work on during the winter break. Perhaps I'll join the army over the break? I guess we'll see...

But anyway the point I wanted to bring up in this post is what we talked about in our very last interventions class period. We discussed each of our theoretical orientations and how we are going to foster our knowledge of the orientation and our skills at using the techniques. I thought about how I consider myself Adlerian, with some sprinkles of person-centered and cognitive-behavioral theories mixed in, and I wondered about how I'm going to learn more about Adler, PCT, and CBT. From whom will I seek supervision? Where will I go to attend workshops and conferences?

These are definitely questions that I, and every beginning counselor, should answer. I look forward to learning everything I can about my favorite orientations, and I hope to do my part to improve my theory's professional organizations, so that Adlerians on the whole can improve how clients see our orientation. I worry that the lack of time spent on the websites for our orientation gives a poor presentation to potential clients, and I hope to be one of the instrumental people in changing that.

Papers, Papers, Papers

In a few more days I will be finished with the first semester of graduate school! It's funny because I've been hearing so many people saying that they just finished their first semester of grad school and I haven't really been able to celebrate because I am still three papers away from that milestone. Having a transcript to write puts it all into perspective for me. And it's interesting to see how much different it is being here than it was to be in undergrad. Were people this excited to finish their first semester of their undergraduate first year? I'm not sure. 

But anyway the point is that we're almost done! Just a few months ago I was scared about how difficult graduate school would be, but while it has been a challenging semester, it has also been an enjoyable one, much much more than the first semester of undergrad. 

I think a good recap of the semester is that it was productive. I read (almost) every reading, and I worked hard to do deeper reflection and sometimes extra research for our papers. And while my enthusiasm could be, and has been, deemed overkill, I think I'm a better person for it. I learned so much more than I would have, not only about counseling skills, theories, and concepts, but about myself. 

Looking back on the past few months, I'd say I'm proud that I stuck sticky notes in the pages of the textbook chapters that I read word for word. I'm happy that I used those extra articles for that theory paper. I'm glad that I put my all into the program, because even if it wasn't completely necessary, it has made this program all the more worthwhile. 

This has, hands down, been one of the best semesters of my entire student career. I have made friends who I hope to keep for a lifetime, maybe even moving out to live closer to some of them. I have seen my faults but also my strengths, and I am using this knowledge to try to become the best I can be. I have learned how to be an empathetic, driven, and ethical counselor. And I have become an Adlerian. And I must say that this semester has been a SUCCESS!

I am so looking forward to getting back here in the spring, when I get to spend another few months with some of the best people out there, the Kounseling Krew. 

Finals Time...

I know what you're thinking: EW. Finals time. But of course it's just another inevitable part of the student life. And it hasn't been as bad as finals used to be during my undergraduate career.

Finals started off with an exam for ethics. It's supposed to be a paper on the ethical issues at your practicum site but since I haven't started anywhere yet, I wasn't able to write that paper. Although this has been frustrating, it's been nice that the professors have been flexible about changing assignments, since they know there's nothing I could do about not having a practicum site.

Compared to the types of multiple choice exams I used to take back at UVA, this exam was awesome! Only 20 questions (which can be both good and bad, since each question is worth a lot) and only covering what we talked about in class. Mind you, I read every single chapter of the textbook as well as taking notes in class every week, and it paid off! So one piece of advice I'd definitely give to incoming students: READ. A lot of people shirk their readings because they think it's common sense or we learn it all in class, but it couldn't hurt to have a handle on the information before going over it in class.

Next, we've got a theory paper due for interventions, a group proposal for group, a case presentation and transcript for practicum, a process analysis for group, and a last paper on the importance of theory for interventions. PHEW! Well, that was a mouthful. But I've already got a handle on a lot of the assignments, so I'm not too concerned. But it definitely is getting STRESSFUL! So of course here I will put a plug for the importance of SELF-CARE! That's something our program emphasizes so much, because counseling can be a hazardous profession. Hearing other people's struggles can bring out your own struggles, or it can just trigger an empathetic reaction, and we have to take care of ourselves to remedy that.

Finally, one of the best things going on right now (something good to counteract all the papers) is that I have an INTERVIEW at Gaudenzia! Gaudenzia is a concurrent drug and alcohol treatment center, so they work with people who struggle both with addictions and with some mental illness. It will no doubt be difficult, but I'm excited to get the chance to start making a difference in people's lives, and to learn something new, regardless of how far out of my comfort zone I will be stepping.

Wish me luck!

What I'm Thankful For

So as you may already know, this past week was Thanksgiving break, and it was a well deserved vacation for everyone! Sadly, this vacation included working on papers for both group class and interventions class, because no vacation is complete without homework. But that's just part of the student life.

Thanksgiving was so much fun! I traveled to New York to spend the weekend with my family, most of whom I hadn't seen since before I left for Philadelphia in August, so it was really good to get to spend time with my aunts, uncles, and cousins. Especially fun was the game night I went to on Saturday night, where my cousins and I played a whole bunch of games together at one cousin's house. Since my first cousins are all much older than I am, I haven't had a lot of opportunities to spend time with them, so I was especially grateful to be able to hang out with them, even if just for a few hours. One of the big benefits of being in Philadelphia is that my family is only a few hours away, so I can go visit whenever I want.

What I really wanted to talk about in this post, however, is what I'm thankful for here at Penn GSE:

1. Meeting and getting to know the other members of my cohort. It seems like just yesterday we were strangers, but in just a short amount of time I have met people with whom I hope to remain friends long after this program concludes. We've stuck by each other through hard times and celebrated with each other through the good times, and I will never be able to express how grateful I am for that.

2. Realizing how perfect a fit this program is for me. Mind you, I applied only to this program, and I did not visit the campus before accepting my offer of admission. I realized I might want to be a counselor deep into my fourth year of college, and I just went with that whim, and it was one of the best decisions I have ever made. Every day in this program, I realize how much I love counseling, and how ready I am to start making a difference in the lives of the clients with whom I work.

3. The African American community. I never thought I would feel so welcome and so comfortable in my own skin, because my whole life I've been told that I was an "Oreo". I wasn't "black enough". But coming here to Penn has taught me that I can be who I am; that doesn't change my identity. That is a lesson I am going to keep with me for as long as I live.

4. The professors. You just can't find people like Dr. Marsha Richardson and Dr. Ariane Thomas anywhere else, or Dr. Christina Washington (who is probably 36 but appears to be 22). These professors have made every class a joy to attend, and have shown me that being a professional with a doctorate degree does not mean you have to lose your sense of humor. They are all role models who I aspire to be like in the future.

As I look back on the past few months, I see how lucky I have been to be a part of this program and this school, and I can't wait to see what the next year has in store.

You CAN Sit With Us! (And You Should)

So today I want to write a post about spending time with the other members of the cohort, and to do so I have channeled my inner Mean Girl...except in reverse. So instead of telling people "You can't sit with us!" I'm saying " You CAN sit with us!" And you also SHOULD.

Last week on Friday, we had a karaoke night planned by the leaders of our division, Applied Psychology and Human Development. It was so much fun! A few of us met up beforehand and then went down to the karaoke bar together, and when we got there we sang songs loudly and with reckless abandon. Sadly though, there were only 5 of us there (the usual suspects).

This makes me so sad! I wish more members of the cohort would come out and chill with us. I love getting to hang out with the usual crowd, but it would be such a nice change of pace to hang out with someone new, and I would really enjoy getting to know the members of the cohort with whom I haven't yet had a chance to interact.Also, we have so much fun when we hang out! I know some of our cohort members have other friends and obligations in the area that keep them from hanging out with us, but others are sitting at home alone when they could be chilling with the Kounseling Krew (I know you like that new slang). 

Welp...hopefully more people will come out to the Friendsgiving we're having on Friday. Look out for pictures next week!