It read "YOU PASSED"

Having to select "Complete Exam" with the ENTER key for the LICENSED SOCIAL WORK exam was so nerve wracking. Actually, the past couple of weeks have grown more and more anxiety inducing. With this exam, it is really neat that you select submit and you INSTANTLY find out if you passed or not. While this is good, it is especially scary to know that you may or may not be able to take the next big steps in your life.

You see, ever since I was a Senior in High School, I have wanted to be in private practice doing therapy with couples, families, etc. I attended my Freshman year of college and in Psychology 101, Mr. Delich clearly said, "For those of you who think that you will be a PhD or doing private practice somewhere......think again, there will only be 1 person in this class who actually do it". Sometimes, I think God must have had me pay special attention to that statement, because it has been a driving force for me to be THAT person!!

Years ago, I wanted to help the very underprivileged and this meant dual diagnosis of Severe and Persistently Mental Illness collaborated with Substance Dependence. So, I studied intently on the clinical course of mental illness and even took one year between my Bachelors and Masters Degree to obtain a Chemical Dependency Degree. After working with this population for some time, I realized that burn out for other clinicians were quite HIGH! Therefore, I made the decision to be a little more eclectic!!

Choosing, eclecticism, is more challenging to me as well! I get to study and attempt to master many different genres of therapy. So, my vision at this time is to work with the following: Mental Illness (specializing in Depression, Anxiety, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and Bipolar disorder), Marriage, Family, and Children (probably adolescent to teenagers, not so much interested in the little tike's-play therapy and such is not really my thing).

While reviewing for my exam, reading pages and pages of information I had forgotten, there was such a DRIVE and MOTIVATION to LEARN more.

My value for therapy at this time is:
Many people will give therapy 1-2 times with a different therapist, and if it doesn't work, then the they give up on the process! I want to be there for someone who crosses my door and they do not have to give up on the process, because they are seeing the changes they desire in their life. There is nothing like helping another and watching the "light bulb" go off when they are making connections to patterns in their thoughts, behaviors, childhood, etc. AND then giving the steps/actions to terminate or alter these!

Thanks for listening to me ramble on and on......