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genie
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 Posted: 03/07/03 - 15:31 Post subject: Career musings....your thoughts?
This is what happens when I have too much time on my hands and am forced to actually THINK about stuff.....sorry for all the advice seeking posts this week! 
As you know, I am currently in grad school for Counseling Psych, and my original plan was to focus on Trauma Studies, to work with abuse victims, PTSD, things like that. Over the last week I have been talking to a couple friends who have chronic illnesses like mine (CFIDS) and we've been sharing a lot about how different your life becomes, the changes your mind goes through, and how it affects you as an athlete (whatever your perception of athlete is). In that mix is, of course, food issues, which are common to athletic and nonathletic people and nutrition is, of course, important in any illness.
I don't want to really limit myself by focusing on too narrow a field, but I am starting to rethink my path and am thinking I would rather work with people with eating disorders, athletes-sport psychology, and people suffering from chronic pain or chronic and terminal illnesses--life changing things. We have to specialize at some point, you can't do everything, much as I'd like to, but the combination of my own experiences and struggles, I think, and my love of sports and physical activity might make for a richer experience on both sides. And with today's overly UNhealthy society, I can't imagine the market ever drying up. What do you guys think???
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copteacher
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Posted: 03/07/03 - 15:33 Post subject:
PTSD is very good because you can specialize with one group of people for example, po po or firefighters.
Tough choices though G.
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genie
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Posted: 03/07/03 - 15:42 Post subject:
It's also where my previous experience lies, I used to work with abuse victims, multiple personality disorder and PTSD, and that is SO very important.....but I think because I know people personally who are struggling with eating issues, which I also did, as well as adapting to life as either an injured athlete or a sick one, thus having to make a lot of lifestyle changes to compensate.......sigh.....it's also going to affect where I do my doctoral work, especially if that's the research I want to do.
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kristin31
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Posted: 03/07/03 - 15:47 Post subject:
That is tough. Which do you think you will feel more drawn to years down the road? On which will you burn out more quickly?
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airehead
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Posted: 03/07/03 - 15:55 Post subject:
Then again, since you have such a natural affinity for this already would it be better for you to learn something completely new and branch out into unexpected directions?
Can you possibly sit in on different types of counseling sessions before you make a final choice?
But then again, you are at a point in your life where you know what you want and you know what will make you happy.
I think you would be excellent at the ED thing for sure. And throw in illnesses that people have to cope with--wow. That's a lot right there. Even just counseling individual illnesses like cancer or aids would be very intensive because there is such a need for that.
I also think you should consider a side-line of coaching. You are particularly attuned to the needs of athletes that have to rethink their training strategies due to illnesses.
Frankly, I think anyone would be blessed to have you as their therapist/psychiatrist/trainer.
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Cappy
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Posted: 03/07/03 - 15:56 Post subject:
My vote is for PTSD, those people are the best.
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rolling rock
The Pinball
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Posted: 03/07/03 - 16:26 Post subject:
| Cappy wrote: | | My vote is for PTSD, those people are the best. |
what does PTSD stand for?
when my son was a toddler and i was a first time mom struggling with his disease and coming to terms with the changes in all our lives, i sunk into a very deep depression. i went to counseling and thought --what does she know?? she goes home to a normal kid; i quit going before too long.
i then found a counselor that dealt with chronic illness like diabetes; in fact she had a chronic illness herself. she was different; we were different; it helped. i still resent talking to a diabetes educator who spews her "knowledge" and "compassion" on me and then goes home to a perfectly physically normal house full of kids. 
this field is really narrow; not too much demand, but speaking from experience, i would have eaten dirt to find a therapist who had walked in my shoes, so to speak.
this is, of course, just a very biased 
genie will be great at whatever she choses to go into. i think any and all of her patients will be blessed to land a sincere and devoted therapist.
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coachmarkos
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Posted: 03/07/03 - 17:05 Post subject:
Soul Sister,
How abouts you get into counseling for those of us addicted to internet running message boards? 
I have no suggestions for you on this one, except: follow your heart.
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sierra513
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Posted: 03/07/03 - 18:00 Post subject:
Genie
Be careful what you choose. At some point you are going to want a life, in addition to a job. Helping people is great, but a career is, after all, just a job, not your life. If I knew then what I know now, I would never have gone into human services. Its a 24/7 job and tends to take over your life. I know that sounds selfish, but everyone I know in my field, wants out. Its all consuming and can be very stressful. I would give my right ovary for a 8 hour a day job. *sigh*
Maybe someday.......... dreaming about retirement.......
You will be wonderful at whatever you choose to do. Just be a bit selfish and dont forget you also have a life to live. 
( good grief, that sure makes me sound like an awful person doesnt it? )
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genie
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Posted: 03/07/03 - 18:19 Post subject:
No, Carla, you have a good point. This field does tend to suck the life out of you if you're the kind (like we both are) that really enjoys helping people who need it. I remember well those 16 hour days at the hospital and the periods of over a month straight without a day off all too well. But, I am like that no matter what I do, so I'd rather have no life for a good cause than what I am doing now. But you're right, it's all about balance and I am working hard on that right now.
RR, PTSD = Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.....like after 9-11, or people who are abused, soliders after war, like Joe said, po po and EMS people, who see horrible things all the time. Very rewarding but very draining work. It's a tough call, there are so many areas of our society that need assistance that it's really hard to focus on just one. But don't discount all doctors or "experts" just because they don't have the issues in common with you, after all, does a cardiologist have to have had a heart attack to treat yours?
But I definitely agree, the more you can really understand your patients, the better help you can be, which is why I am thinking the ED/chronic illness route. I know I have time to decide, but this is really bugging me. I want to do it all NOW!!! Thank you all for your very kind words, you guys are totally the best! 
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jrjo
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Posted: 03/08/03 - 20:29 Post subject:
Maybe it's some ivory-tower negativity fiber somewhere in my head, but whichever direction you go it would seem the best way is one you can relate to from your own experience. I think alot of people can pick up on a book smart person, but someone having been in the trenches has all the credibility. I don't know if that's advice that narrows anything, but just my
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blue
your favorite weapon
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Posted: 03/09/03 - 02:16 Post subject:
hrm... i don't know much about therapy stuff. but i've always said i couldn't market something i didn't believe in (like if a product was useless or what not).
so maybe you should stick to your guns and go with what interests you the most?
oh, and i suppose perhaps the one your least likely to mess up with. someones mental state is a terrible thing to play with 
good luck
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Soigneur
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Posted: 03/09/03 - 04:41 Post subject:
When you do you have to make a call on this? If you can then I'd suggest you just sit with this one for a little while, and i'm sure that if you do the right answer will come to you - its an answer that has to come from within, and its an answer that you already have - you just don't know it yet .
And I'm sure which ever path you choose will be the right one and you will be a wonderful counsellor/researcher  .
And thats great and very wise advice from Sierra too  .
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Cappy
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Posted: 03/09/03 - 05:27 Post subject:
| Soigneur wrote: |
And I'm sure which ever path you choose will be the right one and you will be a wonderful counsellor/researcher .
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genie
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Posted: 03/10/03 - 12:11 Post subject:
| jrjo wrote: | | Maybe it's some ivory-tower negativity fiber somewhere in my head, but whichever direction you go it would seem the best way is one you can relate to from your own experience. I think alot of people can pick up on a book smart person, but someone having been in the trenches has all the credibility. I don't know if that's advice that narrows anything, but just my |
I share a lot of those same fibers, my friend...and you are absolutely right! This field attracts a lot of people who have had similar experiences, and like RR said, who better to help you with an issue than someone who's had it or a similar one? That's kinda where my mind was......something I am both interested in and have lived through, would probably be a better fit.
Rache, I do have some time, I am just trying to narrow my major so that I don't end up taking too many classes I don't need. We have a concentration in Trauma Studies, which is what I declared, but I may move to either Child/Adolescent or Generalist and then specialize in the doctoral program. I think I'm going to make an appointment with the graduate dean, who has a lot of the background that I want to get, and see what she says. Like you said, something internal is pushing me more towards the ED/chronic illness/injury/sports mode right now and I am not sure why.
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