Finals week is never fun.
Student Reflections
Read student reflections regarding their relevant, engaging, field experiences and research efforts, and student life in general.
This past week I added a tool to my therapy belt and hopefully began a relationship with a friend and co-therapist that I will have for the next several years. Her name is Luna and she is a fluffy little white bundle of puppy joy!
This Thanksgiving, I realized that there was so much that I was thankful for. My family, friends, health, and sanity (some may question this one) were at the top of the list, but I can’t omit the two things that I was especially thankful for this Thanksgiving: Wawa Turkey Bowls and Twilight on CD.
Our guide told us all about who had died where, what can still be heard and seen in the houses, and things that have happened since that has caused people to think the places are haunted. We had a great time and it was a great bonding experience.
On a particular "low" day, while covering Jung and consciousness, Dr. Gressard abruptly stopped his lecture, looked over the class and stated "I feel like we all need to go on a mindfulness walk today."
One of the most profound classes offered at the William and Mary School of Education is Transpersonal Psychology taught by Dr. Rick Gressard. If you are interested in spirituality, meditation, or Carl Jung studies on the collective unconscious, this is the class for you.
Throughout my program, as well as in my Ethics class, I have been learning that, as counselors, we are our greatest tool. What does that mean exactly? To be the most effective for your clients, you have to take care of yourself, or as us counselors like to call it, “self-care.” This may sound like common sense and a pretty easy task to handle, but it’s not as easy as you think.
At my internship site we work with adolescents and families with behavioral or substance abuse issues. Part of our work involves some court ordered activities like Urine Drug Screens. I was not aware of this when I began my internship, but part of my job now includes occasionally watching a female adolescent as she completes the urine screen.
Earlier this week I had a wonderful time shadowing a school psychologist. I chose this activity because it is the best way to get an idea of what my future career could look like. She is a graduate of the William and Mary program and shared some advice as far as real world versus best practice.
What an invaluable experience! The Appreciative Inquiry process provided salient insight that could not have been captured through reading material. I admit, when I first read about Appreciative Inquiry I was intrigued, yet skeptical. The concept sounded too good to be true. I surmised it would gloss over the struggles within schools, disregarding the stark realities in favor of unattainable goals. I was wrong.
