I just got a job as a residential youth counselor for a local non-profit called Transitions Mental Health Association. I'm very excited about it, and a little nervous too. I had a feeling that I would one day return to my initial career choice (child psychology) but I wasn't quite sure how it would come about. Mainly because I had traveled the traditional path of psychological healing through a masters degree in counseling but I quit the program because I didn't feel the methods of healing suited me. At that point I didn't know about any other psychological healing methods so I sort of closed the door on the idea for a while.
This closure turned out to be a good thing because I quickly learned to follow my heart and its wild meanderings. Through this process I learned a great deal about life through various academic and employment explorations, all of which led me to a PhD in Transformative Studies. I'm pretty sure nobody begins their early adult life by saying, "I think I'm going to get a PhD in Transformative Studies." But my studies with this program have been the perfect ending to my academic career and the perfect beginning to a career in non-traditional psychological healing methods. I didn't know this would be my path, but as it turned out my primary mentors in my program were systemic healers and/or psychologists. One of them being a leader in systemic healing processes in family therapy, another an integral psychologist, and another who wrote "The Ecology of Mind" and developed the notion of the Double Bind, a systemic way of understanding psychological behavior.
Each of these methods view healing from a systemic, or ecological, perspective. For a while I explored the ideas of ecopsychology, but I wasn't sure how I would incorporate it into a career because I didn't want to become certified as a traditional therapist. Since I continued to run up against a wall, I decided to put human healing on hold for a while and turned toward environmental healing again, exploring options like hydrology or a return to work with threatened and endangered species.
But it was time to quit exploring and time to get a job (we are buying a house after all!) I began my search and quickly found the opening at Transitions. I learned about this organization through my work on the organic farm. We bought and sold with other farmers in the area in order to provide more variety in our CSA (community supported agriculture) boxes. We bought/traded veggies with a farm called Growing Grounds who partners with Transitions by employing clients and providing a place for Horticultural Therapy for healing. Very cool!! (and systemic =)
I applied and got the job!! It's part time, probably two days a week starting off. (I don't want to take too much time away from Lake. Plus, it's an extremely emotional job so full time would be too much for me.) The kids I will be working with are age 11 to 17. They stay at a residential treatment center in downtown SLO for various lengths of time and for various reasons (minor probations, mental illness, parents having problems coping, CPS referels, etc.)
The house they stay in is a home like setting. It's a huge Victorian Mansion, with a garden in the back =) My co-workers are diverse, like a family; An older woman, or grandmother figure, a young man who plays sports with the kids. My job was described as being like a mom, or a positive role model. The kids have certified therapists so our jobs are more like everyday therapy, as the need arrives. We drive them to school, take them shopping and to doctor's appointments, and make sure they eat their veggies and get to bed on time. AND we work in the garden or on the farm (Again, very systemic - hopefully I will be certified as a horticultural therapist soon.)
Of course it all sounds wonderful, but these kids have had a rough time so it will be extremely challenging as well. Needless to say, all of my 40 years of life experience and academic training will be very helpful ... and still won't be enough.
So, wish me luck. I'm sure you'll hear about all of the ups and downs as the ball rolls around.
Woohoo!!
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