Helping people is something I have always felt like I am supposed to do. The mission and responsibilities of social workers, especially as it is laid out in the Columbia University School of Social Work mission statement, seamlessly aligns with my vision for how to best utilize my experience and passions. Specifically, I hope to use social work to address social justice issues and help empower individuals who cannot advocate for themselves due to societal barriers. Experiences in my personal life and volunteer and work positions have culminated in my decision to pursue a MSW. Knowing that there is a major need for workers in the field of social services, and that my life experiences and interests are aligned with a career attuned to serving individuals, families, and …show more content…
What initially set me apart from my peers and sparked my interest in counseling was what I experienced at 8 years old when my parents divorced. Divorce was uncommon in our community, and none of my friends knew what to think or say about it, thus I initially internalized the pain and grief. Fortunately, I had an open line of communication with my parents throughout the process, and my sister and I were able to take part in an after-school counseling program with our school social worker. In those sessions, we learned coping skills with other students who had experienced divorce or the loss of a parent. Having an objective listener to help me through a difficult time, and feeling genuinely understood and accepted made all the difference in a time when my own friends did not know how to talk to me about it. These sessions gave me tools to cope with the divorce and go on to have healthy relationships. It was not until I transitioned from high school to college that I realized how many adolescents experience difficult events without the support system of a counselor, often leading to negative life
Social work is a career that finds and chooses you, rather than you selecting it. Social work has always been an immense portion of my life even when I had no recollection of what social work entailed. My life revolved around so many situations that had a social worker stepped in, my life would be totally different than it is today. Many individuals and agencies lack the compassion and empathy for oppressed people. Having been in many circumstances, has given me the experience and background that influenced me to go into social work, as well as the understanding of my role and responsibilities that I will assume as a professional social worker, and my reasons for selecting the program at ASU School of Social Work and thoughts on how the Mission Statement addresses my career goals.
The mission statement of the VA Social Workers is to eliminate significant barriers to clients in need and offer interventions for veterans and families. It is accomplished by developing and maintaining integrated, in-depth programs in patient care, research, and education (Hoffer, Elizabeth. F., Dekle, Judith. Ward., & Sheets, Carol., 2014). Its proposed 11 percent to 20 percent of Iraq, Afghanistan veterans as well as 30 percent of Vietnam vets encounter (PTSD) posttraumatic stress disorder traumatic incidents like combat can lead to PTSD, military sexual trauma of military service member, and veterans may possibly deal with depression, anxiety in addition to other mental health concerns. Vets distress from these mental health and cognitive
Social work involves passionate individuals who are dedicated to helping others by providing services to vulnerable children, families or individuals in need, while constantly looking for ways in which we can improve society. This discipline is dedicated to helping people find solutions to their problems in order to make the world a better place. I chose this field of study, because I find the job of a social worker rewarding. I have always enjoyed helping others and knowing that I have made a difference in someone’s life. It is no secret that this is a challenging career; however, the feeling of knowing that you made the world a better place is indescribable. I have simply decided to make my passion of helping others into a career. I know that in order to make my passion a career I will need to get the best education and training possible.
I believe counseling is a collaborative partnership between client and counselor. Furthermore, this collaborative partnership is built from trust and acceptance of both client and counselor. I hope in conjunction with clients to understand the issues and concerns so to help them tap into their wisdom, creativity, and strengths to meet their current challenges. I believe in a comprehensive perspective through which clients can better comprehend themselves in the framework that our thinking about events can lead to emotional and behavioral upset. Moreover, counselors are to provide a safe environment for clients to explore their challenges and identify ways to move differently in overcoming these challenges.
My interest in social work developed because of a select few of the mentors during my undergraduate years. They all knew me so well that they knew I could have an impact on the lives of other communities and my own. I have always loved working with kids, especially the age group of 10-14 because those were the years that had the most influence on who I am today. To me, studying social work is a way to make a bigger name for myself and proving that everybody just needs a second chance.
Mission: To encourage, progress, and defend the health and well-being of children. The Rescue Mission's purpose is to minister the love of Jesus Christ to the least, the last and the loss of Orange County through the provision of assistance in the areas of guidance, counselling, education, job training, shelter, food, clothing, and health care.
As stated earlier, I believe that the social work field will allow me to bring attention and professional support to disadvantaged populations. Persuading the MSW program at this moment in my life will not only allows me to help those in need, but it will strengthen my personal values and approaches that I consider to be essential in order to efficiently help others. My approach stems from three concepts that I find to be vital: humility, optimism and determination, regardless of the circumstances. Hoping to be permanently guided by those principles, I will continue to embrace my commitment to the disadvantaged and to be a voice for the
Counseling is a professional relationship that empowers diverse individuals, families and groups to accomplish mental health, wellness, education, and career goals (Carmichael and Erford, 2014).I had to learn what it meant to be a counselor in order to decide if it was a path that I was willing to go down. I have learned a lot over the last 10 weeks from wellness strategies, writing clear and concisely and making ethical decisions. I also learned how essential is was to participate in supervision, seek a consult and make sure that my treatment is evidenced based as well effective for the client. I also conducted an interview with a mental health counselor. This paper will take you through
My experience in the counseling role has increased my confidence over the current semester. I feel that the extensive practice has paid off tremendously. For example, this course has taught me how to formulate a game plan when starting off my sessions. I now have goals which come with a much improved structure format than I had previously. In addition, I am able to have a much clearer perceptive of my feelings where I previously accepted thoughts as feelings. In this self reflection, I will continue to express how my growth experiences that have
Social work acquainted itself to me at an extremely youthful age. Being adopted, and being teased pitilessly in school for being "embraced" taught me an incredible arrangement about the lack of care of individuals. I draw from my own repository of encounters. I have thought about low self-regard and low self-viability since adolescence. I know the torment, one I personally ended, constructing my own feeling of positive mental self-view and freedom. I guaranteed myself I could never be vulnerable again, that my bad dream could never have been futile. Having brought up two wonderful girls alone, I am mindful of the arrangement of difficulties, adjusting work and being a good example.
I believe that counseling is a crosswalk for empowerment, self-exploration, healing and growth. Ultimately , I will
Goal Statement Social work introduced itself to me at a very tender age. Being adopted, and being teased cruelly in school for being “adopted” taught me a great deal about the scars many of us carry. In my work, I draw from my own reservoir of experiences. I have known about low self-esteem and low self-efficacy since childhood. I know the pain, one I personally ended, building my own sense of self-worth and independence.
The personal views I have acquired throughout the year have ultimately affected the views I have on counseling in a few different ways. Growing up, I was raised in a family that views counseling as very acceptable. As a child, I always viewed counseling as a positive action because you are trying to correct a problem you are having and have acknowledged it. When I reached the beginning of highschool, I needed counseling for myself and the depression I was dealing with. As my counseling sessions proceeded, I really found them helpful. At a time where I felt like my own mother couldn’t even understand my own thoughts and feelings, my therapist could . It gave me a hope that at least I had one person I could tell everything I am feeling to and know it is kept in private. It was hard for me when my sessions eventually stopped, and it took me sometime to get over it. Through my own experiences and views, I feel like this pushed me to wanting to support and
When I was younger, I saw a counselor for family matters that were causing stress in my life, and I believe that I grew to be a better version of myself from it. My counselor created a safe environment that made me comfortable enough to express my concerns, and thereby receive advice on how to deal with the stress. I believe that talking to someone about something even as small as everyday stress can greatly advance a person’s life quality. For example, some months ago my mother began having regular meetings with a counselor due to her anxiety, and her outlook on life has clearly improved. We enjoy discussing what she learned after each session, and I can truly recognize how her thinking process is actually changing because of the
I admit to knowing little about the professional world of counseling, but I am very passionate about the relationships I build with my peers when they turn to me in their time of need. To me, counseling is similar to receiving a piece of broken art. You get the piece, crumbling, with little monetary value; but