Help!
1. Multiculturalism-My experiences, how I will approach it in my practice, my thoughts, examples, etc.
My life experiences in working with and interacting with other cultures was limited until I started college. I grew up in a community where 99% of the population was white. I thought we all did the same things, shared the same life experiences, and were all treated fairly similar. I had no idea that minority races did not live the same life I lived.
My first exposure was while I attended Ball State University. This was the first time I ever really experienced racism. I knew that people were still judged by the color of their skin, I was not completely naïve. I just did not realize how bad it still was in my own community.
I decided to transfer to Indiana University Bloomington in the Spring of 2005. I count this as the smartest move I have ever made. My suitemate was from South Korea. I was scared to death at first. She did not speak English very well, and I definitely did not know Korean. Instead of keeping a closed mind, I interacted with her. I learned so much about her culture. I was also able to teach her the basics of American life. We had a lot of fun learning together.
In the Fall of 2005, I transferred to Indiana University Purdue University-Indianapolis. This was another excellent move because Indianapolis is one giant melting pot. The following Spring, I was able to take a medical class that involved volunteering my time at a local, underprivileged health clinic. I was assigned to the North Arlington Health Clinic. It is located on eastern side of Indianapolis in a poorer neighborhood. The populations they serve are mainly Hispanic and African American. Most of the Hispanic clients could not speak English. This made me realize just how important bilingual health care providers are needed. The experience was sad, but it opened my eyes to the needs of the entire population.
My most recent experience has come from working at the Youth Opportunity Center. The population of young people I work with is mixed. I would have to say that the population is 48% Caucasian, 48% African American, and the last 4% is Hispanic and Asian. I hear a lot of young people say that they feel they are being discriminated against because of their gender or race. The ones who are bi-racial do not fit ‘neatly’ into one group or another. This makes treatment hard sometimes because they feel left out by their peers.
My interests in multiculturalism are many. I would like to know how life in general affects bi-racial children. My older sister has three bi-racial children. They are not seen as white and black. They are seen as white by their black peers and black by their white peers. I would like to study this more in-depth.
I am also interested in learning how domestic violence is viewed in Hispanic and Asian cultures. I would like to know how the community reacts, how the abuse survivor copes, and what the laws are, if any, to prevent abuse from happening in the future.
2. Self-assessment
I have known since sixth grade that I wanted to become a counselor. I have always had a strong desire to help people in anyway I am able. I have learned through life’s experiences that I cannot help everyone. My goal should always be to give my best to my client, and that may mean sending him or her to another therapist if I feel I cannot be effective in meeting that person’s needs.
I believe obstacles are put in our paths to see how we will react and grow. I have experienced my own set of ups and downs, and I believe I have become a stronger person by doing so. I am soft-spoken but assertive. I am filled with compassion for everyone. Everyone deserves a chance to be happy.
I wanted to be 110% sure that I was supposed to be a counselor. I know what I want in life, but I also realize we do not always get what we want. During my training at the Youth Opportunity Center, I finally got my answer. While going through the counseling portion of my training, I had to pretend I was assisting a child in crisis. My trainer told me I was a natural. That was my answer to years’ worth of soul-searching.
I do not want to do this because I think it will be an easy program. I am definitely not in this to make a lot of money. I am in this to help teach new coping skills to those that need them. I am here to be a listening ear. I believe in therapy and everything therapists stand for. I believe that therapy is more about listening and caring, rather than ‘saving’ someone. I am not in this to be a hero.
I would like to work in a community setting where anyone that needed therapy could receive it, regardless of income. I know what it is like to not have health insurance. It is really difficult when you need to see a doctor but cannot afford it. I want to make sure everyone can afford to get the help they need.
I believe everyone deserves a chance to live a better life. I know I will not be able to help everyone. That is okay. But if I can make a difference in just one life, then everything I have done to get to this place will have been worth it.