TEACHER/HEALER/HELPER

Early on in my identity quest, it was apparent to me that I am best described and defined by the roles of the teacher, the healer, and the helper.

In fact, the professions I most considered were teaching, nursing & midwifery, and counseling. I came very close to earning my Bachelor's degree in elementary education, but after the car accident damaged my vision, I realized that teaching was no longer an option for me and that is when I changed my major to psychology and now, at the master's degree level, counseling.

When I was much younger I was very interested in becoming a midwife, but my husband forbid it. He said the legal risk was too great and he didn't like the idea of me being on-call all the time. I allowed him to make that decision for me, sadly.

And, had I known myself better when I was much younger, I would've considered becoming a funeral director and would've studied mortuary science. Too late now, although I've recently begun researching the Green Funeral Movement and would like to become involved in that, even as I pursue my Master's in Community Counseling.

I think of the years I spent homeschooling and while there are many things I would have done differently in that arena had I had access to more support and more money, I enjoyed the experience immensely and still miss it.

So when I must define who I am, the words teacher, healer, and helper always come to mind first.

Community Counseling will be a wonderfully perfect career choice for me, even now, late in my life. Perhaps it is especially now, as I approach fifty, that I believe I am even more qualified than ever to counsel and work in the mental health field - as if all of my life experiences thus far have prepared me for this role. Finally, I will get paid to do something I enjoy and something I am naturally good at doing. People have always turned to me for insight and advice and now I can charge for that service! And, in doing so, I will be taking another giant step toward self-actualization.

Had I become a midwife, I would've excelled. Had I become a public school teacher, I would've excelled. Had I known enough about myself to become a funeral director, I would've excelled there too. And now, as I approach the Counseling field, I am confident that I will excel there too!