Ch. 1 and Furr & Carroll (2003)

When I first began the search for what classes I would be registering to take in the spring semester I'll be honest, I was nervous to take a class titled "Study of the Individual." After I read the course description, I knew that this class would be a challenge for me. I personally don't like disclosing details of my life, and I was hesitant until I read the "Invitation to Personal Learning and Growth" in the textbook (Corey & Corey, 2008). Reading over the development of the humanistic approach which included Alfred Adler, Carl Jung, Carl Rogers, Natalie Rogers, Zerka T. Moreno, Virgina Satir, and Abraham Maslow definitely changed my perspective on taking this course. I appreciated the biography of each individual because it helped me to connect with my own personal journey. It gave me a sense of confidence that taking this course is going to help me on my path of self growth. There are behaviors and thoughts that I have in the present which make me question why I think and do things a particular way so I am hopeful that I will gain more knowledge through this course.

I especially enjoyed reading about the multiple learning styles of individuals, and it helped me to further understand why certain courses I have taken in the past have been so difficult. I have always had difficulties in a classroom environment that was more of a lecture and powerpoint presentation rather than a class where I was actually able to work with my hands and/or have images provided that I would bind to information and use as visual cues. Last semester definitely challenged me to be more open in class and actually participate. I had always been the student to sit through a lecture without asking or answering a single question. I would be surprised to find any professors that remember me from undergraduate, and at my old graduate school  I was actually told by a professor that I needed to speak more often or my grade would suffer.

Reading the article gave me hope that as a counseling student I will progress through change instead of it being something that will never change because that is just "who I am." I have definitely undergone a critical incident (Furr & Carroll, 2003) by beginning the school counseling program here at Millersville as I was previously in a graduate program that was focused on conducting research and data collection/analysis. The transition from one graduate school to another was a combination of both a negative and positive event (Furr & Carroll, 2003) with the positive experience being the courage to opt out of a program that I did not enjoy to a program where I enjoy being in class.

References

Corey, G., & Corey, M.S. (2008). I never knew I had a choice: Explorations in personal growth (9^th ed.). Belmont, California: Thompson Brooks/Cole.

Furr, S. R., & Carroll, J. J. (2003). Critical Incidents in Student Counselor Development. Journal Of Counseling & Development, 81(4), 483-489.