Hello All!

After our second class I must say that I truly enjoyed the satisfaction that I received from our small group sessions.  I found it extremely helpful and therapeutic to talk with peers and also to listen to the wisdom and advice that they shared with the group.  Sometimes (actually most of the time) lately, life can seem to be hectic, fast-paced, and extremely stressful.  But I found a sense of peace, solace, and confidentiality within our group (even if it was only for two hours) that you really can’t seem to find in the day and age of social media where everybody’s business is flashed in front of everybody’s face.  It was truly a wonderful feeling.

When I looked at the readings, I found a strong connection between both pieces.  I must say, growing up, I was never much of a reader, but I am finding myself getting so much from the reading as well as examining my life, where I stand, and how I got here.  My first examination came from reading Corey and Corey.  I tried my best to reflect on my early childhood through my adolescent years.  After reading Erikson’s viewpoints, I really do believe that our early years have a great impact on how we function as adults.  I really got the most out of the reflection on page 60 of Corey and Corey.  The two defense strategies that I use currently in my life at times are rationalization and compensation.  I can remember instances when I used these as a child as well.  I really do believe they helped me cope in times of tribulation because they really helped me try to view the positive from even the worst of situations.  I see myself as an optimistic person and I think these aspects have really helped me in this area. 

In the Steinberg article, he really tried to drive home the socio-emotional system is not as well developed in adolescence as it is in adulthood.  This in turn, leads to adolescence taking more risks.  I remember one of my biggest fears in adolescence was getting involved with the “wrong crowd.”  Now that I look back, I see how important it was to surround yourself with good people.  The driving game study was a great method to show that peers can have a big impact on the way that their friends act.  Once again, I found myself examining my life.  I was lucky that I had a good group of friends that never pressured me into any situations and I didn’t have to do anything stupid to impress them.  I was accepted for whom I was; and I think that this has helped me build confidence in myself as a person.  As I look back on those years today, I am truly grateful for this because I believe having confidence is probably the most important aspect of being a counselor.  Since I am well equipped in this area, I look forward to this journey in becoming what I feel I can really make a difference.

 

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

Steinberg, L. (2008). A social neuroscience perspective on adolescent risk-taking. Developmental Review, 78-106.