There was not much content in this chapter, but it
definitely has made me reflect on my journey throughout the class. As others
have noted as well, I connected pretty deeply to each chapter that we read. The
text and the class discussions have helped me to identify problems in my
friendships and relationship with my boyfriend. Specifically, I felt anxious
about turning down an invitation to a party. Typically, I would hold it in or
complain to my boyfriend. Instead, I journaled about it. The reason I wrote a
journal entry is because it is something that was encouraged both in our text
and by Dr. Baker. It was a very therapeutic and memorable time for me. I have
also used mindfulness a couple of time when I have been upset with my boyfriend
to help me calm down and speak more logically with him.
I
just mentioned my experience with using a journal and mindfulness; however, I
have not used them as much as I told myself I would. I journaled towards the
beginning of the semester when Dr. Baker mentioned it more frequently and I
used mindfulness soon after we read the article about it. Thus, I completely
related to the beginning of the chapter when Corey and Corey (2008) mentioned
that we often do not carry out resolutions. I want to continue to use both of
these techniques to help me on my journey so I need to make sure I take the
time to do so.
I
was surprised by the section on dreams, but also thoroughly enjoyed it. I have
always been fascinated by the uniqueness of all of my dreams. While I have
forgotten many of my more recent dreams, I still remember distinct ones from
childhood. Most of my dreams involved people or animals chasing me because they
wanted to kill me. My feelings associated with these dreams, however, have not
typically been ones of fear. Instead, I have woken up feeing exhilarated,
wanting to go back to sleep to finish the dream. After reading the text, I
wonder if my feelings surrounding the dreams matter just as much as the
context. The only dream I remember recently that left me with a negative
reaction was one where I was late for work. This makes sense as I hate being
late in real life, but I am unsure what the deeper meaning in this dream may
be. I would love to keep a dream journal, but only after I begin keeping a
regular therapeutic journal.
As
counselors, it is important to help guide our students on their own personal
journeys and to encourage them to create and carry out resolutions. We should
also keep in mind that each journey is unique and while journaling may be
helpful for one student, sports or another outlet may work the best for others.
I hope to learn even more therapeutic techniques to share with our kids and
teens!
Corey, G., & Corey, M.S. (2008). I
never knew I had a choice: Explorations in personal
growth (9th
ed.). Belmont, California: Thompson Brooks/Cole. ISBN: 9780495602293.
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