Residential Counseling Job at Dodgewood, Essay Example

I conducted an interview with my field instructor Alicia who is very energetic and  creative. Even though she majored in Art in college, she loved working with people in need of help. Before she landed in the field of psychiatric rehabilitation, she worked as a nanny for special needs patients for in Maryland. She started working per diem at Sheppard Pratt, a state hospital, in Maryland in 1996. She was in the crisis stabilization unit for teenagers and children where she worked for two years before moving to New Jersey.

She got her residential counseling job at Dodgewood and worked there for three years as a case manager for a transitional home. She then moved to Edgewood and promoted to the supervisory position. When I asked how she landed in this field, she claimed it just happened. She cared for a girl with special needs and her professionalism impressed the girl’s mom so much that the mom suggested a career at a hospital. The mom introduced Alicia to her workplace which was a stabilization unit in a mental hospital. Alicia now aims to pursue her masters in art therapy.

This week experience was great. After the group smoking secession, I left the house with the residents for a health fair in Livingston NJ. At the health fair, residents checked their blood pressure, eyes, ears, foot, and skin to look for potential signs of cancer. I see this as a great learning opportunity for them to take greater interest in monitoring their health. I also checked myself as this was a valuable opportunity for everyone to better understand their health. This inspired even those residents who were hesitant for the checkup initially. Most resented asking questions. One guy said he feared meeting people because he feels as if people are staring at him. When I accompanied him, he did fines. I advised him he will have to step up and conquer his fears because I will not always be there to walk with him. He replied he lacks the motivation to do things but I assured him he can do everything others can do. This reminds me of one of my psychiatric rehabilitation guiding principle that emphasizes partnership between service providers and service users.  When you establish a positive connection between the provider and the users, it develops mutual respect and trust. This is something I have seen most of the staff members do and I also know it from my personal experiences.