The Quirky Counselor

Well folks, I am almost at the end of the road of my grad school adventure and by adventure, I mean rollercoaster ride. I have laughed, cried, and doubted myself more than I ever have. Grad school really tests you as a person and makes you question everything about yourself. This might sound bad, but I feel as though this was a really good thing for me. It made me take a long, hard look at myself and wonder whether this job would be the best fit for me, and after 3 years I can happily say yes. There were many times I thought that I couldn't do this and I wasn't good enough, but if I have learned anything these last few years, it is that no one is ever going to be perfect at this job. Everyone makes mistakes and it is how you learn and grow from those mistakes that show the type of counselor you are and want to be.  I knew from the moment I left High School that I wanted to do something with counseling I just didn't know what area it would be or where I would end ...

Self help is so important. I've learned that in the last few years. When you are put under a tremendous amount of stress you have to stop and think to yourself.... "Am I doing everything I can to keep a healthy mind and body?" and if the answer is "no" then do what you have to do to fix it! That is where self help techniques come in handy. Some things I like to do for self help is blasting broadway music in my car, deep breathing (I have an amazing app called "Breathe"), and going on crazy adventures. All of these things have helped to keep my sanity in tact during my most stressful times. Self help books have never really worked for me. It was hard for me to relate fully to the ones I have read but they could work for others!

Testing has always been a struggle for me. The gut wrenching feeling, sweaty palms, changing all my answers at the last minute, and of course the overthinking. Now I have to teach others how to prevent/control test anxiety when I still have trouble with it myself! It is hard to control but positive self-talk, extra studying, and a good support system have been a way for me to get by. If it weren't for a combination of those things I wouldn't be able to get through a test without having an anxiety attack. Now I get the opportunity to help/teach young kids how to get through their test anxiety. Testing has become a a HUGE part of our world today. I remember as a kid that there were tests we had to take but the pressure that the young kids have today is incredible. The high-stakes testing keeps dropping down in age and some of these kids aren't capable of handling the stress (understandably so). My goal is to help these young kids fight test anxieties butt! and also show th...