Rough road

Well, it has been awhile since I have posted. My journey as a future professional school counselor took an unexpected detour at the beginning of the summer. June 4, I was diagnosed and admitted to the hospital for four days with viral meningitis. The doctors said it would take a couple of weeks for the virus to run it's course. Yet the horrible headaches continued. Turns out I had a leak of spinal fluid. After 28 days of headaches, finally received a blood patch procedure to heal the leak and now I am back on track.

Curriculum Vita

Having completed my undergraduate studies in business (accounting to be specific), a resume and how to prepare one is something I am very familiar with. In fact, I have had lots of practice as I have helped write resumes for my ex husband, my father, my sister, several friends, and, of course, my own. This week my assignment showed me the difference between a Professional Curriculum Vita and a resume. I also had the opportunity to spread my wings and take a shot at preparing a curriculum vita. This has been an enjoyable learning experience for me. And it has been completed and turned in - before Saturday afternoon. That's a plus! Now to watch the end of the basketball game. GO MAVS!!!

Career Genogram

Whew!!!  It has been a crazy week starting a new class. Just when I was getting the hang of things, the new class is formatted just a little bit differently. That's o.k. - keeps me on my toes and focused.

Our assignment this week was to create a career genogram - basically a family tree that also looks at education levels, careers choices, and work attitudes. I really enjoyed this assignment. Most of the information I already knew from family stories growing up, but it was still very interesting to put it down on paper and really reflect on the questions that we had to answer. Getting it on paper also highlighted the fact that in each generation (at least the last three), everyone has pursued slightly higher levels of education. Makes me a hopeful momma! I was very pleased to see that so many of my beliefs were "handed down" from previous generations. It is very comforting to know that I have a stable base in a family that believes God is first and family is second. Work is something that you are expected to do and the money pays the bills so that you can enjoy things in life, but work is not the end all, be all. I hope to share with students that I counsel the importance of having or creating a stable family base (even if those family members aren't blood related), and the importance of having other things in your life and successfully balancing those things with work.

I really didn't find a pattern in my family that I could tie to my desire to become a school counselor. Other than looking for a job that makes me happy and provides optimal time to be with my son. I have always had a place in my heart for children. And after my divorce and the death of my sister, counseling took on a whole new meaning for me. I really feel that God has placed this calling on my life. I guess that does tie into my family history....

A little about me

     My name is Lisa. My undergraduate degree is in accounting and after about nine years of accounting work, I pursued my teaching career through alternative certification. I have been a teacher for the last 10 years. I am a divorced single mother of a sweet little boy that starts kindergarten in the fall.
     I felt a strong calling to become a counselor after my own counseling experience following my divorce and after seeking counseling for my son following the sudden death of my younger sister in October 2010. She lived with us and my son was very close to her. I watch the students where I teach and so many of them need someone to love them and advocate for them. I truly feel that God has placed this call on my life. So, I started a journey to become a professional school counselor.
     I have successfully completed the first step - I finished the Introduction to School Counseling course. I start a career counseling class this week. This is a tough journey. The quick and rigorous set up of the masters classes can be grueling at times. An entire semester crammed into five weeks. The week off in between is a welcome respite.
     To further complicate my life, I am returning to the regular classroom in the fall teaching a subject and grade level I have not taught before. And that job comes with a new team and a new department. I have spent the last five years in a wonderful pullout program at our campus. I am so thankful that the program can continue at our school despite budget cuts. But I am saddened that the budget cuts are pulling me out of this program and back to the regular classroom. But God will bring me through this journey one day at a time....
     Thank you so much for taking the time to read about me. I look forward to sharing more with you as I daily take steps on the journey that God has called me.