In light of Dr. Ford’s mission to help people help themselves and his commitment to enhancing society, describe your future academic and professional goals and how you plan to achieve those goals.
This learner feels very committed to the “teach a man to fish” mentality. In order for our society to have fully functioning and intelligent members we must set aside the time to teach our fellow citizens how to sustain themselves. This education starts in our schools but goes much deeper and further than that. It could be a mother teaching her children how to fix their broken cars, or fathers teaching their children how to do their laundry. It is teaching our youths critical thinking skills that they can use to solve bigger, tougher problems once they reach adulthood. It’s teaching each member that he or she deserves respect and is expected to show respect. We must teach each other how to live together peacefully and yet be independent and have our own needs met. There are some individuals who did not receive this valuable information as they grew up.
Many of these individuals have turned to violence, drugs or other negative influences to help curtail their problems, to be faced another day or another time. Those that are victims of the violence are oftentimes forgotten or just expected to recover and “move on”. They also fall through the educational cracks, and are not taught how to help themselves or how to get help in the first place. This is where my education is going to make a difference.
As shown by a study conducted by Rosenbaum and O’Leary, “male children who witness the abuse of their mothers by fathers are more likely to become men who batter in adulthood than those male children from homes free of violence” (1981). In order to stop the circle of violence, we must teach our children how to help themselves. We must teach these young impressionable children that it is never okay to hit another person. When we see children suffering with the signs of abusive parent(s), we must be willing to step in and teach them how to be different and why it is important that they not continue the behavior. When victims of domestic and dating violence reach out for help, someone must be there to listen and teach them how to get out and stay out of the circle of violence that tries continually to pull them back in.
That person will be me. I want to work with women and children who have been victims of domestic violence or sexual assault. This is a special group of our population that needs special care and attention. I am patient and calm and can empathize with their needs. I understand the cycle of violence and why it is perpetuated so much in our society. I know why victim blaming is so prevalent and so difficult to escape. I understand the fear, resentment and anger felt by this group of people. When I couple my personal experiences with the education I am receiving, I will surly be able to help this group of survivors “learn to fish” in a pond without violence.
I am currently pursuing my Masters in Mental Health Counseling. I have earned a 4.0 grade point average so far and will continue to push myself to achieve this high level of success in my classes. Also, I have been very involved in the required readings of my classes, attempting to think about the overarching themes from various perspectives and challenging myself to understand others’ posts or ask for clarification on points I’m unfamiliar with. My dedication to my academics will help my clients when I am qualified to be a counselor.
As a counselor, I will work with survivors of domestic abuse and sexual assault. The exact location or means of accomplishing this goal are still undefined. I am open to working with college-aged adults, adolescents, women in women’s shelters, private practices, in rural areas or in urban areas. Though some areas have more cases of domestic violence than others, all areas need support and trained counselors to help with the aftermath of the violence and with the prevention of violence. As part of my career goals, I wish to divide my time between individual counseling and public outreach for violence prevention. In splitting my time, I will be able to focus on the future and not get burnt out from hearing all the negative aspects of society repeated everyday.
I will be enhancing society in two ways: helping those who are struggling to get back on their feet and preventing violence from happening in the first place. My degree from Capella University will give me the knowledge that, in conjunction with my personal experience and passion, will help create positive change. From a world where violence is perpetuated on a daily basis to one where people resist the urge to be violent and instead, reach out and help those who are struggling to rise above the violence holding them down.
Reference:
Rosenbaum, A., & O'Leary, K. D. (1981). Children: The unintended victims of marital violence. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 51, 692-699.
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