Mental Health Field Experience
I have worked with diverse communities at Horizons, in prior jobs, and through volunteer capacities for over 30 years. While I have always been passionate about social justice and mental health, outside of my personal experiences, and some limited volunteering, I have had limited exposure to work with marginalized persons. This is precisely why I am currently entering the mental health field, and seeking to work with such populations. Horizons has provided a rich experience because most of my clients are on the lower end of the socioeconomic scale, and come from diverse backgrounds.
The principles of wellness, recovery, and resiliency are not new to me. I have embraced them in my own life. I personally experienced a divorce 30 years ago and …show more content…
Describe how your background, lived experience, education, internships and/or work experience have shaped your understanding of and response to the varied needs of mental health consumers. How have these experiences prepared you to work with the consumers and families served by JFK …show more content…
I have a long track record of working in the community. I bring a passion and dedication to my work that others have always noticed. I am also protective of my own mental health, with a lot of experience at caring for myself. I know when to say no, but I always try to stretch myself first.
The mental health field is very broad. There are a hundred lifetimes of knowledge one could study, and no one person can know it all. One challenge I am having is deciding where to put my extra time and resources to deepen my understanding of the field. I am actively talking with other mental health providers in order to inform my decisions as I strive to develop my own approach to mental health.
Sinead Smyth, my individual supervisor, has had the greatest influence on me. Her bias that trainees need to spend their first few months “sitting” with their clients, following the subtlest changes in tone or movement, has been invaluable. She has been very helpful in providing excellent guidance on how to conceptualize and approach cases, and she is an expert at normalizing the experiences of new therapists. I highly recommend that you reach out and speak with
The principles of wellness, recovery, and resiliency are not new to me. I have embraced them in my own life. I personally experienced a divorce 30 years ago and …show more content…
Describe how your background, lived experience, education, internships and/or work experience have shaped your understanding of and response to the varied needs of mental health consumers. How have these experiences prepared you to work with the consumers and families served by JFK …show more content…
I have a long track record of working in the community. I bring a passion and dedication to my work that others have always noticed. I am also protective of my own mental health, with a lot of experience at caring for myself. I know when to say no, but I always try to stretch myself first.
The mental health field is very broad. There are a hundred lifetimes of knowledge one could study, and no one person can know it all. One challenge I am having is deciding where to put my extra time and resources to deepen my understanding of the field. I am actively talking with other mental health providers in order to inform my decisions as I strive to develop my own approach to mental health.
Sinead Smyth, my individual supervisor, has had the greatest influence on me. Her bias that trainees need to spend their first few months “sitting” with their clients, following the subtlest changes in tone or movement, has been invaluable. She has been very helpful in providing excellent guidance on how to conceptualize and approach cases, and she is an expert at normalizing the experiences of new therapists. I highly recommend that you reach out and speak with