Right now it seems as though these are the two things my life has boiled down to. My last test in my techniques class covered the difference between natural helpers and professional counselors: counselors are bound by their codes of ethics which are established by the laws, general morality of the time, and leaders in their fields while morals are usually spiritually based (for me, definitely). Up until last night I've been able to see how the two can coexist and even work in tandem because we need believers in public schools...
Unconditional positive regard I'm great with. I completely think that's what Christ had for everyone - He loved while here in person and still loves quite literally from heaven as well as through the Holy Spirit. He loved everyone, period. Everyone is worth everything and that's what I believe positive regard teaches us.
Where I get hung up is when it comes to counseling a student toward what they believe is best for their life yet what I (and the Bible) think to be wrong. True, a lot of counseling does come down to your own values and if I were working toward having a private practice I could simply refer a potential client to another counselor if that client were wanting to go in a direction I didn't agree with...but if I'm counseling in school there's no where else I can send them. It comes down to what they think is best for their lives and I can't go against that unless it will be causing harm to themselves or to others. Granted, "harm" is relative but I don't think the moral issues I'm referring to will be accepted as "harm" by a court of law.
When I refer to "moral issues" there really isn't one I'm singling out...it's more in the broad sense of being able to call sin, sin. Granted, I'm not stupid, I know I can't walk into the school and start preaching to these students, but there does have to be a way for them to hear the truth...
If I don't help these students in the way my code of ethics sees fit, I can be "dis-barred" in counseling terms.
Now comes the struggle of knowing whether or not I should even continue in the program. Becoming a school counselor isn't something I've had my heart set on forever and ever but it is an area where I was really hoping I could make a difference.
At the end of the day, I just don't think there's any way I could encourage a female student's choice to have an abortion and the list goes on...
I won't lie, it would be nice to have that $300/paycheck again that up until now has been going straight to grad school so I wouldn't have any student loans. I have some friends who are moving to Paris who invited me to come see them and it would be great to have the chance!
This deciding time is the worst. I wish there was just someone who could tell me what to do.
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This past weekend was Elizabeth Nalley's wedding. Sadly enough I don't have any pics of her looking absolutely beautiful...just the one of James and I below from the reception:
Yup, the hair is short again
Cheers with diet Dr. Pepper!
Love (and a life full of important decisions),
Steph
Comments (3)
I'm probably going to forget to comment on something (but I usually leave an average of three comments on your posts anyway right? :) I love Urban! I don't care if it's cliche trendy. I'm all over it like a rat on a cheetoh (my funky leaf earrings? UO.) I also love me some Jason Mraz. We need to go see him in concert together and have a mutual drool fest. Your list of hipster things was tres bien but I expected nothing less. (For the record, when you get a chance to read fun books this summer, I still reccomend Twilight. I think you'll be Team Edward for sure.)
I really like this post too. I've always wonderd how I would do counseling students in a school setting (because my ONLY experience has been in a church). I can see why it's all spinning around in your mind so much. I'm confident you'll be great at what you do. For teens sick and tired of cheesy pat answer fakness, you'll be a breath of fresh air.You must find a way to go to Paris. End of story.(And thanks for the comment on the book!! I think you'll dig it. I can't wait for you to see it. I can't wait to see it either ... please join me in hoping it doesn't come out looking cornball)."short again?" don't you mean shorter?
looks good n.e. way.
here's my two cents. take it for what it's worth. God has presented you with a challenge and a decision: fight against the establishment or go home. i honestly don't have a solid opinion on your delima, but you could ask yourself this; which choice is easiest. whichever choice would cause the least struggle is probably the wrong choice. i know that you would have to adhere to some rules that you may not agree with, but maybe, just maybe rules can be bent rather than be broken. schools these days need christians in their halls... even if they aren't that obvious. would it be better for a non-believer that really has no genuine love or concern to counsel a kid through a crisis? or would it be better, even if you still have to counsel a student toward something you don't agree with, for you to be there? just because you can't tell them not to do something surely can't mean you are barred from presenting alternative solutions as well. and you can pray. that's more than someone that's just doing a job would ever be willing to do. think of it like this; missionaries have to adhere to rules they don't agree with when they are in foreign countries, but they still show love and help people. a public school could be your foreign country.
well, i guess i did have a solid opinion. sorry. i just started typing and words came out. have a good one, steph!
Nice job with the bumper sticker. I am partial myself!