On Becoming a Therapist

I was very surprised some time ago as I perused my high school yearbook with my daughter and landed on my very 80s senior picture. It was the glasses that did it for me. With the upside-down arms and large frames, it made sense, the heckling and roasting I often endure at the hands of my children. Under the pic was the caption, “Psychologist”., which surprised me because for years I told the world that I always wanted to be a teacher and that I kind of fell into counseling. Apparently, I made that up and the real truth is that I always aspired to the psychology profession. I am not quite sure where the teacher narrative came from, but becoming a counseling professional has been quite the journey. Applying for school as I came to the end of my sight, traveling twice a week to another state for classes, while single handedly parenting 4 children required precision coordination and absolute cooperation from the children. The older boys would take care of the younger one’s evening routines on the two nights I was out, while my incredible 12-year-old daughter guided me through Penn Station, onto the NJ Transit train over to Newark, New Jersey, where she attended class with me. without a single complaint, she took me back and forth for almost 3 years. After graduating from my Bachelor’s program, I released her from this task as I transferred to attending a university in NY for my Master’s degree. One of only a handful of students of color in my Master’s cohort, and the only one with a physical disability, attending this “elite” university came with its own challenges. I will share those stories in another post. Suffice it to say, I was again called upon to dig deep into my perseverance reservoir so that I could see my way to my goal of graduation. On August 19, 2020, I earned my Master’s degree and the rest is history. So, welcome to Pneuma. It is my pleasure to serve you. Here, my blog will offer inspirational and educational stories to keep you focused and motivated. I can’t wait to hear your feedback, and remember, just breathe and everything will begin to feel better.