It was in 4th grade that I realized that my peers were naturally drawn to me and would openly share the difficult parts of their lives, however, I also learned a lot about myself. I genuinely cared about what others were going through and engaging them in problem-solving seemingly came easy to me. It was then that I decided to one day become a ‘counselor.’
I planned to graduate high school and then go to college. To say that I changed the plan is an understatement. When I graduated from high school, I was eight months pregnant, married, and months away from becoming a homeowner. That was just the beginning of my detour. I don’t advise or promote it, but I wouldn’t change a thing!
I started college six years later and I quickly learned that there wasn’t anything about my life that mirrored the experience of the traditional college student. I eventually discovered a program that was much more conducive to my needs. Do you remember the storybook about the tortoise and the hare? I was the tortoise. My pace was slow. My journey was long. And yet, I stayed the course and learned that it was the journey that gave meaning to the destination. In May 2005, I received a Bachelor of Social Work from Capital University and then in June 2008, I received a Master of Social Work from The Ohio State University.
It seems like a lifetime ago I began dreaming of starting a private practice, and although it was always in sight, I took another detour. I had my reasons (and excuses), of course. At some point, my dream became a goal, and now, with the love and support of my husband of 34 years, I'm launching my private practice. It’s a different experience, no doubt because I’m different; I’m older, more than halfway through my career, and not interested in advancing my career per se. My professional goals are simple: Offer individuals a therapeutic, life-changing experience through individual and group therapy, invest in the next generation of social workers (and other healthcare professionals), and push innovation through a merger, of sorts, between traditional substance use treatment and private practice, particularly for reentry individuals and those who find themselves in a pattern of chronic relapse.
My 4th-grade self knew that being stuck was optional and all these years later, I have remained passionate about helping others embrace difficulty, overcome obstacles, set limits, choose faith beyond what was passed down to them, establish connectedness, promote self-determination, define meaning in their own lives, pivot away from perfectionism and self-loathing, build resilience, and self-manage. My detours didn’t distract me, they propelled me. I’m all the better for it.
