Final Thoughts

Like others that have already posted this week, I also feel it is difficult to pick just one topic that I was most impacted by. I think after looking back through the modules what stands out to me the most is the overall meaning of this class. It seems that in almost every other class I have taken related to the field of rehabilitation, I am always taught to see the positives in any situation or topic. We are always looking at the good of the field and the good of the services being provided. I enjoy that because I like to think that I am a glass half full type of person, however, I thought it was really unique and rewarding to be asked to challenge things for a change. We were asked many times over the past seven weeks to question the way we approach recovery, and I have learned a lot by doing this. Sometimes it is actually helpful to see examples of what not to do in order to better learn what to do right moving forward. Some of the articles like the Karon (2007) article about hallucinations I found fascinating and will for sure change the way I view certain types of mental illnesses like schizophrenia. The Bellevue film was moving as well, learning about the day to day life for patients at the hospital will stay will me as I move on from this class. Sometimes people are literally asking for better help like the man who kept saying "the medications don't work here, nothing works here, I hate this place" I will take away how important it is to simply listen to people rather than premake judgments about them and move on. Another general thing that I will take away from this course is learning that it is actually ok to question our field.. It seems taboo to question the field that we are all passionate about, however, this class has helped me learn that having these conversations is how we grow as better counselors, and how our field progresses towards a better future. Overall the class was quite an eye-opening journey for me.