Counseling Psychology Essay Example

Counseling Psychology Essay Example Counseling Psychology Paper Counseling Psychology Paper My grim determination to pursue a career in psychology has been a lifelong dream. Since I was in my teens, I have always been interested in how a human brain works. In fact, observing human behavior was my favorite pastime. I remember rather well how I would observe other people and compare their reactions to identical stimuli and then asked myself why? For instance, why did Mrs. A spank her 8-year-old son when she caught him lying, and Mrs. B did not? Since I saw that both Mrs. A and Mrs. B were very angry at their sons for lying, why the difference in their reactions? In such situations, the reasons behind the behavior of people, why they acted the way they did, always fascinated me. Although I was not yet fully aware at the time, I believe that my preoccupation with people’s behavior resulted from my personal circumstances. I lost my father to alcohol addiction when I was only 12 years old. Perhaps, subconsciously, I might have even placed part of the blame on my mother because I could not recall her saying or doing anything to help my father overcome his addiction. I always wondered why she tolerated my dad’s alcohol habit while our neighbors would often be heard arguing and shouting at one another every time the husband would arrive home drunk. This led me to ask myself what made mom different from the wife next door. (Now that I know that my mom was what is now called a classic enabler, I am sure that her being one certainly supported, if not actually encouraged my dad in pursuing his alcohol habit. ) Later, I would always resort to asking myself the same question whenever I would observe variant behaviors from people in our locality. For instance, when I heard that another man was discovered to be an alcoholic or a drug addict, I would wonder if his children felt the way I and my siblings felt before. Growing up in a family which was rendered dysfunctional by an alcoholic father and later with a single mother who was struggling with four children had been difficult. Things never came easy, but through sheer, hard work, I succeeded in making something of myself. I know that I worked hard for it, but I could not help thinking that I had been lucky as well. I could not help thinking of other children of families rendered dysfunctional by some forms of addiction. This thought started my self awareness. I began asking myself what really motivated me and why I do the things I do. Finally, I realized that what I really wanted was to help troubled children coming out of dysfunctional families. I was convinced that children who experienced what I went through but who were not as lucky as I have been need all the help they can get. So I took every opportunity that would lead me to this path. I first worked as a case manager for a community health center. Then I managed a youth home for troubled girls sentenced to the program through Youth Services. After that I worked with the prevention unit of another community health center. The financial demands of bringing up two sons, however, forced me to redirect my attention to my own family’s financial needs, so I started a retail business that would enable me to provide for my two sons adequately. However, after seven years, my lifelong passion resurfaced. I realized that I simply cannot turn my back on those people who need help and counseling. I decided to go back to pursuing my passion by attending a counseling program to better equip me in my desire to help troubled people. But first, in 2006, I completed a certification program in hypnosis and acquired a credential for certified hypnotist because I am certain that the skill would prove helpful later. My ultimate objective is to acquire a master’s degree in psychology and have a career in counseling psychology. I am aware that a career in counseling psychology could be very physically exhausting, emotionally draining, and involves long hours of work. However, these drawbacks are certainly offset by its most significant advantage: self-fulfillment. I know that helping people through counseling psychology will be the only career that would fulfill my lifelong dream. Besides, I get to be my own boss once I enter private practice. (Careers in Clinical and Counseling Psychology, n. d. ) Reference Careers in Clinical and Counseling Psychology. (n. d. ). Retrieved August 19, 2007, from wcupa. edu/_academics/sch_cas. psy/Career_Paths/Clinical/Career03. htm

3 More Types of Usage Errors

3 More Types of Usage Errors 3 More Types of Usage Errors 3 More Types of Usage Errors By Mark Nichol In each of the sentences below, a word has been misused or is ambiguous, affecting the clarity of the statement. Each example is followed by a discussion explaining the problem and a solution to it. 1. His follow-up comment only further inflamed their passions about his perceived sleight against the higher art. The error in this sentence is homophonic; a word that sounds like but is spelled differently from another word (and, more significantly, has a different meaning) has been used in its place. Sleight is a noun meaning â€Å"craftiness† or â€Å"skill†; it stems from a Norse word meaning â€Å"sly,† seldom seen except in the phrase â€Å"sleight of hand,† which refers to deception or an act of deception, usually in the concept of a magic trick. However, the writer is referring to a discourtesy, so the word intended is slight, which derives from an Old English word meaning â€Å"smooth†: â€Å"His follow-up comment only further inflamed their passions about his perceived slight against the higher art.† 2. This assessment should hone in on how decisions are made, how people collaborate, and how work is conducted. Here, the error is of substitution of a near-homophonic word. To hone is to sharpen or otherwise improve (as in developing a skill); to home in on is to focus on a target. The latter meaning is intended, so the latter word should be used: â€Å"This assessment should home in on how decisions are made, how people collaborate, and how work is conducted.† 3. This approach will help organizations gain operational efficiencies that lower costs and facilitate an increase in loan volume. In this case, an ambiguous word is used at a key juncture- lower can serve as either an adjective or as a verb, and it might be misread as the former when it functions as the latter here. For greater clarity, replace it with an unambiguous synonym: â€Å"This approach will help organizations gain operational efficiencies that decrease costs and facilitate an increase in loan volume.† You can read 3 more types of usage error here. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Usage Review category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:How to Structure A Story: The Eight-Point ArcDriver License vs. Driver’s License8 Great Podcasts for Writers and Book Authors