Interview with Ellen S.

Ellen S. has worked as a social worker and school counselor. I asked her some questions about her experience.

What made you decide to be a counselor/social worker?
Near the end of my sophomore year of college I went to a Methodist church conference on church related vocation; during that week-end that I thought I would like to work for the church as a social worker. When I finished my BA I realized that I needed to speak Spanish to do Social Work in Calif. so I taught in Mexico for a year. After that year that I went to Florida and got my MSW.

How long did (many years) you work?
I worked 3 years in the welfare department with families with unemployed fathers. (one year before my MSW and two years after.) Three years at the regional center with families with disabled children of all ages. Nineteen years with the county office of education first as a social worker(after I got my Pupil Personnel Services Credential) with families whose children were in special education and then as a school counselor in alternative schools, in community schools and at boys ranches with junior high and high school students who had been removed from their school districts or had been in Juvenile Hall.

What was a typical day like?
One thing about social work and school counseling is that there is no typical day! The kinds of things I did were: collect intake information on each student, help make educational plans and timelines for return to the district schools, help form Individual Education plans for special ed students, work with parents, some group work with students, contacts with district personnel, daily contact with teachers about student progress etc. I made referrals to other counseling or agencies as needed by the families or students. On occasion I would do in-service trainings for staff. I had clients who died, a few needed to be referred to protective service and there were some crises on campus that brought the police.

What do you wish you'd learned in graduate school before you became a counselor? More about how to work with difficult people: clients or other professionals. Organizational theory especially related to disfunctional organizations (which is actually "by definition" in my experience.)

What was your most rewarding experience as a counselor? Group work with parents of pre-school developmentally delayed students (physical, mental and emotional delays.)I enjoyed working with the school counselors in the districts where my students would go after they left the ranch or community schools. I always liked working with other professionals like the teachers, resource specialist, psychologists and the families to plan what was best for the student. And of course having success with a student was rewarding.

What was your least rewarding experience? Working with management or principals who didn't seem to get the details of counseling or social work in a school setting. I worked at many locations part time and each principal wanted me to give my full attention to their school.

What advice do you have for someone starting out in the field and interested in counseling as a profession? Don't burn any bridges. Keep the communication open with students, families and professionals. Return phone calls promptly. Make sure that you do on-going study in your field. Be a team member, always open to improving your skills. And most important of all: take care of yourself so you can be centered and strong as needed to serve others.