[humanser] Life after college

[JD Townsend]

Hello:

Welcome to this list.  We have a large number of folks from all sorts of 
disciplines here, so you have asked good questions to a receptive group. 
Many are flying out to Convention as I write, so it may benefit you to ask 
again following Convention week.

I am a Clinical Social Worker and have never regretted the decision to get 
this degree.  It allows for work in and outside of the confines of our 
mental health system and allows for growth both latterly and upwards into 
administration.  While I toyed with the administrative side I have found 
that I missed the interaction with my clients.  Therein is my greatest 
satisfaction in the work.  The greatest test is negotiating the issues of 
agency politics and our sadly insufficient social services systems.

You asked about the interaction between the work and blindness.  I don't 
have a lot to say about this.  If you have good blindness skills and 
independence to address documenting in your own ways there is little 
problem - at least once you are employed.  In 1980 with a new MSW degree 
from Boston University it took me 50 interviews to get my foot into the 
door.  Thereafter I've had little problem continuing employment and have 
worked in many different jobs with a variety of populations.


It is difficult work and change is a process that works over time, so 
results aren't as clear as they are when you build a dog house or repair a 
leaking roof;  over time the results come clear, but often I find out when a 
former client stops me in a dollar store and thanks me for work done several 
years past or, like happened last week, a newspaper article praises some 
recent accomplishments of a person who, a few years ago, was struggling 
gravely in therapy.


Best of luck at Brown, I have two brothers who graduated from there and got 
excellent educations.




JD Townsend, LCSW
Daytona Beach, Florida, Earth, Sol System
Helping the light dependent to see.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Lindsay Yazzolino" <lindsay3.14 at gmail.com>
To: <humanser at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Monday, June 29, 2009 8:48 PM
Subject: [humanser] Life after college


> Hi Everybody!
>
> My name is Lindsay Yazzolino, and I am currently a junior at Brown
> University. I am concentrating in sociology as well as Spanish
> (language and linguistics), and am considering either a Master's of
> social work or a Psy.D once I finish my undergraduate degrees. In
> particular, I am considering working in mental health, adoption, or
> the criminal justice system. I know that I would like to work
> primarily with adults, and at this point am most seriously considering
> clinical social work. I definitely would like to work outside of the
> blindness field. I am very interested to hear from those of you who
> are students and professionals in psychology/social work, and to learn
> more about your experiences in college, finding employment and working
> in the field. I am specifically wondering about the following:
> (A) What types of experiences as an undergraduate prepared you for
> graduate school, and what would you recommend for current
> undergraduates in the areas of coursework, internships, networking,
> etc.?
> (B) What challenges have you encountered as a result of blindness, and
> what solutions have you found?
> (C) For those of you who are professionals, what have you found to be
> the most rewarding and challenging aspects of your work? And
> (D) Do any of you know of others in the field who might be willing to
> discuss their experiences with me?
>
> I look forward to hearing from many of you. I would hate to clutter up
> the list if others have asked similar questions, so feel free to
> e-mail me offlist if you think that doing so would be most
> appropriate. Thanks in advance, and I look forward to hopefully seeing
> some of you at national convention!
>
> Lindsay
>
> Lindsay Yazzolino
> E-mail and MSN: Lindsay3.14 at gmail.com
> AIM: GrammarGlamor
> Follow me onTwitter! Username: Pi3_14
>
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