Integral
August 2008 
Where I have Been
Posted on Nov 12th, 2007
by 
Jim
Jim
It feels like an exceptionally long time since I last wrote here. Perhaps that is because I am writing about damn near everything else during work, school, and internship. To say the least, life has been busy. Actually the busiest I have ever been. I remember having teachers tell me that graduate school was the most challenging experience of their lives. Finally, now, I can agree with them.
The challenges have been the long hours and lack of sleep and rest. There have been weeks on end where I thought that my life was not my own and with good reason. The hours have been tremendously long. Sixteen hour days back to back to back. No more naps and sleeping in late. No more free time either, not when I have paper upon paper to write. I have witnessed my stress level wax and wane like the temperatures.
There have been many bright moments as well. To be honest, I am not sure that I could be doing anything else with my life right now. Working with patients and students has been extremely rewarding and I know that I have made the right decisions. I will be finished with my internship at the end of the academic year. I will be finished with my coursework during the summer. The next major step for me will be to find a job for the fall 2008 school year. The other step which I am still repeatedly on the fence about is whether or not to continue on with a doctoral program. The only major factor that is weighing against me is exhaustion. I am not sure that I want to go through this experience again. My advisor at school told me that you only will go through this once and for the most part I agree with him. However, I am humbled and fearful at the possibility of writing a doctoral dissertation.
The learning experience has been incredible. I am in debted to many wonderful human beings who have changed my perceptions of life and counseling continually. I look forward to working with new people. Regardless of what I think about it, the future looks to be a very interesting place for me.
The challenges have been the long hours and lack of sleep and rest. There have been weeks on end where I thought that my life was not my own and with good reason. The hours have been tremendously long. Sixteen hour days back to back to back. No more naps and sleeping in late. No more free time either, not when I have paper upon paper to write. I have witnessed my stress level wax and wane like the temperatures.
There have been many bright moments as well. To be honest, I am not sure that I could be doing anything else with my life right now. Working with patients and students has been extremely rewarding and I know that I have made the right decisions. I will be finished with my internship at the end of the academic year. I will be finished with my coursework during the summer. The next major step for me will be to find a job for the fall 2008 school year. The other step which I am still repeatedly on the fence about is whether or not to continue on with a doctoral program. The only major factor that is weighing against me is exhaustion. I am not sure that I want to go through this experience again. My advisor at school told me that you only will go through this once and for the most part I agree with him. However, I am humbled and fearful at the possibility of writing a doctoral dissertation.
The learning experience has been incredible. I am in debted to many wonderful human beings who have changed my perceptions of life and counseling continually. I look forward to working with new people. Regardless of what I think about it, the future looks to be a very interesting place for me.
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