Guest guest Posted June 16, 2001 Report Share Posted June 16, 2001 > My name is valerie judith, and I am not an alcoholic. I'm going to become an addiction counselor. I'm registered for next fall; there's one year of coursework (6 classes total), and one year of interning (2 internships). With any luck, I'll be interning this time next year, do my first internship over the summer and my second over the fall. The following is from my earlier post to a.s.d. I'm doing this because, in 1984, when I first sought help for depression, I did 12 step chemical dependency treatment. It wasn't mandatory--I didn't have a DUI, there was no intervention by concerned loved ones. I was depressed and my self-report of depression was ignored, in favor of the product of the moment, which in 1984 was 12 step chemical dependency treatment. Never mind that my intake evaluation indicated I was not chemically dependent. They had a product to sell. This is what comes of a health industry that is driven by profits, although it's more complicated than that. That so-called treatment was the most traumatic event of my life up to that point. It changed me, and in 1999 I decided to figure out why I had done it, if it was so damned harmful. I've learned a lot since then, and the next phase of my life will be about sharing what I've learned. I've begun putting together a website where I discuss the books I've read since January 1999, and what I've written, here and at 12 step free, my other mailing list, and how what I've learned has influenced my thinking. By this time next year, I'll hopefully be interning; I've found several possibilities, clinics where they use alternatives to 12 step programs. Going through treatment was something I hid from others. Going public with it is like walking around naked. Which I guess I always do, I just cover it up with clothes. And I covered up the fact that treatment fucked me up, until I started finding other people who had been similarly fucked up. Now I think it's time to get over my modesty, and use my intelligence and communication skills for something that matters a lot to me. My name is valerie judith, and I am not an alcoholic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 16, 2001 Report Share Posted June 16, 2001 Judith, I remember you posting on not having given your true name for posting purposes so I can guess how important this one was to you. . P.S. How do you want to be addressed now? ;0) - I need to say this - - -I already posted this on alt.support.depression, and then I realized -that it's on topic here at 12sf too. - -My name is valerie judith, and I am not an alcoholic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 16, 2001 Report Share Posted June 16, 2001 > Judith, > > I remember you posting on not having given your true name for posting > purposes so I can guess how important this one was to you. > > . > > P.S. How do you want to be addressed now? ;0) Hey , good to see ya! I'm conditioned to respond to Judith now, and one of these days I'll even throw in my real last name. It's the " I am not an alcoholic " part that matters most now. judith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 16, 2001 Report Share Posted June 16, 2001 Well, hi there, Judith. I'm nz, and I'm NOT an alcoholic, either. Good luck to you in your endeavor to be an addictions counselor. I see you did find some places to intern where you wouldn't be locked into the 12-step model. My partner tried to become an addiction counselor, but it didn't work out at all. It was just 12-step, 12-step, 12-step, and he got into too many head-butting contests with superiors. Cheers, nz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 16, 2001 Report Share Posted June 16, 2001 > Well, hi there, Judith. > > I'm nz, and I'm NOT an alcoholic, either. > > Good luck to you in your endeavor to be an addictions counselor. I see you did find some > places to intern where you wouldn't be locked into the 12-step model. My partner tried to > become an addiction counselor, but it didn't work out at all. It was just 12-step, > 12-step, 12-step, and he got into too many head-butting contests with superiors. Well, I think it's likely I'll run into a lot of locked minds. But that happens no matter what I do for a living. I honestly have no idea what's going to happen when I graduate, except that I want to write a book about this stuff. I'd like to go into private practice, but I don't think I want to charge people for one-on-one or group counseling for the first couple of years, while I figure out how to do this job. Which means working a " day job " for a while, to pay for office rent... judith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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