Specifically, although our quest for learning has not been a linear endeavor, it has been a long one, both informally and formally. Consequently, formally, while working for the Youth Services Administration (YSA) I began a six month training with an organization named WACADA with the goal of becoming a drug counselor…
“Specifically, although our quest for learning has not been a linear endeavor, it has been a long one, both informally and formally.
Consequently, formally, while working for the Youth Services Administration (YSA) I began a six month training with an organization named WACADA with the goal of becoming a drug counselor. While attending the classes one of the instructors asked me to stay after class one day and when speaking with me, he basically applauded my performance and stated that I had demonstrated an acumen that was as good as any of his graduate students he was teaching at the other universities he was instructing in. Moreover, he said that I should give serious thought about getting into a graduate program. Hence, now fueled with additional confidence, I began the trek to obtain masters degree in 1995 with a focus on mental health counseling from the University of The District of Columbia. In the same year I obtained my first professional license as an LPC
(Licensed Professional Counselor) in the district and did some volunteer work with DC Rape Crisis for several months.
Thereafter, while working for a inner city youth program as a case manager, a position became open as a Senior Family Counselor. In the role of Senior Family Counselor, I met many amazing youth who brought so many varied challenges. The challenge was not just in their issues but in the context of my having to find meaningful ways to reach them beyond the traditional talk therapy paradigm.
Hence, the unveiling was rapidly occurring with my being introduced over several, several years to the philosophies and instruction of : Reiki; then Brain Gymn; then; EMDR; then NLP and Ericksonian Hypnosis; then The Forum; them Koryo hand therapy; then Mediation; then Tft; then Tft-dx; then TIR; then Medical Qigong; then Tong Ren ; and then Dowsing. All of the aforementioned were unfolding while I was also availing myself to a litany of religious instructions and teachers as well.
With this syllabus of professional and personal development unfolding, I began working with an organization that were contracted to provide emergency community mental health crisis services in concert with various police jurisdictions over the course of 14 years wherein I gained the experience of working with issues of routine mental illness; domestic violence; suicide; murder; SIDS deaths, automobile fatalities; school threats, 9-11 aftermath for family survivors of the Pentagon; bulling, drug-related issues, robberies, hostage related incidents; Indonesian deployment for the Tsunami, and the DC sniper death.
These experiences brought to me an appreciation for my varied approach to situations and issues while also giving me an enhanced verbal skill set as well as a further appreciation of
brief therapy and debriefing skills.
Finally, the above brought me to an opportunity to work with a local fire department wherein I am responsible for providing mental health services to the first responders (firefighters and medics) and civilians of the fire service.
Thus, it is with the enormous blessing of the Divine, coupled with this amazing panoramic optic and through the medium of what has been called by one of my many teachers: “The Perceptive Prophecy of Therapeutic Outcome” I assist a few seekers in finding or discovery the contexts that provide the most coherence and meaning in their lives, but only if they are “willing”.
However, most people just want symptom relief. They just want to stop hurting and therefore when they can just tame their suffering they are good to go; or good enough until at least the next upset that is calling them to get beyond the fatigue of their insincerity and inauthenticity of looking good. Whatever their preference, I just might be of some service.
Either way, the quest continues for us both………….