I am going to be an Art Therapist.
This time next week, I will be sitting in my first class. Eager, nervous, excited... scanning the room for a friendly smile. New friends. New things to learn. The beginning of a 2 year adventure of personal growth and professional redirection.
I am going to be studying within a small group of 16 like minded students, part time for 2 years. Exploring creative methods, including painting, clay sculpture, sand work and music, counseling and theory... and goodness knows what else. I imagine it is going to be challenging and sometimes confronting. I expect it to be a lot of work, though I am hoping I love it so much and that it will all be so interesting, that it won't feel like work at all.
There are many directions this may lead, exactly where it is going to go for me, I am not sure right now.
Of these things I am sure...
I need to do something new.
Something creative.
Something of value.
Something that will challenge me.
It will feel good to be working with like minded people.
It will be nice to feel as if my work means something.
For the first time in my working life (over 25 years) I will feel good about what I am doing. Actually, that's not entirely true, I loved my time working at summer camp in the USA in my early 20's. But that didn't really feel like work, so does that count?
In any case, it's been a long time of being unhappy and we all spend way too many hours of our lives at work, to not like what we are doing. It is time to change.
This is my mountain.
9 comments:
Cinta, I am so excited for you. Looking firward to seeing the work you explore
Such exciting news! Can't wait to hear more about the course.
This is fantastic news and such a wonderful decision to go back and study. I know with a friend of mine whose daughter currently isgoing through her 2nd round of chemo at RCH at the tender age of 22 months, having a Art Therapist spend time with her has been really wonderful. A lovely life decision, enjoy your new journey!
So cool! And so exciting to be doing something that you're truly going to love! Can't wait to hear more :)
That is fantastic! I'm very excited for you!
Good luck with it all. I think art therapy would be so interesting. I di a bit of therapy after leaving my emotionally abusive marriage and it was interesting that some of the things I felt I could not express in words but I needed to draw them down and sometimes my drawing really helped me to understand what I actually felt as I had hidden it deaply even from myself!
I look forward to hearing about your course. You are right work takes up such a big chunck of our lives it is important to feel good about it. Sometimes I find my job as a teacher stressful and challenging yet in the end I feel that I am doing something worthwhile (plus the pay is good and the holidays excelent!) so it outweighs any negative feelings I have.
Again good luck and good on you for being brave and making a change!
I'm so happy for you! I have been thinking of you lately and wondering what might be a good direction for you. I think you will be great at it! It is going to be a full on two years balancing both work and study, so be kind to yourself! Hooray! XX
Dette; I had been thinking I was pretty happy with what I was earning until chatting to a 16 year old former student first year building apprentice last week. FIRST year after qualifying he can earn $110,000. Thats more than I earn at 40, with a degree and 2 postgrads from reputable universities, 5th year into my job and about to work all day sunday for the third week in a row....
In any case, that kid will be building my dream home, for 'mates rates' I figure he owes me!
O.M.G.!!!!
Hello stranger, I am so excited to follow your Art Therapy journey. I am actually starting with a new EMDR, TRM and Expressive Arts Therapist tomorrow (yikes!) and if I had that room full of money...art therapy has always been my dream.
For now I shall follow yours... :)
KEEP GOING!
>;<
Dragon Fly
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