I'm in my second year of a Masters degree program in counseling at Southwestern College, finishing up my last quarter of classes before my internship. Having been here a while, I think I'm now qualified to say a bit about what Southwestern College is all about, from a student's perspective. So here's what I'm going…
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I value generosity on several levels:
On the physical or material level, generosity could take the form of giving money, food, shelter, etc.
On the emotional or heart level, generosity is about giving others my attention, love and compassion.
At the level of intellect, am I willing to share my ideas and perspectives? And…
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I can be good at strategizing. I can also be somewhat anxious. Put those two together, and what do you get? A mindset where I'm trying to anticipate and plan for every possible risk in advance. (Believe me, that's no way to live!)
When I notice myself doing this, I try to shift to a…
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When I'm finishing up a session of meditation, I sometimes set an intention to continue doing nothing throughout my day. That doesn't mean I won't move from my meditation cushion—it means I'll take a wait-and-see approach to my day. It means acknowledging I'm not in control—and letting go. I simply wait and watch what my…
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When I started learning to empathize with others, at first, I found myself awkwardly guessing their feelings and needs (often, incorrectly). Gradually, I built my feelings and needs vocabulary, and eventually, I was able to guess feelings and needs more easily and more accurately. However, my empathic reflections still felt somewhat awkward and contrived. I'd…
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In a difficult conversation, when I'm considering saying something controversial, I find that it really helps to preface it with three magic words: "My story is..." This allows me to express my perspective while simultaneously owning it. Owning my perspective creates space for the other person to have their own perspective (which may be different…
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I read lots of books. I used to do a lot of underlining and note taking in those books—then I would file the books away on my bookshelf as a storehouse of knowledge.
Eventually, I started to notice something: I never went back to any of those books to look at my notes and underlines.…
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Let’s talk about how receiving feedback is related to states of mind—both your state of mind and the state of mind of the person delivering the feedback.
When You Get Triggered
Receiving feedback tends to quickly reveal what I’m attached to. To the extent that I'm attached to whatever the other person is delivering feedback…
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When I'm unhappy, it's often because I'm not getting what I want. What to do at a time like this? I might try identifying the needs behind my wants. Identifying my unmet needs can help me have more compassion for myself—but it doesn't shift me out of my self-enclosed, solipsistic state. It's easy to keep…
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Dr. Nolan answers the question "How do I become a professional counselor?"…
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When we stop trying to control ourselves and others, what happens? Perhaps that depends on the extent to which we're resting in love. When we're resting in love, the distinction between ourselves and others evaporates. We start getting attentive to all needs that arise—both for ourselves and others.
When we stop trying to control, we…
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Counseling student at Southwestern College, explores his own gender, and which gender language best suits him. …
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When I'm angry (that is, "triggered"), I'm often tempted to gain relief from my triggered state by protecting myself in some way—usually, by setting a boundary. The problem with this is that setting a boundary tends to be a unilateral decision that's unlikely to meet the other person's needs for care, consideration, connection, and inclusion—especially…
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For me, the first step in having a great day is having a great sleep—and the first step in having a great sleep is preparing for sleep. I know I'm going to be asleep for about eight hours—and I know that the last hour or so before I go to sleep is a crucial time…
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There's a paradox: from one point of view, I am that. From another, you are not me. I believe it's important to remember both of these viewpoints.
Remembering "I am that" reminds me of the unity of all things. It reminds me that the entire universe is my body—so of course, I aspire to love…
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Several times in the past, I've gotten excited about the latest spiritual practice I'm doing, and I've lost my sense of discernment about it. I start thinking "It's the best thing ever—everyone should be doing it!" I become a true believer, thinking it's the right thing for everyone; the world would just be a better…
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This part-time, 3.5 year program
is designed for people who wish to work full-time (or nearly full-time) while also pursuing their degree,Â
uses Federal Direct student loans to cover tuition costs and some living expenses, and
offers time to integrate the clinical learning with the self reflective aspects of the program.
Financial Example:
…
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So You Want to Be a Therapist? Counselor or Psychologist?
Let’s start with the fact that becoming a licensed psychologist will take you a good 6-8 years or more to complete, and becoming an independently licensed Counselor will take you about 3-5 years, depending on your drive.Â
That’s a huge difference. Of course it’s not…
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Living in Santa Fe the hot springs in the area are of great interest. There are a bunch of great hot springs spas in the area, that I highly recommend spending a day at. These spas cost money and that can sometimes be a factor for whether or not we can spend a day to…
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This 3-year Counseling program plan
is designed for people who wish to work part-time while pursuing their degreeÂ
uses Federal Direct student loans to cover tuition costs
offers time to integrate the clinical learning with the self reflective aspects of the program
Financial Example:
Most students who are enrolled full-time qualify for $20,500…
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This 2.5-year Counseling program plan offers students
time to integrate the clinical learning with the self-reflective aspects of the program
Federal Direct student loans to cover most of the tuition costs
an opportunity to work part-time and study primarily full-time
Example:
Most students who are enrolled full-time qualify for $20,500 (less the origination…
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by Kate Latimer, LPCC
Before investing in the 2-3 years of academic coursework needed to complete a graduate degree, students need to know what their job prospects will be upon completion. After the devastating effects of the 2008 financial crisis that left many degree-holders unemployed, colleges have seen a national trend of lower enrollment in…
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This part-time 3.5-year Counseling program plan
is designed for people who wish to work full-time (or nearly full-time) while also pursuing their degreeÂ
uses Federal Direct student loans to cover tuition costs and some living expenses
offers time to integrate the clinical learning with the self-reflective aspects of the program
Example:
Most students who are…
Continue reading
The full-time 3-year Art Therapy / Counseling program plan
is designed for people who wish to work part-time while pursuing their degreeÂ
uses Federal Direct student loans to cover tuition costs
offers time to integrate the clinical learning with the self reflective aspects of the program
Financial Example:
Most students who are enrolled…
Continue reading
Southwestern College Santa Fe, NM