Introspection Leads to Change?

The COVID-19 pandemic allowed me, like many others, to pause and re-evaluate my career. Despite this immensely stressful time, my experiences as a yoga teacher encouraged me to see this pause as an opportunity to explore other careers. My interest in counseling and neuropsychology led me to find genetic counseling. My early career experiences included crisis counseling and psychoeducational assessment and diagnosis, and I continued to support individuals through my work in higher education. Genetic counseling appears to be the next best step in my evolution of providing compassionate care and support based on research and shadowing observations. For example, I have observed how empathetic listening can decrease patients' anxiety during genetic counseling sessions.   

For the majority of my career, I have helped students with disabilities. My experiences with this population sharpened my emphasis on practicing from a counseling model rather than a disease model. For example, when providing results and a diagnosis of a psychoeducational assessment, I emphasized strengths and opportunities. I recall positively reframing an ADHD diagnosis for one apprehensive student. Sharing examples of her creativity and the names of celebrities and successful individuals with ADHD reduced her concerns. I have also supported many students with disabilities in moments of crisis and challenge. These experiences have illuminated our society's tendency to "other" or marginalize differently-abled individuals.