Congrats PC!!! Big hug:) you are truly an inspiration to me because our stories in terms of education are similar. While drinking myself into a deep depression and doing nothing but TALK about going back to school for my masters in social work I made no actual actions towards doing so. As an active alcoholic, it was much easier and conducive to my lifestyle to continue working in bars and restaurants. Now I'm in a position to actually begin thinking about the realistic next move. I love your story... It has been both motivational and inspiring for me personally. I'm so happy for you. Not possible without sobriety:)
-- Edited by Col on Thursday 14th of March 2013 11:29:17 PM
Well guys, I was in a Ph.D. program when I had my first bout with clinical depression...I was a binge drinker before that- I was at the dissertation stage and never could get back on track.. Add to that, I started self-medicating through alcohol and that got worse and worse to the point of being a full blown almost daily drinking alcoholic....You guys know the story. I worked in underpaid jobs underneath folks that were licensed. I have been working as a therapist for 10 years now but only bitched about not having the license and how it would require taking other classes to get licensed at a master's level (since I was at least post master's in my Ph.D program when I stopped). Theoretically, you can get licensed 2 years after graduating with a master's degree in social work, counseling, or marital and family counseling. My course work in Clinical Psych most resembled a master's in counseling - but there were 3 classes I had to take - which I did, while working, going to meetings....all that....I wrote here how I passed the licensure exam last august but I still had more supervision hours to do. Anyhow...it's done and the license came through today. 15 years after I got the masters degree. Better late than never.
This was one of the biggest things I bitched about when drinking too because I was mad that it kept me in dead end jobs and I was ashamed of myself for not finishing school. It's not a Ph.D. but I never really wanted that anyhow. This was an amends I needed to make to myself. Ironically, the job I landed in 2 and a half years ago is pretty good so nothing is even going to change except that I finished something I talked about but never did and something I whined about not being able to do for years.
Of course the real reason I never was able to see it to completion was that I had to be sober...Go figure.
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Keep coming back. It works if you work it. So work it. You're worth it!
Keep on keeping on Pink...congradulations on the license. I never licensed because I was satisfied tecking for those who had licenses. I did the work of...and then when it was over I didn't look back while changing tracks. The experiences are all worth smiling and nodding over. I loved almost every second of it. Some people would say "yah right working with a bunch of chemically screwed people from teens to old age is enjoyable" and I would and do still smile and nod yes. Thank you God for those times...hope I was of good use. Keep doing it Pink as very best you can and stand in the 3rd step as you do. (((hugs)))
Congrats on making your amends and following your heart. :)
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I think there's an invisible principle of living...if we believe we're guided through every step of our lives, we are. Its a lovely sight, watching it work.
Congrats Mark, and Thanks for the message of hope and lesson of self forgiveness. I had the opportunity to go back to school to get a Bachelor's degree in Nursing a couple of years ago, and did not follow through. Partly due to my disease, partly due to life itself. OK, pretty much mostly because of my disease. Going back to school at this point would allow me to have the credentials to do what I really love to do, which is teach. I'm good at it, and there is a need for instructors in Nursing programs all across the country. I have come up with every excuse in the book now that I'm sober, from age to finances to my son's disability. Your post speaks to me that I need to do some serious praying about this and see what my HP thinks..... (((hugs)))
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I asked God for all things that I may enjoy life. He gave me life so that I may enjoy all things.
Thank you guys. What is really cool is that, no matter what challenges I have, and what I go through, MIP has been here and AA has as a whole. My odds of success went up dramatically the minute I walked through the door of my first AA meeting and it's the same for the rest of us.
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Keep coming back. It works if you work it. So work it. You're worth it!
Pinkchip, you deserve it! I imagine it should offer benefits well into the future. I was drunk/using through my Bachelor's and although in recovery, dropped my post-Master's license supervision 200 hours short. Don't regret that decision but it has cost me dear in terms of career and income, which I am "paying for" now, being very close to reirement. Being true to self is something I believed was imperative way before I got into A.A., but only learned how to do it after getting sober. That's worth so much more than money and credentials, but how sweet to have both. Good for you!
I just applied for a job as a treatment counselor with the Sheriff's office...Something I've been debating a while and now I have the credentials. Still not sure if I want to make drug abuse counseling/recovery my living as when something becomes your job, they say you stop enjoying it. My HP will figure it out if it's meant to be.
__________________
Keep coming back. It works if you work it. So work it. You're worth it!
Going back to school at this point would allow me to have the credentials to do what I really love to do, which is teach. I'm good at it, and there is a need for instructors in Nursing programs all across the country. I have come up with every excuse in the book now that I'm sober, from age to finances to my son's disability. Your post speaks to me that I need to do some serious praying about this and see what my HP thinks..... (((hugs)))
