ACA Blog

Recently I had the honor and pleasure to speak to a group of courageous young women ages 14 -19 about my life and experiences as a teen mother. I was invited by Family First, an organization in downtown Atlanta that provides counseling and assistance to young pregnant and teen moms. I was ecstatic about the opportunity to speak with this group of women of course because even 20 years later I still identify myself as a teen mom.

Well the time has come. I’m in my first relationship since my divorce. I am completely smitten. This man has my full attention. The problem is this is my first relationship since my divorce. I’m scared to death. I’m still catching up with old friends who I haven’t spoken to and informing them that “things didn’t work out,” and “we’re still very good friends,” and “the girls are fine.” I’ve finally gotten everything changed back to my maiden name and now I’m giggling about this new guy.

For many different reasons, Professional Counselors may want to consider an option other than counseling for work. Perhaps, other than opening up one’s own private practice, there are no openings for counselors in their area. Another reason is near and dear to my heart—people who have obtained their graduate degrees and entered the counseling profession specifically to offer services to Troops and their Families find themselves “blocked” from those jobs. Some counselors may simply want to supplement their income, explore a new area of work, or change up routine to avoid burnout. So what are some of our options?

So lately I’ve been wrestling with my thoughts on authenticity. It is a concept that is all over the self-help and Positive Psychology arenas (areas that I find myself most comfortable). To me practicing activities that have led to my own personal connection with my authentic self has been a liberating and empowering experience, one that I’ve wanted to incorporate in my work with my clients. This idea of taking off layers and layers of externally imposed masks and becoming aware of our truest thoughts, impulses and desires is something not too far from spiritual to me. Who wouldn’t want to connect with themselves on that level?

I have a new program to announce. I’m really excited about it. For more than a year now I’ve been working on developing a career transition program for a group of professionals that are highly ignored in the career counseling arena. After months and months of reading, research, planning and preparing I’m now ready to premier Sex Industry CEO’s; a career transition program for strippers, exotic dancers and other women who work in legal, sex-related entertainment jobs.

Since 2009 I have incorporated vision boards into my therapeutic work with adults. I have found the process of creating and analyzing a vision board to be extremely beneficial in helping a client overcome obstacles to success. I know some people view vision boards as some sort of mystical, magical process, but the reason why they work is not exactly magic.

Blowing out the candles on her 40th birthday cake, the glow and flicker sending her back to a time when she was blowing out the candles on her going away cake. She had just finished High School as an honors student and was headed off to college; she was ready to conquer the world. In college she excelled in academics, she seemed to have a knack for all things art and a gifted mind that could do just about anything, but math, she hated math…

Instead of resolutions I encourage clients to establish goals. While resolutions are blanket statements delivered to the universe with no plan of action, no reference and no structure of measurement, SMART goals are Specific, Measureable, Attainable, Realistic and Time bound. Let's examine each component.

So I have a bold statement to make; so bold in fact that I am slightly hesitant about voicing my opinion on the matter. When I let these words trickle off my lips I find myself covering my mouth and looking around nervously to see if anyone caught them, but oh well. It’s time to come out of the closet with my beliefs. Who am I if I am not at least honest? Here we go… I think that I have one of the most important jobs in the world and I think EVERYONE should have a Career Counselor.

As a little girl when asked what I wanted to be when I grew up I always said a million things. I wanted to be a teacher and a doctor and a farmer and a cowgirl. My little brain did not have the capacity nor the desire to break down my dreams into separate plans called A, B, or C. I also lacked the ability or desire to see life as a linear pattern of experiences. My baby brain saw a teacher/doctor/farmer/cowgirl. There was no either or. I didn’t compromise or negotiate my existence. I just knew what made me smile and decided I wanted to smile all of the time.