Self Introduction

When I started this program I had no intent on becoming a Human Services professional. I was the mom of a baby and I had plans on staying home for the next 10-12 years raising a family together with my husband and best friend. It has been a lifelong dream of mine to earn a bachelors degree. I’m the first person in my family to attend college, let alone complete a degree, so I’ve been carving my own path from the start. I had the opportunity to choose a program and complete my degree, so I set about looking. My husband and daughter were the most influential factor in my choosing a degree path. I wanted to continue making them my priority. When I found Human Services, it was just right. The hours, the content, the department philosophy and faculty were all directly in line with what I had been looking for. I never considered my choice for the Human Services major to be that of a career decision. When I started school at WWU, my career was – mom. A position I continue to take very seriously.

What it all boiled down to was that I wanted a school experience that would make me more of who I am. I wanted interpersonal, interactive, classes laden with activities and assignments that challenge me at the core. I strive daily to be the best, most authentic mom, and person, I can be. Two years later, I can attest to not only having been challenged in class content, but having lived the two most personally transformational years of my 30 year existence.

I began, in the spring of 2007, as a stay at home mother and wife with 95% bliss. The other 5 percent constituted of shriveled up, confused, self questioning, fundamentally broken and lost bits of self shattered and scattered in some of the darkest corners of my life and soul. These bits of myself were strategically placed and ignored, covered and blinded by the beautiful life I had worked so hard and sincerely to be living. The thing I’ve learned about dark and shattered bits of soul is that they don’t go away on their own. And they rot and fester until you can no longer ignore them. In my case, by the time I began to really see the parts of me that weren’t going away, they were no longer shriveled up. They were emerging, full sized, transforming me into the most authentic me possible. My personal journey trodden simultaneously with my path through this academic program is as relevant, and fundamental to my professional self as the collection of knowledge and skills I’ve gained according to the program coursework and learning objectives.

Slowly, as things changed in my life and mind, my motivation and my focus became more in line with using my skills from the program for working in the field than they were in the start. Most of the time, my learning and personal growth was parallel to, yet not completely encompassed by the National Standards. Here at the end of this two year program, I’ve identified my passions with working with people and helping. Even without the intention on my part, my path through this Human Services program has, together with my own journey, moved me to a place where I identify with this field of work and find myself looking forward to a career therein. So, as I formulate this portfolio, I use the Standards as a frame of reference to tell the complete story.

About me becoming more of who I am.