Future Musings

One of the assignments for this blog is to discuss where I'd like to see myself professionally 1,3, 5, and 10 years after I complete my masters. I've never been one to plot out my life like that, because I learned a long time ago that plans for life generally don't work out! Not in a negative manner, but just that it is impossible to predict how things will work out. 7 years ago in May I graduated with my B.A in anthropology with a concentration in archaeology. If you had asked me then where I'd be today, I would have said working on my PhD. at Brown, in Old World Archaeology. Instead I got married, and had a baby within a 2 years of graduating. I also live in New Jersey, which frankly I thought hell would freeze over before I lived here ever again. And here I am going for my MA in addiction counseling, again 7 yrs ago I would have been flabbergasted with that future endeavor. With all that being said, I'll give this a shot.

1 year after- I would like to be working at an inpatient detox program in a hospital. I'll be under the supervision of a more experienced counselor. Working at a hospital appeals to me because I think the clients will have a more varied background then working in a private detox center.

3 years after- I would hopefully have completed my requirements to become a Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor. I imagine I will still be in a hospital setting, hopefully still enjoying it.

5 years after- At this point, if not before, I think I will be on the road to my doctorate. I enjoy learning, and the idea of potentially teaching one day is appealing. I do not know if I will still be in the hospital setting, I imagine there could be a danger of burnout. I might be working at a private addiction counseling clinic.

10 years after- Ideally I will have my PhD. I would like to be running a program somewhere, either in a hospital or private setting.

Those are my predictions. I feel they're a bit skimpy because honestly, I'm still learning a LOT about counseling and my options. A few years from now I'll enjoy reading this and see how close I was to the real thing.