It may be corny, but what stood out to me while reading the Fundamental Fall Practicum objective : 1  below was the first sentence. That is why I am a research therapist. I am all about putting theory into practice. When I think of all the tools to assess an individual that are out there, very few are right or wrong. The metrics are often swaying to what an organization is trying to accomplish. A student should question these tools and learn why an organization uses the ones they do. A client should ask what tool is being used, and know that it s okay to ask for a second opinion.You owe it to yourself to be thorough. It also did not escape me I was figuring out what type of social worker I want to be. My favorite T.D. Jakes quote enters my thoughts “If you can’t figure out your purpose, figure out your passion. For your passion will lead you right into your purpose.”

Students description of the major focus on learning this quarter: I have begun to merge the academic world with real world experience. For example, a resident at _ Transitional living facility set a fire bomb to the dryer  putting his life and the lives of others in danger. This incident provided me with a clear example of conduct disorder (CD) and allowed me to learn about diagnostic tests such as: Youth Self-Report the Overt Aggression Scale (OAS), Behavioral Assessment System for Children (BASC), Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), and Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children (DISC). It is through one or more of these tests that an individual is diagnosed with Cognitive Therapy (CT). I also have begun to truly discover and develop my professional identity in the profession of social work, as I am discovering I have a passion for mental health work in young adults and that I would like to work in a medical/clinical setting where I can be a family support/social worker.

Students self-evaluation of competency and areas of growth: The area of growth for me is to continue to tie in what is learned in the classroom to what is happening in the field. Learning this skill will allow me to more strategically help homeless and foster youth prevail through the difficult system and daily life’s adversities that may come their way.”

Practicum Instructors evolution of students learning in this area for this quarter During supervision sessions, we discuss how clients may be served in other fields other than social work (i.e., psychology, psychiatry, etc). _ is able to recognize what it is to be a social worker and is putting herself in that role. She is building a professional identity and figuring out her role as an internist at _.