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Social work field

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peaceloveerin
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01 Oct 2013, 9:53 pm

Now I'm questioning whether or not I should go into social work since I have low self-esteem. I really want to but I feel this one aspect of my personality is holding me back.



Opi
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01 Oct 2013, 10:29 pm

peaceloveerin wrote:
Now I'm questioning whether or not I should go into social work since I have low self-esteem. I really want to but I feel this one aspect of my personality is holding me back.


well, y'know, one of the unexpected but very real fringe benefits to being a counselor, was, it really made me stay on my game as far as my own mental health went. no counselor or social worker is perfect or has perfect self-esteem. we are all expected to do our own work and keep growing, and that's one gift we can give to our clients. your personal experience, including your personal struggles, will add breadth and depth to your practice.


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24 - HSP / ADD Quiz- 41, Inattention: 24, Hyperactive/Impulsive: 17
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peaceloveerin
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01 Oct 2013, 11:15 pm

Opi wrote:
peaceloveerin wrote:
Now I'm questioning whether or not I should go into social work since I have low self-esteem. I really want to but I feel this one aspect of my personality is holding me back.


well, y'know, one of the unexpected but very real fringe benefits to being a counselor, was, it really made me stay on my game as far as my own mental health went. no counselor or social worker is perfect or has perfect self-esteem. we are all expected to do our own work and keep growing, and that's one gift we can give to our clients. your personal experience, including your personal struggles, will add breadth and depth to your practice.

That's very true, but the reason I have such low self-esteem is because of the Asperger's! Plus, I've also read that its not a good field for an Aspie, but I think it depends on what part of it you do.



peaceloveerin
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12 Oct 2013, 9:58 pm

Another thing: My Voc Rehab counselor warned me about going into social work because of the low pay. That was kind of insulting to me because I'm not doing it for the money!



Opi
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15 Oct 2013, 12:26 pm

peaceloveerin wrote:
Another thing: My Voc Rehab counselor warned me about going into social work because of the low pay. That was kind of insulting to me because I'm not doing it for the money!


true, i don't' think anyone goes into it for the money, but bear in mind graduate school can get expensive. if you have to rely on student loans they can be inordinately hard to pay back when you are making less than 25k USD a year.

there are social work jobs that pay better, but they are usually difficult and harder to find.


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161 Aspie / 51 NT - Aspie Quiz (very likely an aspie)
36 - AS Quotient
115 aloof, 123 rigid, 89 prag - Aut/BAP
24 - HSP / ADD Quiz- 41, Inattention: 24, Hyperactive/Impulsive: 17
"Odd and different is beautiful" -- Tyra Banks


peaceloveerin
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15 Oct 2013, 2:49 pm

Opi wrote:
peaceloveerin wrote:
Another thing: My Voc Rehab counselor warned me about going into social work because of the low pay. That was kind of insulting to me because I'm not doing it for the money!


true, i don't' think anyone goes into it for the money, but bear in mind graduate school can get expensive. if you have to rely on student loans they can be inordinately hard to pay back when you are making less than 25k USD a year.

there are social work jobs that pay better, but they are usually difficult and harder to find.

I certainly wouldn't want to worry about student loans as I didn't have to worry about them in undergrad. My parents said they'd help me out financially as well, but I'd like to be able to afford to pay for some of it on my own.



Opi
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15 Oct 2013, 4:47 pm

peaceloveerin wrote:
Opi wrote:
peaceloveerin wrote:
Another thing: My Voc Rehab counselor warned me about going into social work because of the low pay. That was kind of insulting to me because I'm not doing it for the money!


true, i don't' think anyone goes into it for the money, but bear in mind graduate school can get expensive. if you have to rely on student loans they can be inordinately hard to pay back when you are making less than 25k USD a year.

there are social work jobs that pay better, but they are usually difficult and harder to find.

I certainly wouldn't want to worry about student loans as I didn't have to worry about them in undergrad. My parents said they'd help me out financially as well, but I'd like to be able to afford to pay for some of it on my own.


graduate school tuition is easily triple what undergrad costs, but if you've got help, that may not be an issue.

personally i think it's a wonderful field, and some of us Aspies are uniquely equipped to excel in it.


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161 Aspie / 51 NT - Aspie Quiz (very likely an aspie)
36 - AS Quotient
115 aloof, 123 rigid, 89 prag - Aut/BAP
24 - HSP / ADD Quiz- 41, Inattention: 24, Hyperactive/Impulsive: 17
"Odd and different is beautiful" -- Tyra Banks


Opi
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15 Oct 2013, 4:48 pm

peaceloveerin wrote:
Opi wrote:
peaceloveerin wrote:
Another thing: My Voc Rehab counselor warned me about going into social work because of the low pay. That was kind of insulting to me because I'm not doing it for the money!


true, i don't' think anyone goes into it for the money, but bear in mind graduate school can get expensive. if you have to rely on student loans they can be inordinately hard to pay back when you are making less than 25k USD a year.

there are social work jobs that pay better, but they are usually difficult and harder to find.

I certainly wouldn't want to worry about student loans as I didn't have to worry about them in undergrad. My parents said they'd help me out financially as well, but I'd like to be able to afford to pay for some of it on my own.


graduate school tuition is easily triple what undergrad costs, but if you've got help, that may not be an issue.

personally i think it's a wonderful field, and some of us Aspies are uniquely equipped to excel in it.


_________________
161 Aspie / 51 NT - Aspie Quiz (very likely an aspie)
36 - AS Quotient
115 aloof, 123 rigid, 89 prag - Aut/BAP
24 - HSP / ADD Quiz- 41, Inattention: 24, Hyperactive/Impulsive: 17
"Odd and different is beautiful" -- Tyra Banks


peaceloveerin
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15 Oct 2013, 10:23 pm

Opi wrote:
peaceloveerin wrote:
Opi wrote:
peaceloveerin wrote:
Another thing: My Voc Rehab counselor warned me about going into social work because of the low pay. That was kind of insulting to me because I'm not doing it for the money!


true, i don't' think anyone goes into it for the money, but bear in mind graduate school can get expensive. if you have to rely on student loans they can be inordinately hard to pay back when you are making less than 25k USD a year.

there are social work jobs that pay better, but they are usually difficult and harder to find.

I certainly wouldn't want to worry about student loans as I didn't have to worry about them in undergrad. My parents said they'd help me out financially as well, but I'd like to be able to afford to pay for some of it on my own.


graduate school tuition is easily triple what undergrad costs, but if you've got help, that may not be an issue.

personally i think it's a wonderful field, and some of us Aspies are uniquely equipped to excel in it.

Thing is, I don't know any Aspies in that field. And my bird passed away a couple days ago, which means I don't know if I'm equipped to do it anymore.



Opi
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16 Oct 2013, 12:32 am

peaceloveerin wrote:
Opi wrote:
peaceloveerin wrote:
Opi wrote:
peaceloveerin wrote:
Another thing: My Voc Rehab counselor warned me about going into social work because of the low pay. That was kind of insulting to me because I'm not doing it for the money!


true, i don't' think anyone goes into it for the money, but bear in mind graduate school can get expensive. if you have to rely on student loans they can be inordinately hard to pay back when you are making less than 25k USD a year.

there are social work jobs that pay better, but they are usually difficult and harder to find.

I certainly wouldn't want to worry about student loans as I didn't have to worry about them in undergrad. My parents said they'd help me out financially as well, but I'd like to be able to afford to pay for some of it on my own.


graduate school tuition is easily triple what undergrad costs, but if you've got help, that may not be an issue.

personally i think it's a wonderful field, and some of us Aspies are uniquely equipped to excel in it.

Thing is, I don't know any Aspies in that field. And my bird passed away a couple days ago, which means I don't know if I'm equipped to do it anymore.


your bird? are you worried you will accidentally kill your clients?


_________________
161 Aspie / 51 NT - Aspie Quiz (very likely an aspie)
36 - AS Quotient
115 aloof, 123 rigid, 89 prag - Aut/BAP
24 - HSP / ADD Quiz- 41, Inattention: 24, Hyperactive/Impulsive: 17
"Odd and different is beautiful" -- Tyra Banks


peaceloveerin
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16 Oct 2013, 11:34 am

Opi wrote:
peaceloveerin wrote:
Opi wrote:
peaceloveerin wrote:
Opi wrote:
peaceloveerin wrote:
Another thing: My Voc Rehab counselor warned me about going into social work because of the low pay. That was kind of insulting to me because I'm not doing it for the money!


true, i don't' think anyone goes into it for the money, but bear in mind graduate school can get expensive. if you have to rely on student loans they can be inordinately hard to pay back when you are making less than 25k USD a year.

there are social work jobs that pay better, but they are usually difficult and harder to find.

I certainly wouldn't want to worry about student loans as I didn't have to worry about them in undergrad. My parents said they'd help me out financially as well, but I'd like to be able to afford to pay for some of it on my own.


graduate school tuition is easily triple what undergrad costs, but if you've got help, that may not be an issue.

personally i think it's a wonderful field, and some of us Aspies are uniquely equipped to excel in it.

Thing is, I don't know any Aspies in that field. And my bird passed away a couple days ago, which means I don't know if I'm equipped to do it anymore.


your bird? are you worried you will accidentally kill your clients?

No, I'm not worried about that. I'm worried I won't be able to deal with other people's problems if I can't deal with my own.



Opi
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16 Oct 2013, 11:48 am

i'm very sorry for the loss of your pet. i know i get very attached to mine. i had a super-cool budgie and was just in agony when he died.

what makes you think you are not dealing with the problem of loss? are you struggling to function? or do you perceive yourself just not feeling it at all?

personally i find it much easier to help others with their problems and i need to get help to solve mine. i think that's just pretty human.

and part of the purpose of school is to *train* you HOW to help. also in a decent agency you will have both supervision and colleagues who can help you figure out how to help people. i met with my supervisor and attended a staff meeting every week where we would discuss each case and what we were doing in session and give each other insight, resources, and ideas.

not trying to pressure you, just trying to give you a little more of the big picture.


_________________
161 Aspie / 51 NT - Aspie Quiz (very likely an aspie)
36 - AS Quotient
115 aloof, 123 rigid, 89 prag - Aut/BAP
24 - HSP / ADD Quiz- 41, Inattention: 24, Hyperactive/Impulsive: 17
"Odd and different is beautiful" -- Tyra Banks


peaceloveerin
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16 Oct 2013, 2:41 pm

Opi wrote:
i'm very sorry for the loss of your pet. i know i get very attached to mine. i had a super-cool budgie and was just in agony when he died.

what makes you think you are not dealing with the problem of loss? are you struggling to function? or do you perceive yourself just not feeling it at all?

personally i find it much easier to help others with their problems and i need to get help to solve mine. i think that's just pretty human.

and part of the purpose of school is to *train* you HOW to help. also in a decent agency you will have both supervision and colleagues who can help you figure out how to help people. i met with my supervisor and attended a staff meeting every week where we would discuss each case and what we were doing in session and give each other insight, resources, and ideas.

not trying to pressure you, just trying to give you a little more of the big picture.

I think I'm just struggling to function and don't know what to do for myself anymore.