Exit Interviews

It is always a bittersweet time.  "Exit interviews"....  The words are innocuous enough; very routine sounding.  However, they signify an event that resonates with a depth of meaning that is hard, if not impossible, to fully comprehend for those grade 12 students completing them.  All that has gone before is now a passing collection of thoughts and experiences to be reflected upon as the 17 year old stands on the edge of the precipice.  The end of one way of life and the beginning of a new, adult and independent, life.  As I sit and listen to their earnest reflections about life as it was in high school, the journey from childhood to young adulthood, I can't help but feel honoured to be witness to the intimate inner journey that each student is sharing with me.  And yet .... they are busy...time is short.  There are many things to get done in the last semester of grade 12.  The exit interview is just another item to check off the list .... and yet .... it is more ... much more.  Each student calmly surveys where they have been over the past five  years.  Some offer valid suggestions about how our already wonderful high school could be improved.  We talk.  We go about the business of completing the interview.  After all, it is a graduation requirement.    And yet, we are both aware of an unspoken presence in the room with us.  A looming, somewhat ominous presence that is slowly beginnng to impose it's full weight upon the consciousness of the 17 year old sitting in front of me.  Leaving home and family.  Leaving the safe nest that FHSS has been for five years.  Living alone.  Doing laundry and shopping and paying bills and .... the list is endless... and unknown at this point.  There is a tinge of anxiety ... perhaps even fear ... tempered by excitement and a sense of adventure ...and .... wonder. The unspoken reality is....adult life is about to begin .... am I  ready ?  What will become of me .... ?

Discouragement to Encouragement

People are like  plants in many ways.  Without adequate water, a plant will begin to wither and wilt.  Similarly, people need encouragement.  Without it, they lose energy, become withdrawn and in some cases even begin to entertain suicidal thoughts.  My role as counsellor is akin to  any gardener's role.  I need to carefully monitor the plants in my garden.  Those that need encouragement will receive as much as I can provide.  As any gardener knows, water cannot just be dumped on a plant.  It must be artfully applied in just the right way at the right time and in appropriate circumstances.  Encouraging others is a lot like that.  When it is done right the reward is to watch the plant get stronger and brighten up.  Counsellors who successfully encourage their clients are similarly rewarded.  It's a beautiful thing.

What is Depression ?

Dr. Gary Kohls has an interesting perspective.  Perhaps depression is simply sadness.  It may be deep and prolonged or it may be passing.  If so, why are we medicating people who are sad?  What good does it do?  Is it harmful more than helpful?  Here is another interesting perspective.  What do some psychiatrists say when asked ?  It is worth pointing out, respectfully, that counsellors are not psychiatrists and normally do not rely on drugs or labels when working with people.  I don't endorse everthing said by the various psychiatrists I've highlighted on this Blog but their views are worthy of consideration when deciding the best course of action to take with any mental health concern.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Is it real?

Dr. Thomaz Szasz is a pioneer in the field of psychiatry.  He is also one of its foremost critics.
In this revealing  talk he questions why anyone would put a child on mind altering medication for ADHD.

A Good Day.

One of my 15 year old students arrived back at school today, cancer free, after months of surgery and chemotherapy at Children's Hospital.  Her long black hair is all gone, replaced by a soft pink toque ... her radiant smile is still there though, perhaps even more radiant than before. (Picture by permission.)

 

Silence is Golden

Schools often fail 1/3 of the population.  I found this TED talk about introverts to be highly eye opening.

Are Letter Grades Hurting or Helping ?

I found this article provocative.