My best friend Jason Pearson, half seriously asked “why is it you’re going into massive amount of debit only to have a career which you’ll going to live near-poverty for the rest of your life?” I had just learned that I was accepted into the Human Service Program at Western Washington University. I was excited to learn practical helping skills and how to influence system-wide change. My friend just does not get why I want to be a Human Service Professional. I have always wanted to assist chemical dependent individuals and their families. I have always enjoyed helping others. As a professional caregiver I truly developed real empathy, compassion and love for individuals.
I want a career that I enjoy doing good deeds for others. Altruism is major influence in my desire to become a human service profession. Kottler (2000, p. 9) defines altruism as an action “without anticipation of any reward or recipical benefit.” Self sacrifice is also associated with altruism (Kottler, 2000, p. 9). Most professional helpers sacrifice finical stability to work in this field. Human service professional may not act completely altruistically at times (Kottler, 2000). In my opinion altruism is goal worth striving for in the profession. I know that I also feel good helping others. Current research has shown strong evidence of a helper’s high (Kottler, 2000).
My life experiences also influence my desire to become a professional helper. My goal is to be an active part in systematic change in the helping field. I have experience the struggle to access quality support services. I remember specifically trying desperately to apply for state healthcare assistance so I could enter a free drug and alcohol treatment. I was one of the many “working-poor” Americans without healthcare. I was very sick in my addiction and was reaching out for help.
I was denied due to the fact I was employed in the last thirty days. The Department of Social and Health Services wanted me to resign from my job, and apply for state assistance a month later. The agency wanted me to give become dependant on the system so I could access help. The system that is designed to help is often one that creates a prison. Limit Cycles are “mindless formulas that keep the mechanism of collusion together” (Briggs & Peat, 1999, p. 40). Limit Cycles are common governmental systems.
Those life experiences within the Human Service help to shape standpoints. Standpoint is what can and cannot be understood by an individual (Fabiano, 2005). Fabiano (2005) uses the metaphor of baseball to explain the concept of standpoint. The pitcher cannot see the same view of the game as the second-base player. My personal experience with addiction, recovery, and chemical dependency education has direct influence on my standpoints. One specific standpoint is that addiction is a treatable disease. My standpoint makes it difficult to “see” the viewpoint of someone who holds that substance abuse is a choice. My standpoints tend to be politically liberal, and socially progressive in nature. Earning a high income is not a core value of mine. If so, the helping profession my not be the right career path. My friend’s comment where based on his viewpoint that college is only for career preparation in a high paying field.
One major theme in the Human Service 301 class is the understanding awareness of yourself and personal interactions with others. A person’s identity is co-created through ongoing verbal negotiation (Stweart, Zedbiker, and Witteborn, 2009). What I may present to you is not what is always understood by others. The art project for our Ecological System homework did present a chance creates a visual representation of my unique identity. My project included pictures of cultur, my community and influential symbols. The fellow students formed an “identify” based on my creation. It was only when we broke into small groups where I explain the importance of the lesser known symbols. In those small groups we practice co-construction of our identities.
Co-construction of identities does not always result in a positive or correct personal identity. The individual may feel like society does not offer a version of their true identity. McKinnon (n.d) described her experience of not being satisfied with her construction of her Japanese-Caucasian racial identity. People tend construct her racial identity solely on her Japanese heritage ignoring her father’s genealogy. It is my goal as a Human Service Professional to actively listen to what my client is stating while they construct their identity. I can do so by using inclusive language.
My first quarter at Western Washington University showed that I have unique personal strengthens. I tend to be an extravert who enjoys talking with just about anyone. I have highly developed sense of worth and value in social “out-castes”. Kottler (2000) recognizes that helpers see value belonging to all humans: “among the people I interviewed and studied. . . there is a clear understanding that goodness resides in every human being, no matter how difficult it may be to see (as cited in Brehony, 1999, p. 43).” I embrace diversity in others.
Every Human Service Professional has possible limitations. A fellow student asked once if I felt that my personal history could limit my professional capabilities. I disagree with that the student. I see my history as strength not a liability. It could be unhealthy if I have not adequately and successful addressed the issues related to my prior addictions. One possible limitation is that I may struggle with thinking I may know it all. I need to always remain teachable in the field. Recognizing that there is value in the unknown is important part of the Human Service Profession.
One major limitation of helping is the nature of unhealthy systems. Human Services Professionals are directly connected and limited by the systems in which they take part in. General Systems Theory states that there are both open and closed systems (von Bertalanffy, 1968). Von Bertalanffy describes open systems:
maintains itself in a continuous inflow and outflow, a building up and breaking down of components, never being, so long as it is alive, in a state of chemical and thermodynamic equilibrium but maintained in a so-called steady state which is distinct from the latter (1968, para. 11).
I learned during classroom lecture that closed systems are also not friendly to new ideas, or thoughts. Closed systems in the helping field remain stagnant and eventually die. My ability to perform well as a Human Service Professional greatly depends if my employment is open or closed system.
General Systems Theory helped to influence the development of the Ecological Systems Theory. The Ecological Systems first views humans as having a “mind, body and soul” (Huitt, 2003, para. 4). Individuals take part in four systems: mircosystems, mesosytems, exosystem nad marcosystem (Huitt, 2003). The class lecture helped to visualize how each system is interconnected. The helper’s profession tends to focus solely on direct services. Direct services influence an individual’s mircosystems and mesosystems. In realty assisting someone to stop using drugs influences the greater community or marcosystems. As Human Service Professional my actions are interconnected to various systems.
The Ecological Model is one way to study the roots of human behavior and systems. Studying systems theories is the foundation on how to learn influence social reform. Chaos Theory gives specific actions that make change possible. Briggs & Peat (1999, p. 6) states “the scientific term ‘chaos’ refers to an underlying interconnectedness that exists in apparently random events.” This theory has been centered to many non-Western cultures. The moment that change happens is called the bifurcation point (Briggs & Peat, 1999). The bifurcation point is when all elements of change are represented and change is thus possible. Well skilled Human Service Professionals should provide all requirements for the bifurcation point.
I feel that I recognized the connection between the four learning outcomes and the material addressed in class. I understand a clearer picture on what influences my drive to enter the helping field. I can recognize both my assets and limitations. My “out going” personality, strong ethics and awareness of system behavior will influence my successful delivery in the field. In my opinion, I have the foundational knowledge of system theories. The next few quarters I would like to be better versed in system theories. Today I can give a pithy answer to my friend’s sideways comments on the Human Service Professional.
References
Briggs, J., & Peat, D. F. (1999). Seven life lessons of chaos. New York: HarperCollins.
Fabiano, P. (2005). Baseball and roots: Two perspectives on standpoints. Unpublished manuscript.
Stewart, J., Zediker, K. E., & Witteborn, S. (2009). Constructing identities. In J. Stewart (Ed.) Bridges not walls: A book about interpersonal communication. New York: McGraw-Hill.