Occupations

[juantoo3]

Originally Posted by earl

I "shrink" people for a living. earl

Ah! Don't shrink me, please, I need expanding!

[Faithfulservant]

Originally Posted by Quahom1

Go (Dor too), and apply for an educational grant. Go get your degree. If you think you are quick enough, take the CLEP and GRE exams and knock two to four years off of your educational requirements.

What ever you do, go and do it, don't sit and think "what if".

my two nickels worth.

v/r

Joshua

I plan to.. and thank you for the wonderful ideas. Ive been thinking of going back to school when my daughter goes to college.. in about a year and a half maybe start by taking some internet courses.

[17th Angel]

I work for a very quiet company at the moment and tend to be bored at least 5 - 6 hours of the 8 hour day... But, I guess I should be thankful that I have a job.

[Phyllis Sidhe_Uaine]

I'm a "professional student" and I am what a friend calls an "information matchmaker" (I match people who have a particular question that they can't find the answer online with people who have access to the information.)

Examples of what I mean: one young lady had questions about a closed society from Russia and I "matched" her with my Russian Studies/Ethnic Studies professor (who got her in contact with a colleague studying that exact society), another young lady who had questions about Islam and I contacted thipps (this was when the Danish newspaper incident first "erupted") and a young man had a few questions concerning spices and their philosophical significance and I got him in contact with the proprietors of a local bulk spice shop that I'm a habitual customer of (they still continue the contact even after four years.)

Phyllis Sidhe_Uaine

[earl]

Originally Posted by Faithfulservant

Im curious.. what does everyone do for a living?

I'll start with what I do.

I work for an auto loan lender in the collections dept. I write those little nasty letters some of you might have recieved (lol) that say you have so many days to cure your deliquency... blah blah blah..

I also manage our repo agents and make sure they have the correct insurance etc...

My job has bad karma and Ive been doing it for too long.. Im hoping to get some ideas from other places. I need another career path..

I have to say I have great job security .. because of the economy noones paying their bills but also noones buying cars... so who knows how it will go.

Faithful-I can understand how one's job responsibilities as in the example you started this thread with can at times be wearisome to the spirit. Certainly, if you find another path calling you, go for it. But, no matter how distasteful a particular job responsibility seems at times, if you can maintain in your heart and mind a loving wish of well-being for each individual you interact with, it will most certainly turn anything you need to do into an act of love.

[Faithfulservant]

So very true.. Its hard sometimes when you know that someone is having hard times and you cannot do anything for them other than collect money from them they do not have.

[path_of_one]

Originally Posted by Faithfulservant

I plan to.. and thank you for the wonderful ideas. Ive been thinking of going back to school when my daughter goes to college.. in about a year and a half maybe start by taking some internet courses.

I ditto Q's advice, FS. I've had "non-traditional" students in my classes, and it's become quite common. There are need-based and merit-based scholarships and some universities have night programs for folks who are working. There are quite a few folks going through grad school, too- after retirement. College is not just for the young 'uns, and older students make a rich diversity in the classroom, too. They bring an experience and perspective that the 20-somethings just don't have and so far have been some of my best students... because they really want to be there. Their hearts are in their education- they're pursuing their dreams, not just hanging out on mom and dad's dime.

Go for it... the wolves are calling to you!

Originally Posted by Phyllis Sidhe_Uaine

I'm a "professional student" and I am what a friend calls an "information matchmaker" (I match people who have a particular question that they can't find the answer online with people who have access to the information.)

Examples of what I mean: one young lady had questions about a closed society from Russia and I "matched" her with my Russian Studies/Ethnic Studies professor (who got her in contact with a colleague studying that exact society), another young lady who had questions about Islam and I contacted thipps (this was when the Danish newspaper incident first "erupted") and a young man had a few questions concerning spices and their philosophical significance and I got him in contact with the proprietors of a local bulk spice shop that I'm a habitual customer of (they still continue the contact even after four years.)

Phyllis Sidhe_Uaine

That is awesome. I'm keeping you on hand in case I ever can't find my needed info... And no, I'm not kidding. LOL

Originally Posted by Quahom1

hmmm consider becoming a "shrink" for soldiers...we could use all the help we can get...

I have had a lot of people tell me I should be a counselor/psychologist of some sort. I've done a lot of counseling, but not as a profession. I just seem to draw people who are hurting to me.

And yes, there is a lot of help needed for the soldiers. It seems the bulk of homeless I meet in Seattle are vets from the first or current Iraq war. A whole lot of PTSD and actual brain damage from head injuries going on there. I have to say that our nation does a pretty bad job of taking care of those who have sacrificed everything they had (and nearly their lives) for this country. It makes me sad. I try to chat with the homeless because most of them are suffering emotionally and mentally, and like all people, they need to feel wanted and like someone cares about them and their stories.

That said, I find two primary barriers to being a counselor:

First, I do not have a degree in psychology. To be licensed, I'd have to go back and get a second MA or PhD. Considering I've already invested 10 years and debt... I kinda need to work now.

Second, I'm an empath. This works great for counseling people. I honestly think that's why I am often successful with people who have found little relief with "normal" psychologists... even for years. I have some techniques at my disposal that they don't realize I have... and that aren't exactly "professional" but work. Basically, when I happen to counsel someone, it is because I believe God brought that person directly to me, and it is someone I should help with the gifts God gave me. I am not a sciency kind of counselor. I don't use much of my anthropological background, either. I approach them almost entirely from the space of serving Christ in them, and open channels of communication they don't necessarily realize I am opening, so I can heal them as best as I can... or rather, to act as a channel for what I believe is God healing them.

This works fine so long as I only have a few people every so many months I am helping. I cannot fathom doing it 8 hours a day. As an empath, I am subject to feeling their turmoil, their pain, their suffering when I open that door. Healing them can hurt me and takes a lot of time with God to give it over to Him and not keep it in myself.

I guess I could get a degree and do what other psychologists do- use professional methods and take people's money to listen and apply those methods. But to be honest, I don't think it would be as effective, and I'd feel bad for taking cash for something that I feel I'm called to do as a service to God. I also couldn't possibly withstand the amount of suffering to serve all those people as a professional in the ways I typically engage with them.

All together, I look into it every so often... then wake up and smell the coffee (or hot chocolate, in my case)... and stick to the ones God brings me, rather than get another degree and hang out a shingle.

I have nothing against psychology or professional counseling; I have great respect for people who can do it. I just don't think doing it the "normal" way is true to my own gifts and service, and I know I'm way too fragile to take on enough clients to make it financially. I'd be very depressed in short order. Healing anyone/anything- physically or mentally/emotionally- is for me, pretty tiring at best and profoundly painful at worst.

I figure by working on "the systems" that are the root causes of much of suffering on earth, I can uphold my vocation to heal and still protect myself a bit.

[Tao_Equus]

Originally Posted by Faithfulservant

So very true.. Its hard sometimes when you know that someone is having hard times and you cannot do anything for them other than collect money from them they do not have.

You could destroy all the files

[Quahom1]

Empathy does have its downside...

[Quahom1]

Originally Posted by Tao_Equus

You could destroy all the files

Unfortunately if you invested in the company that she was collecting for, you might not feel so inclined to make "files" go away...

[Quahom1]

Originally Posted by Alex P

I work for a very quiet company at the moment and tend to be bored at least 5 - 6 hours of the 8 hour day... But, I guess I should be thankful that I have a job.

Start looking through "others' eyes", and you could make a bankroll with your talents...

[Tao_Equus]

Originally Posted by Quahom1

Unfortunately if you invested in the company that she was collecting for, you might not feel so inclined to make "files" go away...

But I dont And wouldn't.

[GlorytoGod]

I work in I.T as a systems administrator.

[earl]

Originally Posted by path_of_one

I ditto Q's advice, FS. I've had "non-traditional" students in my classes, and it's become quite common. There are need-based and merit-based scholarships and some universities have night programs for folks who are working. There are quite a few folks going through grad school, too- after retirement. College is not just for the young 'uns, and older students make a rich diversity in the classroom, too. They bring an experience and perspective that the 20-somethings just don't have and so far have been some of my best students... because they really want to be there. Their hearts are in their education- they're pursuing their dreams, not just hanging out on mom and dad's dime.

Go for it... the wolves are calling to you!



That is awesome. I'm keeping you on hand in case I ever can't find my needed info... And no, I'm not kidding. LOL



I have had a lot of people tell me I should be a counselor/psychologist of some sort. I've done a lot of counseling, but not as a profession. I just seem to draw people who are hurting to me.

And yes, there is a lot of help needed for the soldiers. It seems the bulk of homeless I meet in Seattle are vets from the first or current Iraq war. A whole lot of PTSD and actual brain damage from head injuries going on there. I have to say that our nation does a pretty bad job of taking care of those who have sacrificed everything they had (and nearly their lives) for this country. It makes me sad. I try to chat with the homeless because most of them are suffering emotionally and mentally, and like all people, they need to feel wanted and like someone cares about them and their stories.

That said, I find two primary barriers to being a counselor:

First, I do not have a degree in psychology. To be licensed, I'd have to go back and get a second MA or PhD. Considering I've already invested 10 years and debt... I kinda need to work now.

Second, I'm an empath. This works great for counseling people. I honestly think that's why I am often successful with people who have found little relief with "normal" psychologists... even for years. I have some techniques at my disposal that they don't realize I have... and that aren't exactly "professional" but work. Basically, when I happen to counsel someone, it is because I believe God brought that person directly to me, and it is someone I should help with the gifts God gave me. I am not a sciency kind of counselor. I don't use much of my anthropological background, either. I approach them almost entirely from the space of serving Christ in them, and open channels of communication they don't necessarily realize I am opening, so I can heal them as best as I can... or rather, to act as a channel for what I believe is God healing them.

This works fine so long as I only have a few people every so many months I am helping. I cannot fathom doing it 8 hours a day. As an empath, I am subject to feeling their turmoil, their pain, their suffering when I open that door. Healing them can hurt me and takes a lot of time with God to give it over to Him and not keep it in myself.

I guess I could get a degree and do what other psychologists do- use professional methods and take people's money to listen and apply those methods. But to be honest, I don't think it would be as effective, and I'd feel bad for taking cash for something that I feel I'm called to do as a service to God. I also couldn't possibly withstand the amount of suffering to serve all those people as a professional in the ways I typically engage with them.

All together, I look into it every so often... then wake up and smell the coffee (or hot chocolate, in my case)... and stick to the ones God brings me, rather than get another degree and hang out a shingle.

I have nothing against psychology or professional counseling; I have great respect for people who can do it. I just don't think doing it the "normal" way is true to my own gifts and service, and I know I'm way too fragile to take on enough clients to make it financially. I'd be very depressed in short order. Healing anyone/anything- physically or mentally/emotionally- is for me, pretty tiring at best and profoundly painful at worst.

I figure by working on "the systems" that are the root causes of much of suffering on earth, I can uphold my vocation to heal and still protect myself a bit.

Path, I only know how to do it in the "normal" or average sort of way, because I truly am an average sort of guy. But doing it 40 hours per week even in an average way is very taxing as you're right that our profession seems to have only a very limited ability to alleviate significant suffering. In fact, it's that fact literally that after plying my trade for 30 years tends to wear me down from time to time. The human mind is not like plumbing but to use that analogy, can you imagine a plumber going on a job and most of the time not being able to plug the leaks very well? Of course, the pipe has to want to be fixed. That's the state of our profession. The interesting thing about occupations is that for most of us, (me included), how we spend 1/2 of our waking life so seldom allows us to express a lot of "who we are." earl

[Faithfulservant]

Originally Posted by Tao_Equus

You could destroy all the files

There are times.. Most recently I woman lost her husband and she was going through chemo.... she needed her car but couldnt afford the payment. That just flat out sucks.