So here we are, the last class of our Masters degree! This is the class that we have to thank for these blog posts which have made for a meaningful trip down memory lane.
(Check out the course outline here!)
Looking back to where I was at the beginning of this degree, it is easy for me to see how far I have come and how these classes helped shape who I am as a Guidance Counsellor today. This degree has also helped me to understand the importance of access to mental health and just how influential it has been for my own personal mental health journey.
When I started this degree, I know I did it with the intentions of helping as many students as I could. I wanted to be the kind of counsellor that they could trust and lean on through the difficult times that we all face while growing up. I did not, however, anticipate the kind of help that I would be able to offer to students in crisis, those heavily impacted by trauma, and particularly those who are navigating the foster care system with or without siblings of their own. This has proved to be much heavier work than I anticipated, but I am grateful for a health plan that allows me regular contact with my own counsellor to walk me through these difficult feelings.
As I write this, I am on a leave from work to give myself the time and space that I need to work through our struggles with fertility. Our fourth miscarriage happened about seven months ago, and after seeking the support of specialists in the field we are at the point where we may have to accept that another baby is not in our future. This is by far the most difficult thing I have ever had to work through, and I am incredibly lucky to have never had to do any of it alone. I have been supported by doctors, specialists, and numerous counsellors who I am forever grateful for. It saddens me to think that this is not the case for everyone however, so I can see where my next efforts need to be.
Having ADHD all of my life has come with it’s struggles, but I am also realizing that it is my superpower! Yes, I procrastinate to a fault and I have mortified myself countless times thanks to time-blindness and a lack of time-management skills… but!
I…dream…big!
My next steps will be big ones, and I will help the world (OK… starting with Manitoba) see that mental health is not something that only the lucky ones should have access to. I will advocate that this needs to be offered to each and every one of us as a part of a holistic health plan that prioritizes both the importance of physical and mental health. I have never been a fan of politics, but I may have to get used to them to get this one pushed forward. 😊
As working moms, my sister and I both feel strongly that there also needs to be a shift in women’s expectations of themselves. We hope that by raising awareness to the unrealistic expectations of moms these days, we can rewrite the script and help women experience these years as joyful and exciting rather than exhausting and a time of burn out. Our new podcast, Tired as a Mother, will debut this holiday season with stories and interviews from some of our favorite moms who are willing to get brutally honest with us about their journeys. Through laughter, tears, and tips to help all women feel successful, we hope to help shape a thriving new generation that enjoys each and every day to the fullest.
Hopefully by the time some of you are reading this, I have an infant on my lap, a microphone in my face, and a book that’s ready to be published. But at the very least, I hope that by sharing my truth I can help at least one other person who finds themselves in my shoes to see that they are not alone. Because as one brilliant working mama says, “we were never meant to do any of this alone” -Dr. Jody Carrington.
Favorite Resources:
Coming Soon!
Micki Banks
Latest posts by Micki Banks (see all)
- Masters Portfolio - October 15, 2024
- Graduate Summative - October 15, 2024
- Expressive Therapies - October 15, 2024
