Sometimes I don't like to reveal what I'm studying in graduate school because I receive some off-putting responses from people when I share that I'm studying to become a mental health counselor. Looks of confusion and/or blank stares. Questions about my personal sanity (after all, only crazy people enter the psychology field). A short moment of silence then a change of topic to something more comfortable (like the weather). It's quite amazing how uncomfortable the field of counseling makes people. When, really, it's quite a beautiful profession. I am reading through the book of Proverbs this month and came across a verse this morning that describes what I'm preparing to do. "The purposes of a man's heart are deep waters, but a man of understanding draws them out." Proverbs 20:5 I am learning how to become a woman of understanding so that I will be able to help my current and future clients draw out their purpose, emotions, and thoughts from deep waters and bring them into the light where they can be safely explored.
Courtnay Veazey is a counselor in training at Mississippi State University pursuing a Master of Science in clinical mental health counseling and working as a graduate assistant at MSU's Career Center