As many of you already know, I am currently working with children that have emotional and/or behavioral problems. During the day I supervise therapeutic support staff (wrap-arounds) in several of the surrounding school districts, and do family counseling in the evenings. Currently I work with 12 children and their families. Behaviors can be anything from daily physical aggression, running away, uncontrollable emotional breakdowns, etc, etc, etc. It was a little overwhelming when I started as my Masters in Pastoral Counseling focused on adult issues, marriage, finances, spiritual issues, etc --- and I learned very little about counseling children.
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The beginning of January I was getting a little frustrated being around kids making bad choices and falling into bad habits over and over again. To make matters worse, I did some research on the type of work I do, and study after study came back to the conclusion that pretty much says "it doesn't work" and no matter what I did was not going to be of much benefit to these kids or their families.
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That wasn't good enough --- I began to pray God would help me with these families to really make a difference. Driving to work one day a song came on the radio that really changed my perspective on how I approached these children and their families. The song is called "Give Me Your Eyes" and it's a prayer for God to allow you to see people the way He sees them. Some of the lyrics are:
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All those people going somewhere
Why have I never cared?
Give me your eyes for just one second
Give me your eyes so I can see
Everything that I've been missing
Give me your eyes for humanity
Give me your arms for the broken hearted
The ones that are far beyond my reach
Give me your heart for the ones forgotten
Give me your eyes so I can see...
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Since that has become my daily focus and prayer (trying to see people the way God sees them), I have seen an incredible difference! Every kid I have right now loves working with me (because they know I don't look at them as the "bad kid" or the "messed up kid" that everyone else sees). For some of these kids I am the only one they will talk to. Just last week I discharged 3 kids because of the incredible progress they had made in just the past 2 months (and 5 more are very close and will be discharged in the next month or two!). It is also being noticed by our other Master's level counselors and psychologist as I was asked to do a training on building relationships for all our staff later this year. All from someone who really doesn't know much about counseling kids --- but God does!
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Here is the song...hope you make it your prayer too!
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The beginning of January I was getting a little frustrated being around kids making bad choices and falling into bad habits over and over again. To make matters worse, I did some research on the type of work I do, and study after study came back to the conclusion that pretty much says "it doesn't work" and no matter what I did was not going to be of much benefit to these kids or their families.
-
That wasn't good enough --- I began to pray God would help me with these families to really make a difference. Driving to work one day a song came on the radio that really changed my perspective on how I approached these children and their families. The song is called "Give Me Your Eyes" and it's a prayer for God to allow you to see people the way He sees them. Some of the lyrics are:
-
All those people going somewhere
Why have I never cared?
Give me your eyes for just one second
Give me your eyes so I can see
Everything that I've been missing
Give me your eyes for humanity
Give me your arms for the broken hearted
The ones that are far beyond my reach
Give me your heart for the ones forgotten
Give me your eyes so I can see...
-
Since that has become my daily focus and prayer (trying to see people the way God sees them), I have seen an incredible difference! Every kid I have right now loves working with me (because they know I don't look at them as the "bad kid" or the "messed up kid" that everyone else sees). For some of these kids I am the only one they will talk to. Just last week I discharged 3 kids because of the incredible progress they had made in just the past 2 months (and 5 more are very close and will be discharged in the next month or two!). It is also being noticed by our other Master's level counselors and psychologist as I was asked to do a training on building relationships for all our staff later this year. All from someone who really doesn't know much about counseling kids --- but God does!
-
Here is the song...hope you make it your prayer too!
4 comments:
Mike that's awesome! I pray for your job daily!!!! I know how hard it can be...hearing the crisis's that come up in our office alone. I give LOTS of credit to the BSCs especially with what they deal with day in and day out. I try to give them the break for the little paperwork mistakes they have. You not only have the kids to deal with and try to help one day at a time but you also have to oversee coworkers and they way they address the kids as well.
I love this song and it's a great reminder to see people through GOD'S eyes, not our own! And congratulations on the discharges! It's wonderful to be able to discharge them! The bond you get from working with them makes you possibly not want to d/c them but you know you did your part and wish them well!
I knew you'd be great at this position! You're wonderful with children and have the right education for it...and have a big heart and patience to deal with every little detail of the "bad kids".
I got your blog from my mother in law... I cannot tell you how much I can relate. I work in Therapeutic Day Treatment for school based mental health support. Day in and day out the bx is sometimes beyond my comprehension. I go between wanting to strangle them b/c I've been working so hard and they continue to do the same stuff over and over to being heart broken that these kids have the experiences in life that they do. I was communicating with a teacher's aid today about the fact that we are often the only "Christ" many of the people around us will see and how our lives reflect that.
It came full circle today... I called a parent just to say his kid had a great day (loved it b/c I rarely get to make that call). He talked about how great it's been to interact lately with his child b/c of our help.
Rest assured, whether you ssee it or not, God is using you/us. You are showing these families Christ in a way they have probably never seen before. I constantly remind myself that God put me in this position for a reason and we need to view these families with the eyes God views them. (even when they are beating you up or yelling things at you that would give a sailor a run for his money...)
and p.s.... is it not one of the greatest feelings when you can discharge one of those "babies" b/c you are so confident in their abilities finally? Man, it's empowering. Praise God for letting him accomplish that.
What a huge praise! I will continue to ask the Lord to give you guys the wisdom you need each day!
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