I promised a post about my internship, but I think this requires a little background information. If I've mentioned all of this before, I apologize, I don't want to be redundant, simply efficient, but I can't remember if I've said all of this before.
Anyhoo...
After my divorce I decided that I needed some major life changes. I didn't like the general direction in which my life was headed (working in miserable dead-end retail jobs for crappy pay and barely making ends meet while residing in the town where I grew up and never, ever escaping...get the picture?) So, I did what people do when this is their dilemma, I decided to go back to school. Except, I still had NO idea what I wanted to be when I grew up and had NO idea where to start. I got through step 1: Choose to make a change, but I needed some help with step 2: Choose a path and run with it.
The career counselor at the local community college where I earned my Associate's Degree in liberal arts was my savior. I took this test-sorta-thing called a Strong Interest Inventory. It weighs your interests against those of professionals in a variety of careers and determines with whom you share the most 'interests'
My top three:
Photography
Fine Arts
Social Work
Great. THAT'S helpful. You know how lucrative the fine arts are (incase you don't, they're not for like 95% of the world's artists). I live in a small town with about 5 professional photography studios, yeah, that market's been tapped. Everyone I spoke with told me that social work is awful and thankless.
I posed the following question to the career counselor, "Is there such a thing as 'Art Therapy'?
He said yes, found me a college within commuting distance that had a program and I began step two...BOY did I run with it! I ran with it in a totally irresponsible way. I didn't check the job market, I didn't research what the hell art therapy was, and I didn't punch numbers to figure out how ON EARTH I was going to make ends meet for the duration of my schooling. I wanted a direction, I didn't want to plan it all out (for once in my life), I wanted to go crazy and chase a dream (how's that for cheesy? It's true though!)
As I've mentioned recently, I'll graduate at the end of this semester. I have studied art therapy for 2 and a half years. I believe in it, I'm passionate about it, and I'm thrilled that I've had this educational experience.
However...the problem is...well, I didn't check the job market. And...there are.no.jobs.
I think I have options...I think. I won't really know until I officially graduate and start pounding the pavement, but I'm panicking right about now about what on earth I'll be doing 6 months from now...I don't have a plan, and that's REALLY not how I've done things for the last 29 years.
Well...where am I going with this? To my inspiring, wonderful, exciting, informative, and helpful internship...which I have to go to in the morning. Right now it's eleven o'clock, and I'm kinda awfully tired.
So...my next post will be: What the heck is art therapy 101. I know people will ask this question, I've been trying to figure out how to answer that question in 10 words or less for two years. It's impossible. It will require an entire post, which I will of course offer to you, my faithful readers, who I'm certain are on the edge of your seats!
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3 comments:
I have whispered this quote many times to myself when I wasn't sure about a decision, or my path or hell--even my life, and I hope it helps you out, too.
Leap and the net will appear.
--Zen Saying
Even though art therapy may seem like a scary choice, I think you made the best decision because you ARE doing what you want to be doing. The other side of that: forcing yourself to do something for a paycheck--SUCKS MAJOR Ass. I actually know someone who went through art therapy and it helped him tremendously. Enjoy your internship...
It sounds like an interesting field that is right up your alley. You'll do well. I'm not familiar with it, so I am anxious to hear more....
:)
I think it's difficult to turn any creative endeavor into a source of income, far less fun too. Plain old luck is a big factor. But in a professional setting creative people often end up working next to money people who have nothing to do with the creative side of the business. That's when the fun runs out.
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