Seeking a Career to Help “Change the World”

By Beth Hood aka GPS Gal

This month I interviewed Wendy, a student at the Pacific Academy of the Healing Arts who is studying be a Certified Substance Abuse Counselor. She chose this career because she believes that helping people in this way can “change the world”. If you are interested in counseling people to improve not only their lives, but their families and communities as well, check out Wendy’s interview… 

GPS Gal: What's your current course of study? What degree will you graduate with?

Wendy: I am studying to be a Certified Substance Abuse Counselor. When I’m finished with the school I will need to complete 6000 hours of actual work in the field then I will be able to take the test to become a CSAC.

GPS Gal: How long is your program of study? Where are you going to school?

Wendy: The program is 270 clock hours of classroom study plus 400 hours of work experience. I attend the Pacific Academy of the Healing Arts. The courses are offered one day a week for a full year, but half of the courses can be completed on-line.

GPS Gal: Why did you choose this subject/career path? How did you make this choice?

Wendy: The longer I lived in Hawaii the more I knew something needed to be done with all the drug abuse I was seeing but was not sure what I could do until one day I saw an ad in the Tribune saying “We can change the world”. I called and met with the two instructors and knew this was for me. After talking with them and reading about their vision for the Big Island I had to start and here I am.

GPS Gal: What's the most interesting thing about what you are learning?

Wendy: Oh so many things: the many different types of counseling there are, relapse prevention, early intervention, professional ethics, diseases, and how to deal with multicultural competency.

GPS Gal: What are you planning to do with your studies? Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

Wendy: I plan to work with the communities on the Big Island to teach them about how to prevent drug abuse in their communities. I hope to have a small practice that will work closely with young children to prevent them from using drugs or alcohol.

GPS Gal: How important is it to you that you enjoy your job or career in the future? Did you consider this when you made this choice?

Wendy: Yes I did consider it and it is important that I enjoy what I am doing. As long as I am helping people I will enjoy my job.

GPS Gal: How did you choose your college? What 5 elements were the most important to you?

Wendy: An ad in the paper caught my eye. After meeting the owner instructor it was just a fit. The most important to me was that the instructor and I get along. The length of the course, how in depth each course would be, the cost and what I could do with the Certification after finishing.

GPS Gal: Do you have any piece of advice for girls in high school who are preparing to go to college about their educational or career choices?

Don't look at just what you can earn in what you want to do but how your choice will affect your life and the lives of others. Enjoy what you do and also give your all to what you do.

GPS Gal: Do you have a mission (sense of purpose) for you life? If you could put it into a mission statement what would it be?

Wendy: I would like to help children, families, and communities by leading them or showing them the way to prevent and recover from the use of drugs and alcohol in their lives.

GPS Gal: It sounds like your new career path will be right on track. Thanks for sharing a little bit about yourself, and good luck with the rest of your studies!

If you have a question about this interview or would like to learn more about this field of study, you can forward your questions to the GPS Gal.