When I was younger and in the beginning stages of this field in college, along with working in this field, it was recurring communication that we are the “helping field”. The helping field was refereed to helping patients in the various phases of life, symptomatology, and stressful events. Even with the most experienced practitioner, there are new situations in which the practitioner has yet to experience. As is predictable, what helps a child may not help with an adolescent, adult, marriage, family, and so on and so on. When working within a facility or group setting, practitioners have the ability to consult with other professionals for added guidance and assistance when these “new” situations arise. Practitioners that are in private practice may consult guidance from trusted professionals outside of their own practice.
In starting out in the professional counseling field, I looked at this profession through the eyes of helping others and helping each other as colleagues. I understood the fact that there is no one professional that doesn’t need or should not seek the knowledge of our peers. Things began to change when something new arose in the profession and it has, somewhat, swayed my view of the profession. When a new opportunity arose for added assistance in the helping profession, I began to hear the rumblings of discontent with other practitioners, groups, and individual practitioners. Change is difficult for some people and can also create fear and I will say it…jealousy. Whether it be fear of “losing” patients or fear of the growth in other businesses, it is nonetheless something that is now very prevalent in our field. I have always taken the approach of focusing on us being the best that we can be, along with helping others do the same. I fully understand the “business is business”, yet in this field, it is more than that. Referring to other agencies, facilities, and individuals should be utilized in situations of expertise. There should never be the inner workings of trying to bring others down to boost themselves up. In seeing the tragedy in Uvalde community, it is evident to me that more could have been done in the mental/behavioral health treatment within the school system. Sometimes current policies and procedures such as in our own school system, need to be change for better access to the services needed that directly impact our school systems. Change is not always bad or should create fear. Sometimes there is positive change that can actually prevent tragedies from occurring. I have learned over the many years that working together, even though we are a business in the same field, is the best for our community and the future generations. I strongly encourage all of the professionals and school systems to work together and build each other up…we have nothing to lose and everything to gain.
Justin Alexander
LPC / Founder
