Regina L. White Human Services 207 Dorothy B. Mitchell, Professor The Art of Helping May 5, 2010
The Art of Helping as applied to my personal life. Before the beginning of the Spring 2010 semester was to begin I had hopes of studying courses that would allow me to improve the skills I have acquired working for HAP. HAP, is short for the Homeless Assistance Program at the M.H.A. Village ISA here in downtown Long Beach. Since March 2004, I have been a member of HAP, located in the basement of Mental Health of America of Los Angeles. In the 6 years plus, I have volunteered alongside my caseworker Cherokee Morrison providing street outreach to the homeless mentally ill community that normally goes without assistance, largely due to their unwillingness to come into the Village and allow themselves to trust people they are not comfortable being in close quarters with. Our titles are Street Outreach Specialists. We are the team that assists the unseen homeless. That meaning, the community that lives under the bridges, freeway underpasses, secluded, and out of sight deep dark places no one would usually look or expect someone to call their home. After losing my Call Center Supervisor position of 31/2 years in 2001, my family and I (children Dominique and Cortez ages 13 and 14 at the time) were forced to pack up what we could and start what was to become our new lives. The children and I have moved 50 + times as well as 2 different states and numerous living situations that eventually, ended in a phenomenally courageous battle of spirit. Being diagnosed schizoid effect, depressed and panic anxiety dysfunction disorder due to on the job harassment by a male co-worker, I came to relate to people who suffer from mental illness. I also came to find peace and serenity in being a helper to people that for whatever the reasons are living on the streets, suffering with mental illness and surviving quietly moment to moment. I could not imagine how this class would impact my life. With the thought of just enhancing my hands on helping, listening and observing skills I took this course unaware that I had a whole lot learning to do. I serve hundreds of people everyday in some form or fashion. And I honestly see the improvement in my quality of life and how it works together with being a worthwhile assistance to others. I know that the best way to provide proper help starts with being a good helper to me first. I never took the time to look at myself to explore the problems that I suffer with. I have goals that I have put on the back burner ever since my life struggle began. There is always a more important issue that requires my attention other than myself. I focused all my energy in what I thought was helping others to regain independence, self reliance, and a positive outcome to end their fears of living among others with hope. I respectfully and lovingly do this job without the pressures of expectations, demands, or compensations of wages. It is uplifting and spiritually motivating in every unimaginable way I could have ever dreamed a job could be. And with the new skills I have learned in this class I am currently incorporating them into street outreach as well as in my immediate personal growth goals. In just a semester I have had the pleasure of meeting a one of a kind instructor who not only speaks at you, but to you and listens with open heart and mind to what we have to say. The ingenious way the class has co-instructors lend their many years of taking the
course with Ms. Mitchell is an added touch. The Carkhuff Model Life Skills have created an awareness of self, values and techniques to heighten the levels of standards needed to provide people with honest and accountable help. It teaches the student that helping yourself is key in successfully being a bridge for others to cross, while attending to the needs of the most important person you will ever come to know. And that person being yourself. If we are to be of service to anyone the best one to start with is ourselves. In making my needs priority sets a foundation to build a healthier mind, body and soul. This in turn allows me the freedom to enjoy my life, continuously find ways to re invent myself while being an example to others who are observing my actions. My spirit has been enlightened like never before and I make decisions not to make others pleased, but to make me my life more positively directed. I look for the conclusion to what I start and look toward the next hurdle I have to get over. Without the fear of disappointment and criticism by people who aren’t living what they preach as gospel. I have a beautiful life ahead of me and I’m willing to share the knowledge I have been blessed with. This skill I have learned will carry me into a brighter more stable existence than I previously been accustomed to. As early as I can remember I was the one who put others and what they needed ahead of my own, and thought that is what made me feel whole. But, the only way for me to find happiness in this life is to follow the model I have been taught in this class, and that is you can only be a good helper if you can help yourself first. And I can appreciate the good I do to help others when I feel good about how I help myself. What a lesson I have learned about myself and it feels pretty good to know me.
Written By: Regina White