My relation to the profession

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I was interested during college, or later college, in working as an MSW. Caseworker variety. Having seen so many mixed up people who were as single persons, in graduate clinical programs, I thought I should get out and work. I would start a family before beginning the masters program. That would mean a couple years, five. Not much more.

Well it didn't happen. The family didn't happen. As of today it has not happened. (And I feel I have missed much. :( The later 1960s came along. All that; I was living in California. And I was not so motivated to kiss the boss's shoe. I worked overtime without pay; I enjoyed my work; but was not a company man.

I worked a couple different places as a county case worker. But my social service jobs have amounted to less of my work life than other, less dignified places of toil.

I read a good deal of social work*** in college. While getting my sociology courses put away. Getting into my 30s I began to read social work... and come to think of it more in depth counseling. Lawrence Kubie I'm a fan of, Carl Whittacker I think writes well and of course Harry Stack Sullivan is a master of English prose.
*** Plus of course a zillion other kinds of things

Some would not be basically misled by my profile. Others of you however deserve this explaination. I cannot claim decades of experience in this helping-profession.

There is something of the academic in me. At times I think I have more social work theory someplace in my head than in many, many employed MSWs. When I talk to them, they are uninterested in Fritz Redl. Uninterested in the theory of encapsulation.

Social work originated a few therapy concepts, concepts not so needed by doctorate kinds of head shrinkers. My limited understanding is, in social work the majority of the thinking about short-term therapy might have occurred. In my experience however most social workers relegate these concerns and interests to the past; they passed their exams and it does not matter by now.

I made a very serious application to the MSW program in Indiana. When I was well into my middle years. Repeated letters of rejection came. Repeated exams I took. The Graduate Record Exam (GRE) was one; there I scored 70%-ile among pre-med students. The SAT. On the latter I had the top score, up until that time, at the I.U.PurdueIndianapolis center.

The last letter I received from the I.U./Indy school was, "We do not think you can do our work." Their criteria were..., dunno, uneven.

I've had considerable interest, yes, in professional social work. In my earlier years I knew a number of social workers who liked me and thought I had potential. But gate-keepers exist who spot me, and have the hunch I rock boats.

my view,

Gershwin-2, Paul

PostScript: Only when nearing 60, while in a community-organizing effort, did I come to a belief. For myself. More exiting than counseling, would be community-organizing.