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I have worked in the human services field for many years. I first became interested in working with mothers and their young children when I was a young mother myself. I was acutely aware that despite my education and the stability of my life, it was still an astonishingly difficult job to be a mom. I had a desire to work with other mothers who had far more difficult circumstances than I.
I worked for several years with homeless families, and then with infants and toddlers with disabilities and their parents. After many years of work in the early intervention system I was becoming increasingly frustrated that family relationships and mental health needs were not being addressed from the perspective of either the children or parents. I wanted to acknowledge the “elephant in the room” that was often present in my work – the loss and trauma that parents had suffered, and the difficulties that many parents and babies had in connecting with each other due to developmental or psychological issues.
I realized that I simply did not have the clinical skills necessary to meet these real and critical needs. I considered applying to a doctoral program in clinical psychology, but social work seemed to be the best match for my interests and concerns. I was accepted by UC Berkeley, which is close to my home, and by Smith. Smith’s emphasis on clinical work, the opportunity for intensive internships with different populations, and the presence of other older students on campus led me to choose Smith.
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The program has been very intense and often a challenge to my energy level. Twenty-four years have passed since I first became interested in work with mothers and children. The support of other “nontraditional” students has been a great source of help and friendship for me at Smith.
My first internship was with women parolees in a residential substance abuse treatment program. It provided me with a wonderful opportunity to utilize the skills I had gained through my previous career and at the same time gain the clinical skills I was seeking. The support of my Smith faculty field advisor was key in my ability to learn and grow from that internship.
This coming year I will be returning to my work with parents and children in my internship at the Infant Parent Program at San Francisco General Hospital. I can’t wait to get started! I have been aware of this group’s work in infant mental health and have wanted to work with them for over twenty years. Being a Smith student is giving me a chance to fulfill this dream.
I am looking forward to three graduations in 2009: my younger son’s from college, my older son’s from law school, and mine from Smith. I am anticipating a near-overdose in pride in my children and in myself as a woman and as a mother.
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