Keshia Williams
'08
As an international student I was drawn to Smith
for its intense training program and the personal challenge. I was particularly
influenced by its reputation as a clinically focused school which would help
to balance out my experiences in macro level social work both in Canada, my
country of origin, and abroad, where I have worked in Guatemala and Nicaragua.
In the midst of social and political unrest while
living abroad as well as experiencing the pain and intensity of shifting geopolitical
climates, collective trauma and suffering, I witnessed phenomenal resilience.
I knew that I wanted to be a part of the many movements toward healing and
mental health that would cultivate my desire to think globally and act locally.
My first year placement was in the Forensic Outpatient
Services of the Law and Mental Health Program at Toronto's Centre for Addiction
and Mental Health. I had the opportunity to learn and work with severely and
persistently mentally disordered violent and sexual offenders. I acquired a
deeper sense of empathy and reflexivity in working with a population that many
people find difficult to feel empathy for. I was able to integrate what I learned
about psychodynamic theories in the classroom with the case management and
risk management needs of my clients and the multidisciplinary team that serviced
them. Moreover, I had access to an abundance of trainings on evidenced based
practices such as cognitive and behaviorally based treatments available to
me through the hospital. |
