JOURNALING BACK - RECALLING WHAT I HAD DONE

I really find it hard to write a daily journal what more recalling things I did in a month. I had not wrriten for about 2 months since the Aidil Fitri holidays in October 2008.

I left Batu Pahat on Oct.5th for classes in KL and came back on Nov. 15th 2008. and I have no excuse to give. I is just me., commitment and self-discipline. I was so busy or keep busy by doing my university assignments. At first it was doing interviews then writing it, then another assignment for another professor came up and it had to be done. That was my excuse for not returning home for about one and half month to my mother's house in Batu Pahat. I did my studies at University Malaya in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Therefore, here I am again trying to write my journal as a practice for my weekly report in 2009 when I took practicum 1. So the idea of writing a journal for practicum is a good idea. I find that I am not at all time conscious of what I am doing except when I am writing it down- like now.So what happened during those days I was in KL.? Here are some pictures taken during those days. I attended Level 2 of the Sand Tray Workshop.


I worked with partner Jessie on the Tamito the Moroccan Boy Scrapbook forLife Span Development Assignment under Dr.Diana. I interviewed Puan Meriam Omardin at her office and treat her to a Domino pizza. Failed to interview a school counselors, instead interviewed Sook Yee a counselor at INTI College Nilai, Seremban. Paid RM 3,500 for Sarah's school fees at UNITAR so that she can take exam. Hopefully she will reimburse the amount when she got the MARA LOAN which I do not know when next year 2009?. Sent Jessi to her apartment, went and had the Life span test from 12.00pm to 12.00 am midnight.

That is indeed a different kind of test and I learned and remembered it for life. Oh yes another unforgettable event is the Nov first when DR Di decided that its her birthday and she gave out the best , the softest and the chocolaty cup cake to all 80 of us a combined class of 3 subjects- the life span/the theory and the multicultural group. I gave her a box of chocolate. She got a beautiful cake and on Nov class gave her a crystal pair of earring and a seconds which she put on ans showed off to the class, She really look lovely- all glittery and shiny...On that day we had another fun thing to do ...when I die if I were to built my tomb what would be like... we also wrote about who our significant others and wrote about the me I would have been ...... just take a look at hose thumb stones.... her was the urns...with silver background. There are still a lot more to share ...in another page ...bye for now.

First semester of 2008 is finished and now waiting for the examination result- 4 subjects. However, I am going to register on monday 24 Nov 2008 for next Semester 2/2008 UM.

STILL LEARNING ABOUT MY SELF

SANDTRAY WORKSHOP EXPERIENCES- 4 MORE LEVELS TO COME
What happened?-The sandtray workshop in early September 2008 was something that I want to go into. My experience of the sandtray is it's a tool that helps me to express my thinking , feeling and action easier and faster in a way that those small figureins triggers some past or new thoughts, feelings and behaviours versus if I was just talking to the counselor.
What are you feeling?-As I layout the sandtray "stories" past experiences especially treasured moments with friends and family came in flashing inmy mind.
How did I react?-As an outer witness to the others'sandtray, wow I realise how unique the Human Being is! same thing/figurines gave different meanings. different colour have difference association of different experiences.
What did you do?-As a counselor I need to remind myself that ..it is always about the client and his/her relationship to another human being...if I remember that, and practice seeing things from the client's perspective than the session can connects....and start the issue/concerns dealings according to the client.
What did I learn about myself? I did not know any of the sandtray participants..I was suprised that that many experienced counselors in Malaysia wanting to learn about this tool of SANDTRAY. I got nothing on actual counseling experience. It sort of frightened me to be allowed to become a mock counselors for one of the tray in that workshop. As I practiced to give feedback, my brain was catching up on what is spoken, on what the client is not saying, an on the said meaning og things in the tray. It was a stressful 10 minutes of giving my feedback. My upperarms muscles tensed and by whole body hardened but I manage to listen, and give the feedback. Until you go through the experience you or rather I cannot say anything.Oh, I have changed. I learned to really listen. I learned to focus when listening do not speak whether verbally or think it in the brain... give the client the time if his life that is the way to help as in counseling. THANK YOU DR DI from UM, Malaysia. See u next level.

RAMADAN - FASTING MONTH OF 2008

1. What happened? Its September 1st 2008 and for the Muslims its that month of the year that we make adjustments to everyday routine- fasting and stop the daytime eating - the time duration from dawn to dusk. Talk about getting things done and making change, is a challenge to my self discipline and control. Fasting is a must practice for me as a Muslim. It is one of the 5 pillars of the Islamic religion. Today it is the third day of fasting and at the end of it a celebration the Aidil Fitri is waiting.
2. What were your feelings? During Ramadan I mentally review my prayer profile.Am I better at practicing the 5 times prayer daily? Am I up to it to fasting all the 29 days? Is my sunnah /Terawih prayer going to be for every day? Have I learned the juz amma? I did a lot of self reflection - Am I better this year?
3. How did you react? In my heart I know where I am. I cannot lie to my self. I know I still could do better.
4. What did you do? I practice self discipline and self control .
5. What did you learn about yourself?. Nobody can really get me to change but myself and my commitment
6. What did you learn from the situation? Keep on trying to keep promises especially those doings for my afterlife. I must get to resources, read it and do it.
   
7. What were your assumptions in entering this situation? I know what I got, I know how far I can go, I just have to stick to it long enough to change things to get what I desire, want and what I can have.
   
8. How have these assumptions been changed? Depends on situations, times and resources factors.
   

MY MANDALAY WITHIN A MANDALAY - SHAMROCK

I have not kept my word of writing this practice journaling. It is not a normal thing for me to write or journal my seven aspects of the everyday experiences. Like today its the 18/08/2008, that more then a week since I wrote. I had turned on the PC many time but did not go to my own blog to write. What happened? Its plain commitment of mine. I still have to learn to stick to what I say and do it. How did you react? My reaction was .. I say to myself I am lazy to write it I know its for my own good but I will do it later. Fulfilling my own promise seem a "never mind thing" so its or whatever I said I would do ..its ok to it later and things in everyday life moves at its own speed...and I cannot catch up with my own "to do" list . What did you do? I was changing my priorities. I excuse myself that I was busy helping my niece make arrangement to register,then lead her to how to go to her new university by using the LRT train.What did you learn about yourself?. I put aside my priority without backing it up.. ie find time to write my journal. What did you learn from the situation? I learn that what matters is if i cannot keep my own words I will suffer in the end. I will lose on time and I cannot get it back. What were your assumptions in entering this situation? That I could easily come back to my pc and write it out which is not easy. How have these assumptions been changed?I check my self on making my promises at all the time, I must learn not to assume....ask and ask myself why I make the commitment and get it done if not 100 % do part of it. Controlling my own self discipline requires more focused energy and I know the end or the goal is the motivation to do it.... so I know I need to visualized my end to get up and do my list....

CONTENT OF MY COUNSELING JOURNAL

Typical types of questions counseling supervisor asks in the learning process through facilitative questioning include the following:

1. What happened?
2. What were your feelings?
3. How did you react?
4. What did you do?
5. What did you learn about yourself?.
6. What did you learn from the situation?
7. What were your assumptions in entering this situation? How have these assumptions been changed from the article:
   

Title: Supervising School Counselors-in-Training: A Guide for Field Supervisors. By: Studer, Jeannine R., Professional School Counseling, 10962409, Apr2005, Vol. 8, Issue 4

COUNSELING PRACTICUM REPORTING -PRACTISE JOURNALING

Today is Sunday 3 August 2008, I decide to start a new blog to keep a daily dairy if possible. The purpose is to learn to reflect on my feelings on happenings and events of the day. I am practicing to express my thinkings, feelings and reflects on my actions during the day. Studying to be a Counselor I need to be able to handle my own emotions before I start listening to client and begin to practise the helping process. This blog is meant to tell me of my actions at the time, because I am human and cannot remember things even after 3 days. Have you ever tried to recall every minutes of your day before you sleep at night? Asked your self what had happen, things in the 24 hours right from when you get up to your resting or bed time? I find that some days I had a lot of things packed in a day while others I lazed around doing nothing ..like snacking in front of the TV--movie watching.