COUNSELING AT DAYTON AND ANTIOCH

WHEN I STARTED MY UNDERGRADUATE STUDIES I LANDED A JOB AS A P/T COUNSELOR IN 24/7 TEEN SUPPORT CENTER. IT WAS A NIGHT JOB THAT I WENT TO AT AROUND 10 PM AND STAYED THERE TILL ABOUT 4 AM. I DIDN'T MIND IT AT THAT AGE. MANY KIDS CALLED IN DURING THE NIGHT BECAUSE THEY WANTED SOMEONE ANONOMOUS TO TALK TO ABOUT THEIR ISSUES. IT WAS FAIRLY EASY TO TALK TO THEM AND HELP THEM WORK OUT THEIR ISSUES. OF COURSE THE COUNSELORS HAD THEIR ISSUES AS WELL.

SOME NIGHTS IT WAS FUN AND OTHER NIGHTS SOME KIDS CAME INTO THE CENTER AND WE HAD TO TELL THEM THEY COULD NOT STAY THERE. WE HELPED THEM FIND A SUITABLE LOCATION IF THEY NEEDED TO GET AWAY FROM THEIR PARENTS.

I RARELY SAW THE MANAGER AS SHE WORKED DURING THE DAY. SHE HIRED SEVERAL FULL TIME COUNSELORS WHO ALSO WERE ON DRUGS. I GUESS THOSE WERE THE GOOD OLD DAYS.

I ALSO WORKED AS A COUNSELOR AND ACTIVITY DIRECTOR IN ANTIOCH WORKING WITH TEENS WHO WERE ALSO ON DRUGS AND STRUGGLING TO FIND OUT WHO THEY WERE AND WHAT MAKES THEM HAPPY. WE HAD A POOL TABLE AND A PING PONG TABLE, MANY TEENS JUSTSAT AROUND PLAYING CARDS OR TALKING.

I ALSO MONITORED SOME OF THEIR DANNCES. AND I DIRECTED SOME ELEMENTARY KIDS IN ARTS AND CRAFTS. THEY TEENS PLAYED TRICKS ON ME AND MY CAR.. I GOT TO KNOW SOME OF THEM PERSONALLY. AND SOME OF THEM HAD CAR ACCIDENTS, THEY CAME THERE WITH THEIR BROKEN LEG AND DISCUSSED THEIR USE OF MORPHINE TO KILL THE PAIN. OTHERS PLAYED BASKETBALL.