In my DARC 158 Biology of Addictions course, I was introduced to the medical side behind addictive personalities and the reasonings for addictions. Here we studied both the short- and long-term consequences of substance use and abuse as to all systems of the body. From these studies I was able to better understand the biology of addiction in dual diagnosis patients and how their psychology affects and directly impacts their addiction. This knowledge has been invaluable in my work with dual diagnosis patients, giving me the knowledge to better understand how each patient's addiction can be insidious. My DARC 251-252 Counseling Internship solidified my decision to be a substance abuse and psychiatric counselor. Here I was given the unique opportunity to put what I have learned in the classroom to use in an actual field setting. In my internship I spent fifteen hours a week working directly with substance abuse patients in an actual substance abuse treatment facility. No only was I able to observe the treatment procedure, including intake and discharge procedures, I was further able to gain direct experience as a co-counselor. This work has benefited my ability to conduct group sessions and drafting progress notes for patient documentation.

Likewise, my DARC 111 Introduction to Counseling course also provided me with the foundation skills needed to succeed in the more specialized counseling courses that I would enroll in later. In this particular course I learned such skills as attending, reflecting, active listening and mirroring. Further, I gained the knowledge of the fundamental theories of addiction counseling and how this theory applies to actual counseling situations. Without this foundation, I would have lacked the skills needed to grow into...

In this course the focus was on the research side of the job instead of the field-work side of the job. In this course I was given the essential skills of research procedures and design needed to gain a better understanding of my patients addictions and thus be able to better provide them with the counseling services they need to overcome their addictions. Further, I directly used the knowledge I gained in this course in redrafting the survey application utilized in the psychiatric department in which I work in.
Finally, the specialized and advanced counseling courses I took gave me the precise knowledge and understanding I needed to be able to succeed in working with a diverse population of clients suffering from a diverse array of mental health and substance abuse issues. These courses included Psychology of Play, Psychology of Gender, Selected Topics in Social and Psychological Deviance, and Abnormal Psychology. These courses were beneficial because they built from the foundational knowledge I developed in my introductory courses and applied them in mastering the details of successful counseling. For example, in my work I spend a substantial amount of time working with adolescent patients. Thus, the knowledge I gained from Psychology of Play in regards to the importance of play in a child's healthy development has been invaluable to my success in properly counseling these patients.

As can be seen, my Academic Autobiography is not only the story of my pursuit of knowledge, particularly the knowledge of higher education, but also my own autobiography. There is no way to separate the academic me from the everyday me for we are an intertwined being. The knowledge I gained in school does not stop once I cross the stage and am handed my diploma. No, my academic story continues as it guides me through my career, my life, and my endless journey as a life-long learner.