The start of something new brings the hope of something great! Welcome back my dear friends! It has been a while since my last blog. It is funny to say but I have missed school. I know that sounds crazy but I have missed the routine and structure of things. So, let’s catch up. I had a great winter break! It really went by so quickly. I enjoyed the time with family and friends. I went to several family functions and parties. I even got a chance to go to a friend’s Naija (aka Nigerian) proper engagement – so much fun!! During all of this I managed to still go to field twice a week (No work without play).

So this semester is going to be very important for me. This semester I get to declare my concentration. The form is online and very simple to fill out. I will also get to apply and pick my field placement for next year. My field placement for next year will be more specific to my concentration – mental health EAP (Employee Assistant program). The application is due February 1st.

For this spring I am taking the usually five classes, except two of my classes will be advance level classes (700 level). By the end of this semester I will have completed the 24 foundation level credits. So my class schedule for this semester as I mentioned earlier is as follows:

1. SOWK 631 – SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE II (Joan Pittman)
2. SOWK 641 – HUMAN BEHAVIOR II (Mindy Thiel)
3. SWCL 700 – PARADIGMS CLINICAL SW PRACTICE (Richard Schiff)
4. SWCL 744 – PSYCHOPATHOLOGY (Roger Friedman)

I am really excited about my Paradigms and Psychopathology class. From what I have seen from my first classes I think they will be very interesting, somewhat challenging classes. Both classes seem to be very geared toward a Social work Clinical concentration but I am MACO and clinical, we will see how that works out. My books for this semester are not as expensive as they were last semester so I get to save some money. For my Human Behavior II class, one of the two books we are using this semester is the same book we used last semester (Contemporary Human Behavior theory by Robbins). I have two new textbooks for Paradigms, Paradigms of Clinical Social Work Volume 2 and Crisis Trauma. Both books I got used for about $80.00 from Amazon. My Psychopathology class with Professor Friedman wins the award for the most books for one class this semester. The seven books (yes, I said seven), range in prices. Five of the seven were under $10.00 (Girl interrupted, Drama of the Gifted child, Joe Gould’s secret and Detour: My Bipolar Road Trip in 4 – D). The other two books, the DSM and Kaplan and Sadock’s Synopsis of Psychiatry were about $70.00 together. My psychopathology professor promises us that these books will be great resource guides. I will keep you posted. Okay my friends that is it for now. Please feel free to e-mail me with any questions or comments. Take care until next time.

- Stella

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