People Are a Process, Not a Product
Manage episode 400263609 series 3551159
Sam Bultman is an LCC Academic Advisor where he helps students plan their academic journey through college and beyond. Sam is also a licensed professional counselor who works part-time in mental health counseling. He defines his background as “blue-collar” and talks about the difficulty in being the first person in his family to go to and graduate from college.
Some of the things he learned through those first few years of college proved challenging. Jim points out that it’s not always easy to stay motivated toward goals which are as abstract as a college diploma; it’s hard to see, semester by semester, the actual progress one is making toward that big goal. Sam suggests that we keep reminding ourselves, working toward abstract goals, of our purpose and passion for the goal we are attaining to.
Like many guests on this podcast, when prompted Sam responds that the main need he sees as fundamental to ensure good mental health is person-to-person human connection. He recommends getting involved in groups who share a similar interest be it sports, hobbies, or intellectual interests. Both Jim and Sam recognize that, given today’s social media and other technologies, it’s probably easier now than ever to find a group to connect with, but is in other ways more difficult given the changes in social mores and traditions for how to start a new relationship. The Covid-19 pandemic has certainly made this even more difficult.
Sam concludes the discussion around the topic of pain, and what it’s like to help walk someone through their trauma, pain, or whatever difficulty they may be stuck holding onto. His experience is that many people have become, unfortunately, accustomed to their pain and would sometimes rather stay there than risk moving forward. However, a good counselor can help inspire and guide someone out of their pain and into a new life.
- Internal Family Systems, Richard Schwartz, IFS Institute
- Student Clubs and Organizations, LCC Student Life
- Spark, Timothy Jorgensen, Princeton University Press
16 episodes