Question by AO099: How do you find confidence when you’re entering a masters program with no prior knowledge?
I’m entering a MS program in addiction counseling. I have no firsthand experience or secondhand experience with addiction. All I know is that I would really like to help people.
Best answer:
Answer by ownpool
Remember that the program has confidence that you can complete it, or you would not have been admitted.
I think you need to be careful to distinguish confidence from experience. If experience were a qualification, you probably would not have been admitted. So, experience is not a qualification.
Success in a program to learn a healing profession is not based on personal experience with disease or illness. It is based on understanding the treatment of the clients with whom you will work, under your instructor’s direction, during the program.
Give your answer to this question below!
Visit some open Alanon, AA, and NA meetings.
I am wondering why you chose that field. I am glad that you want to help people and I am sure that you will, but you will indeed need experiences to better understand the issues.
Read. Start with the big book of AA. Volunteer in shelters.
You are wise to feel a lack of confidence in your situation. I think that means that you understand that you need to learn more. That makes me feel that you will someday be a good counselor and help many.
If you were full of confidence now, I would be afraid that you would become one of those counselors who either babies his clients or who feels superior to them. Those counselors do not help people. I am glad that you are humble–not confident–and willing to admit it. Humility is a must in the field.
Just remember, “There but for the grace of God go I.”
It works if you work it!
God bless you!
“I have no firsthand experience or secondhand experience with addiction. All I know is that I would really like to help people.”
You should not be in this program if it is a legitimate Master’s. You would not be asking this question if you had a competent Bachelor’s degree grounding.