The title probably has you asking yourself “what the f*** is psychoeducation?” To put it simply, psychoeducation is the process of providing information and education to those seeking, or receiving, mental health services. Basically it is mental health teaching or counseling.
So probably the next question or comment you have is “how I am qualified to do this job when I, myself, have mental health problems.”
It’s no secret that a company cannot not hire because of a mental illness that doesn’t deem you incapable of working. So even with my problems, because I’m deemed capable of working, I can. I was actually surprised to find out just how many of the people I work with actually have mental illnesses themselves. Through work, I’ve actually found that having anxiety, depression, and panic disorder helps me relate to the people I see.
Since COVID there has been an increase in anxiety in everyone. Children are included in this. Kids are self conscious of those around them. The point of the program is to pair a high school student with an elementary student and have the high school student set an example and encourage the elementary student.
When I’m in schools doing programs, I always have music playing in the background while the students do their activities. I didn’t realize how the music acted like a ‘wall of protection’ to the students who talk during the programs. I forgot my speaker one day and for the hour of program, the only sound was the sound of markers and scissors. I realized that the students used the music as a way to privatize their conversations from others in the room.
There are many days when I count down to my vacation days or even the weekend. There are also many days that I feel like throwing in the towel. Mental illness makes me feel burnt out faster. Some days I’m excited to teach an SEL (Social Emotional Learning) lesson and other days I don’t want to leave the house.
But like I said before, my mental illness experiences help me relate to the clients I see. I can sympathize with what my clients are experiencing because I, myself, have had a similar experience usually. Take anxiety for example. During a discussion with one of my youth clients one day, we began talking about long distance traveling. She stated that she likes to travel and usually visits places for the architecture. She doesn’t like high tourist dense locations.
When we were talking I asked her, “Are you someone who has to have a plan or do you go with the flow?”
Almost immediately she answered, “I could never travel without a plan.”
She went on to say that having a plan makes her feel safe and following the plan keeps her anxiety at bay.
I can relate to that as well. I also need to have a plan but also at least two back up’s in case something doesn’t work out. The saying “Hope for the best but prepare for the worst,” describes how I travel.
That is just one example. There have been countless times within the last 18 months that I have had to draw from my own experiences in order to make others see the progress they can make. I know that a major rule in working in psychoeducation is to not share too much of your personal life with clients. However, you have to give a little, to gain the trust, to receive a lot over time.
To My Anxiety 
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