Crisis Counseling for GC School: Diverse Paths to Building Psychosocial Skills - Taylor Salvigsen

When applying to GC programs, one common prerequisite or recommended component is crisis counseling experience. These experiences can help build foundational psychosocial skills, foster advocacy and resource awareness, and contribute to our personal growth. For many this may feel like an unfamiliar form of advocacy experience and perhaps uncomfortable at times, regardless of having lots of exposure and experience in this area or none at all (totally ok if the latter!). 

I personally put a lot of pressure on myself when exploring options to walk alongside others in hard moments because it felt like I didn’t know what I was doing (which was true at times) and let my own discomfort define what that could look like. This personal mindset really shifted when a mentor at an internship told me: “Advocacy is not something that can be taught, it’s something that must be lived”. 

That was a two-part lightbulb moment for me, because: 1. Counseling is not a solo journey- there are people to guide you and appropriate training in most cases! 2. I needed to recognize that all advocacy work is an opportunity to be teachable. Many of these skills are built through exposure and based on the unique experience someone has had that no preparation can predict. As I have gained experience in crisis counseling and am now in graduate school, where I can directly apply some of those skills and have a heightened sensitivity to others' lived experiences, I cannot emphasize enough how true that statement is. 

My journey before pursuing GC, consisted of involvement in respite care for children with intellectual and physical disabilities and working in on-campus peer counseling. After discovering GC as a career path, I intentionally sought out crisis counseling- specific opportunities, such as volunteering with Crisis Text Line. While the training was excellent and the experience invaluable, I never felt it was the right fit for me. Though it can feel guilt-inducing to acknowledge this about a volunteer experience, I believe it is important to connect with what personally speaks to us. We each have unique life stories that shape where we may find fulfillment and use our innate skills best. Eventually, I pivoted to facilitating peer support at a local grief center for children and their families. This environment allowed me to thrive and learn in ways that aligned with my passions, challenging me to grow that much more. 

A takeaway from my story would be that building psychosocial skills doesn’t have to look one specific way, and it can be specific to you. If you are currently pursuing or looking into experiences like these, you do not need multiple opportunities, but you should get involved in ways that are meaningful to you! This approach will not only make your journey more impactful but will also make your reflections on these experiences stand out in your GC application process. You’ll have a genuine, personal story to share. For example, my classmates pursued a variety of paths they were passionate about including: volunteering with the Trevor Project, volunteering at local domestic violence shelters, working with Covid-19 relief efforts, and helping at summer camps for individuals with genetic conditions- among others. All that to be said, the word “counseling” does not have to be in the name of what you choose to pursue to be growing psychosocial skillsets. There are countless opportunities out there that touch on empathy, listening skills, importance of body language etc., it’s not a one size fits all. 

On a final note, I strongly encourage approaching counseling and advocacy work as so much more than a pre-requisite. As with anything, an opportunity can often be what you make of it. For me it’s produced some of the most transformative moments in my education and personal life. It has truly only solidified my desire and equipped me to be in this field and I wish the same for you!