Dallas Social Worker Counts On Education To Help Students
Lisa Landry, LCSW is an "at risk" counselor at Alvarado High School. She handles crisis intervention (suicidal students) and works on conflict resolution with kids. She helps students that suffer from panic attacks and those that have issues with a teacher or issues with at home. Landry also has a private practice, and earned a bachelor's and master's degree in social work from University of Texas at Arlington.
Why did you pursue a master's degree?
"I was working in the health care industry in a job where I wasn't getting any satisfaction. I wanted to open a private practice in clinical social work. You need to be licensed and have master's degree to practice clinical social work. I was an adult-returning student starting my bachelor's degree when I was 29 years old. I went straight through, earning my bachelor's degree and my master's degree."
What would you tell someone who is considering returning to school to earn a master's degree?
"It was a hard, scary decision. I wasn't a good high school student. I had a learning disability that wasn't diagnosed until my senior year in college. I was a good student in college but for some reason when my friends would study for a half an hour, it would take me three hours to study the same material. Earning a master's degree is the best decision you will ever make. It is all about determination, perseverance and desire. Find your passion and go after it."
What was the biggest challenge you faced when pursuing your master's degree?
"Presentations and speaking in public were my biggest challenge. There is a lot of writing and presentations in school. I almost didn't get my master's degree because of it. I kept telling myself I couldn't do it. I finally told myself, I have to do this. This is what I want to do for a living so I either need to do it or I need to quit and quitting wasn't an option."
What was the biggest reward for earning the master's degree?
"The feeling of success – I am finally doing what I wanted to do. My self-esteem was built up throughout the six years it took for me to earn my degrees. I proved to myself that I could do it. I felt validated."
Robin D. Everson is a native Chicagoan who resides in Dallas, Texas. Her appreciation for art, food, wine, people and places has helped her become a well-respected journalist. A life-long lover of education, Robin seeks to learn and enlighten others about culture. You can find her work at Examiner.com