It’s time for a new career — but don’t worry the column is sticking around
By Kelly Hockenberry, Columnist, The Times
2015 will be a very exciting year!
I have made the decision (with the love and support of my family) to go back to school to get my Master’s degree in Psychology. Over the course of my family law career, I have been haunted by the devastating effects of divorce on children. I want to be an advocate, this time for the innocent bystanders who have not asked to be a part of the litigation between their parents.
It was not an easy decision to make. I have already spent thousands of dollars and toiled countless hours (and shed a fair amount of tears) getting my J.D. and passing the bar exam. Thankfully, I did that part when I was young and childless. I can’t imagine how I would have survived. This time around, I have a husband and two teenage boys to contend with. Yikes! I think I should add a crockpot cookbook to my list for Santa and make a “chore chart” to hang in the laundry room.
Am I nervous? You bet. The workload is sure to be intense. It has been a looooooong time since I have had homework or exams. My kids are looking forward to this part, as you might imagine. They can’t wait to tell ME to “turn off the TV” or “stop looking at my phone.”
January is the perfect time to start fresh, don’t you think? The blank slate of a new year is ripe with opportunity. With my older son headed to college in the fall of 2016, it feels like now or never! Getting my degree in counseling will enable me to have a favorable influence on the lives of kids who so often feel unheard or misunderstood. My goal is to give children in this difficult transition a safe place to express their frustration and sadness. I look forward to learning how to effectuate positive change in the midst of such turmoil.
It feels a little bit like standing on the ledge, waiting to bungee jump (not that I would EVER do that in a billion years). I am scared, excited and exhilarated to make the leap. Thankfully, I have a great team behind me to give the push I (desperately) need.
Don’t worry. I will still be writing my article every week. I’ll just be doing it in my hoodie, black yoga pants and UGG boots, like a true college student.
Happy Weekend!
