Skip to main content

Forums » Smalltalk » AMA ~ Orthopedagogic Counselor

Hi everyone! I'm so excited to be participating in the living library event once more. This year I'll be talking about a subject that has always been close to heart for me and that has recently taken center stage in my life: Orthopedagogic Counseling.

I am sure this will be far from the most important or interesting subject out there during this event but... here we go.

On September 21st this year, I chose to re-enroll in college. I am 24 years old and for the last 6 years, I've been dabbling in all kinds of jobs ever since I left high school. None of these jobs have been what I'd hoped they would be and they weren't giving me the satisfaction I was hoping to feel. Eventually I decided to do what had to be done: get the proper degree for the kind of job I'd really like to do: Orthopedagogic Counseling!

Insert usual reaction here...

If this is your response to those words then don't worry. I do not have enough fingers to count how often I've been asked what it means ever since I started studying. Now obviously, I am in my first year and I still have a lot to learn but let's start with the basics and see how far that takes us. After that, I'll do my best to answer more questions based on the little experience I have and the things I've learned so far.

Orthopedagogic Counseling is taking care of other people. Sounds simple, doesn't it? Well, it's a little more than that but in it's core... it means taking care of people based on their individual needs to the best of your ability.

In my field, we take care of those that need a little more care or guidance than usual. We specialize in taking care of those with higher or more specific needs. This is a very wide and broad range. Within my field, there are counselors who offer care to kids as well as youths and adults.

Those we take care of can have mental health issues as well as struggle with addiction, have physical disabilities, have light to heavy mental disabilities or otherwise struggle with daily life and can use some support in daily activities.

We can be found in psychiatric hospitals, special needs schools, caring homes, homes for the elderly, institutions for people with disabillities, boarding schools or individual homes. In theory, this goes for any place that has individuals with additional needs and in reality, it is even more wide of a range.

Aside from that, we can also help and support those with immigration backgrounds to help them adjust to their new life, new cultures and new languages. The list is endless.

So that is the basic idea- but of course there is more that I'm happy to share based on questions any of you might have.

Disclaimer: college life has me pretty busy and exams are coming up so responses might have a slight delay but I'll do my best to keep up. Without further ado: ask me anything!

You are on: Forums » Smalltalk » AMA ~ Orthopedagogic Counselor

Moderators: Mina, Keke, Cass, Claine, Sanne, Dragonfire, Ilmarinen, Darth_Angelus