Emily E will work to provide hope for students

Do you remember the last time your mother or father picked you up as a child? Maybe not your parent, but it was someone who thought you were too small to stand on your own. I certainly do not, but my mother has always done things when I was shy or too afraid. This week I started my internship at City Mission Educational Services, and I did not expect to depend so much on my own knowledge and ability. I told my coordinator that I wanted to work with counseling students instead of teaching. As someone who is creative, he and I agreed I could do art therapy within their intervention office. However, I was unaware that it would totally be up to me to organize these exercises and meet with these students independently. I have never shadowed in a therapy session so I thought “How could I possibly run my own sessions?!” My first day entailed meeting with a few students with no art therapy involved--just me and the student. Afterwards, I felt myself emotionally drained and I lacked the drive to continue with anymore sessions that day. I felt totally helpless as I desperately tried to cheer them up--they smiled sometimes, but their eyes still reflected their strained circumstances. My first day with them has definitely pushed me to utilize my time at CMES because now I really want to make some impact on their thoughts and feelings about themselves and their circumstances. As I yearn for my mother and those who have supported me in my life, I hope I can provide some hope for the students at CMES that there are those that will keep them going too and looking toward the sun.

Table Mountain as viewed from Robben Island