How Continuing Education Saved My Life

HOW CONTINUING EDUCATION SAVED MY LIFE

From the time I was a small child I was profoundly influenced by my family’s passion for continuing education. Not only my parents, but my aunts, uncles, cousins and close family friends placed a premium on the pursuit of new ideas. It’s nearly impossible to count the collection of professional degrees and mind boggling successes that are warehoused among my people. How you put your tools into action was the stuff that you are admired for. Entrepreneurialism, thinking out of the box, creative networking, fascinating personal and professional networks, being socially and politically aware, reading the daily newspaper and watching the news were all natural bi-products of the passionate pursuit of one’s continuing educational endeavors.

Dinner conversation, at any family member’s house, is often loud, animated, filled with laughter countered with hot debate. I never fail to learn something new and always walk away being profoundly grateful that we belong to one another.

When I tanked on alcohol and emerged from treatment in 2000, I returned home depressed, deflated and friendless. I had made the commitment in treatment to give up my old network of drinking and cavorting girlfriends and had nothing to replace them with. I had never before traveled without a posse. I was so fragile and felt so alone. I, of course, immersed myself in AA but still felt adrift.

So I did what I knew how to do…continue my education. I went back to school.

I studied like crazy to pass those hideous graduate entrance exams. I applied to Graduate School in Community Counseling and got in. I worked all day, six days a week, went to grad school at night , cross trained in a multitude of specialties, and raised three kids as a single mom. I did this for four straight years. I battled my depression, fought exhaustion, learned how to cope with the stresses and strains of parenting, and slowly made new friends, all in sobriety and in school. Immersed in the excitement of learning, the possibilities of life opened up to me in a way that I never would have expected or predicted. In 2005, I opened up my private practice in addiction intervention and behavioral health crisis management. The rest is history.

Like the phoenix rising from the ashes, I was reborn. I was back. Bigger and better than ever.
So that’s my story on how continuing education saved my life. Because of my relentless pursuit of knowledge I’m able to reinvent myself anytime that I want. And now, I want to share this gift with you.

I am dedicating a very large portion of my time to promoting The Field Model of Intervention. It’s the first clinical and crisis oriented model of intervention available online. Additionally, I’ve founded the International Institute for Intervention Studies (3IS) which will be devoted to bringing the best in continuing education products and services to intervention, addiction and behavioral health professionals. I, of course, continue to serve those in need through my direct service intervention work with families.

No matter where you are in your life, whether you’re out of work, in a job that you’ve outgrown, feeling stagnant and apathetic or just want to expand your marketability or knowledge base, I urge you blaze your own continuing educational trail.

Why don’t you start with learning something about intervention?

It’s the fastest growing field within the addiction specialty. There certainly isn’t any shortage or people or families in crisis. We need really good, qualified, credentialed people out there on the front lines that are devoted to saving the sick and suffering from inevitable, horrible outcomes.

Join the ranks of the fast growing Field Interventionists. Become certified today…on your own time and at your own pace.

Be well. Learn and Prosper.

Jane

www.interventioncourses.com
www.3isonline.com
www.realifeinterventions.com
jane.mintz@realifeinterventions.com
jane@3isonline.com