Karen Schmidt, MSE, NCC, LPC
I began my career 30 years ago as a special education teacher and enjoyed working with my students. Reflecting back I realize my goal, even then, was to help my students see their inner most beauty. I left the education arena to raise four children and I'm most grateful for their presence in my life. We can learn as much from our children as they can from us.
For fifteen years I served as an educator, activity director and campus minister. Often times people would end up sitting in my office wanting to "talk" and frequently I would say, "I'm not a counselor" and make a referral. It took a few years, but I eventually figured out my calling in life was to be a counselor.
I obtained my graduate degree from the University Wisconsin-Oshkosh in December of 2008 and have completed all requirements to be a Licensed Professional Counselor. I loved my work, and sought to help clients "enter their castle" and understand and appreciate their behaviors without judgement. We explored new thoughts and ideas as we grew together.
I closed my private counseling practice to take on the directorship at Project Success, a division at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh. In this capacity, I was able to help college students, diagnosed with Dyslexia, to examine their behaviors and beliefs that held them back from achieving their goals. I take great pride in the accomplishments of the students and staff I was honored to call my team.
During this time, my own castle began to crumble and I grumbled! I lost my about to recall information, speech was becoming difficult and I often taught classes lying on the floor due to back pain. It took many medical tests and lots of self-advocating to discover I have a very rare stress induced cancer.
This cancer is a hum-dinger! You would not know I was sick if you met me. I have no outward signs of this disease, but if you knew me well, you would see how I begin to crumble under any exertion. I easily lose my speech and my ability to recall any information. I tire under the slightest exception, happy or otherwise.
If it wasn't for my knowledge and ability to engage in castle work; my ability to adapt to new thoughts, behaviors and appreciate new ways of being ... I would be dead or severely depressed.
What I offer you now is my path, my understanding, my knowledge of adapting in a way that is not a working theory or a lesson plan. Castle work is my daily life.
May my life inspire you to examine and maintain your own castle.
For fifteen years I served as an educator, activity director and campus minister. Often times people would end up sitting in my office wanting to "talk" and frequently I would say, "I'm not a counselor" and make a referral. It took a few years, but I eventually figured out my calling in life was to be a counselor.
I obtained my graduate degree from the University Wisconsin-Oshkosh in December of 2008 and have completed all requirements to be a Licensed Professional Counselor. I loved my work, and sought to help clients "enter their castle" and understand and appreciate their behaviors without judgement. We explored new thoughts and ideas as we grew together.
I closed my private counseling practice to take on the directorship at Project Success, a division at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh. In this capacity, I was able to help college students, diagnosed with Dyslexia, to examine their behaviors and beliefs that held them back from achieving their goals. I take great pride in the accomplishments of the students and staff I was honored to call my team.
During this time, my own castle began to crumble and I grumbled! I lost my about to recall information, speech was becoming difficult and I often taught classes lying on the floor due to back pain. It took many medical tests and lots of self-advocating to discover I have a very rare stress induced cancer.
This cancer is a hum-dinger! You would not know I was sick if you met me. I have no outward signs of this disease, but if you knew me well, you would see how I begin to crumble under any exertion. I easily lose my speech and my ability to recall any information. I tire under the slightest exception, happy or otherwise.
If it wasn't for my knowledge and ability to engage in castle work; my ability to adapt to new thoughts, behaviors and appreciate new ways of being ... I would be dead or severely depressed.
What I offer you now is my path, my understanding, my knowledge of adapting in a way that is not a working theory or a lesson plan. Castle work is my daily life.
May my life inspire you to examine and maintain your own castle.
