Pam Rothman, MS, NCC, LPC, CCTP
It’s taken me a long time to get here. When I was a kid, my dream job was to be an illustrator. I started drawing when I was two. Everyone told me I had a talent and a gift, so I thought I had to be some type of artist. Fast forward all those gross adolescent years where teenage angst was in full swing and I was completely out of control. I got into art school but was absolutely miserable. How could this be? This was my life’s calling! My hobby became a chore, so I left. I wound up going back to school for journalism since I always liked to write. After graduation, I bounced from job to job due to getting fired because of my bad attitude and ongoing feeling of wanting more.
Since I was unemployed during the recession, I volunteered at a local mental health group. I seemed to play the role of therapist to my friends, and due to my upbringing, I knew more than I liked to admit. I felt like I finally had the purpose I was looking for. After three years of job hunting, I took the first job I could find. During that time, I made an appointment at Holy Family University’s graduate admissions to see what it would take to go back to school. There’s just no way to swing working a full-time job and grad school. I felt defeated, but I kept it in mind while I’m miserable at this new job. But, surprise! I got fired from that job, too. I signed up for prerequisite classes the next day in pajamas, and got into grad school by the following semester. I would love to say how much I adored grad school, but school is not my favorite. Sure, I learned a lot and had some great professors, but it became redundant. I was restless and ready to start interning. No amount of education can prepare students for practicing in their field, and my internship was incredible. I was worried that my previous brush with the legal system would interfere with landing an internship, so I applied to an inpatient rehab, which then hired me full time as a case manager. I worked my way up to a therapist then a supervisory role, and was in my element working with people who came from nothing and often court mandated. I like to think my clients and I got along well because I treated them as human beings and not criminals or victims. The link I found with repeated substance use disorder clients was often their unprocessed trauma. I pursued additional trainings, and now specialize in addiction and trauma. Over time, I discovered that my clients felt heard and that the long journey it took to get here was worth it.
pam@modernbehavioral.com
Phone Number
