Reflection on Genogram, personal narrative and resume project.

This week, we submitted our Genogram projects along with our career narratives and personal resumes. In completing these three projects, I learned some important things that I would like to share within the confounds of this learning space.

The personal meaning that I was able to derive from completing this assignment was a better appreciation for where I come from, in terms of my family history and the careers some of them chose.  I was able to recognize that my career choice of becoming a therapist would not have been possible without some of the choices my immediate family (my grandfather and especially my dad) had made long before I was even born.

While completing the genogram, I noticed a few patterns. The first pattern was that I was able to see that I come from a long line of hard workers.  Many of my relatives on my dad’s side of the family were coal miners, because the county that I come from is known for being “coal country.” Coal is in abundance where I live, and about 70 years ago it was a thriving and booming place to live. The common types of jobs that were around back then, were the coal miners, the truck drivers (who would drive the coal) and different labor-intensive jobs like factory workers and lumber work.  

On my mom’s side, I noticed patterns of business owners and managers, which is also really neat to see. My great grandfather Dominick came over from Northern Italy and began a coal breaker business. He was a very good and honest man and always treated everyone with respect. That was the family business. Most of the men on my mother’s side went to work at the breaker.

I am very proud of the background that I come from. I know that I wouldn’t be where I am today without the sacrifices of my grandfather, Michael Tarson, my dad’s father. It was my grandfather that pushed my dad to have something better in his life and so he encouraged him to go to college. My dad was a first generation college graduate and it did make a difference. My dad will continue to tell anyone that listens of the story about how he worked through his entire college career, but he made it work and he graduated in four years with a degree. He says, “The degree opens doors for more experience.”  My dad has always encouraged me and supported me through school. When I graduate, I will be a first generation Master’s degree holder. I think that is pretty cool.