Nakkula and Toshalis (2010) Reflection

From Nakkula and Toshalis (2010) Chap 2 which is what we were assigned to read this week, context mapping is used as a tool between the psychologist Mitch and adolescent Julian. Context mapping is used as a tool when dissecting issues within one's world that could be directly or indirectly involved at the core of a presenting problem. Because once Julian opens up, he mentions his mom, home, dad, and other components that sound all over the place, a visual map makes an understanding easier. I linked the all of the result images that come up when searching for a context map on Google because it can look like many different things and is used in different fields for groupings of items for various audiences. I like lists better than I like the jumbled circle venn diagram look so I listed what mine might contain below:

1. Home Depot                            2. Home                      3. My Aunt's farm

• supervisor Beth                                     homemaker                horse caretaker (Jasmine, Zoe)
• customers                                              partner to Jamie           farm hand
• other associates/my cashier team                                              dog sitter  (Kizmet,Diego)
• store manager Steve

The four identities described by the authors are foreclosed, diffuse, moratorium, and achieved.

     Foreclosed identity- one that assumed as one's only option given their circumstances or opportunities available to him/her. This individual would be committed to this way of being without exploring carefully or experimenting w/ alternatives.

     Diffuse identity- Individuals who fall under this one category are what I like to call followers, not leaders. They have little exploration or active consideration of a particular identity and no psychological commitment to one. They're easily influenced by others and often change rapidly from one belief or representation to another to fit into changing contexts.

     Identity Moratorium- This is a developmental state that I first came across in my Developmental Psych course required at CCRI, This is when an individual experiences a crisis of identity with no commitment, usually happens during college years or when an individual goes off in the armed forces.

     Achieved Identity- This stage occurs after the identity crisis is resolved and the commitment to the selected identity is high, It's like perfect integration, Needs from the past, within the present, and into the future display self-acceptance and ego strength across the contexts.

Taking Inventory on Myself

This week's inventory task made me feel like I changed my own perspective on youth work since the last time I took the quiz as a written sort of thing in the Spring. What I learned in relation with how I am around other people including friends which I believe could have been taken after family members is I feel like I need to be there for the youth that need a tour guide. I was going to go with the word fixing but I didn't find that appropriate. Learning I am aligned with Risk, Resiliency, and Prevention, I would be focused on decreasing rates of teen pregnancy, school failures, and gang violence. Those are just some of the things that youth are at risk for.
                                                          To me, the result of this inventory horoscope activity makes sense because I am the friend that tries to look for ways and words in which I can inspire change in particular friends who might be going through something all the time. They just don't know how to think about their life situation differently. For at risk youth, I think this starts with creating a safe space. Interestingly enough, my Toolbox will be around how to foster a safe space for my youth group that I might be working with. Cutting back on pregnancy rates, violence, and substance abuse amongst teens is not something that is going to happen overnight. I am pretty sure that is why there is a whole core value system and philosophy which youth workers may fall under to practice towards.