Avoidance-Avoidance Conflict

Some smart psych guy figured out that humans have three types of conflict that create stress...approach-approach conflict, avoidance-avoidance conflict and approach-avoidance conflict. Approach-approach is the most desirable type of conflict to have because no matter your ultimate decision, the outcome will be positive. Approach-avoidance conflict is likely the most common type of conflict we face and its the weighing of the pros and cons of our decisions for each direction has its positives and negatives. And then there is avoidance-avoidance conflict which is the rock and the hard place, the most stressful sort of conflict in which there is no desirable outcome to be found.

Unemployment, job hunting, moving, and the decisions that come with it in my particular situation is mostly avoidance-avoidance. None of the decisions have a positive outcome right now, other than the ultimate goal of getting employment.

I have a BA in Psych and and MA in Psych. In the US, these are respectable degrees that get jobs in mental health and addictions without too much fuss. Generally, a graduate degree is necessary if one wants to make more than $20 an hour though. Yes there is an exam and licensure to be done in most states but this isnt unattainable by any means and there are plenty of entry level jobs where the appropriate supervision and steps towards licensure are found. Before moving to Canada, I did some basic research and found that the requirements for professional work are not that different and that my degree would be useful here as well. Of course, when I went to school and decided on my program I was looking at my future in the US, not anywhere else. I know that my degree is making my fellow grads very successful in the US in their chosen areas of work.

In Ontario, the Social Work degree is stroked lovingly and most jobs in mental health are looking for a BSW or MSW degree. Social workers manipulate the system, moving people, advocating, case management. At least that is their training. However, in Ontario at least, they have evolved into counsellors that offer services beyond their scope. I have way more experience and actual training in mental health, addictions and appropriate therapy techniques than brand-new BSW grads and yet I'm being passed up because I have the wrong letters. To register with my MA in the SW college requires me to have supervision under a social worker and "competence in core areas of social work." To register my MA in the psych college, I need to have supervision under a psychologist and then I'll be autonomous but this takes several years. Both of these options mean I need a job under said social worker or psychologist....see the problem? Cant get registered without a job, cant get a job without registration.


So what does one do with 2 degrees, 6 years of schooling, several years experience and 100k in debt? Here are my options...any thoughts you may have are appreciated.


1. Get registered with the SW college one of two ways...try to find the one job that doesnt require registration right away (virtually impossible because BSW or MSW grads can walk out of school and get registered whereas I have to do all this extra garbage to prove my "competence") and work under a social worker to get registered. This may not work either, I've known a person that tried to go this route and was still denied registration despite working in social work for many years. Getting registered with the psych college is useless at this point...MA candidates will be phased out of getting registered in that college and only doctoral candidates will be registered.


2. Go back to school to get the "right" letters (a BSW) and then get registered. This burns my ass to no end. I cant afford it in time or money and it just really pisses me off that I even have to do this when its the SAME thing (and I have more, thankyouverymuch). I am in major anger mode when I even entertain this idea. It would likely take me 1-2 years to do it hopefully I would be able to transfer a number of my credits...but its the principle of it all. I do not need another series of letters behind my name, the ones I have should be more than good enough. The only way I would consider going back to school is for a doctorate in psych but thats even more time and money and still not certain it would work out to anything.

3. Change my career path completely. This makes me all sorts of angry and sad and depressed. I am very good at my work, it is my passion and I've worked so hard. I also feel that I havent been able to get really established in a long-term position in the field so to throw in the towel now is just frustrating. I have NO IDEA what other career I would even want to do or what I would be good at doing. It is unbelievably scary to even entertain this option. I'm not ready and I dont think I ever will be...but the longer I'm on the outs, the harder it will be to get back.

At this point we are also being forced to move which DH has been fighting for awhile. He's finally come to the realization that we need to move for both of us to be working. My DH is trained in computers and education and he's bilingual...he's golden no matter where we go in the province. Its me that is slowing us down and our town is just not working anymore. We dont want to move...we've been in our home for only two years, we'll take a big hit when we sell. Hopefully by moving and getting us both working, this will be a temporary financial blip. We have an awesome circle of friends here, finally after 4 years I feel like I fit in up here. DH's family is a mere 90 minutes away and we spend a great deal of our time with them. Its scary to think about moving but its scarier to think about what could happen to me, us, our home, our finances and our marriage if something doesnt change soon.

Oh and here is a sobering statistic that CBC The National reported the other night....the unemployment rate for immigrants in Canada is 14%, double the national average. Boy that really gets me all giddy and hopeful inside....





Next...The Fight (for real this time)....