My Bio

I have an MA and PhD in Educational Psychology and spent a couple of years after graduating as a Counseling Psychologist at a university counseling center. I felt that the level of contact with youth in distress was stressful and left to take a position as a research analyst in the Psychiatry Department at a university. I enjoyed the intellectual challenge and growth involved in mastering new analytic techniques but found the men in charge to be incredibly self-absorbed and unsupportive. The unfriendly environment eventually wore me down and I took a lateral position at another university only to find the same type of people working there. There was a great deal of competition and some subtle and not so subtle animosity toward women working as an anaylst. I pretty much just left and moved back to where my husband was living and working.

Since then, I have been engaged in all the interests that I had but could not pursue because I was always working. I enjoy quilting and have created a number of pieces that you can see on my MySpace photo album: myspace.com/betheganx010.
I have written a number of articles on Helium and eHow, some of which you can read if you go to the bethx010 profile in eHow.

Also, for the past two years, I have been the volunteer coordinator for the St. Louis Park Empty Bowls event. I’ve really enjoyed this responsibility mainly because I love all the people at STEP and the other volunteers with whom I get to work!

I also belong to a book club comprised of women on my street and enjoy reading and discussing great literature. I’ve also developed a passion for gardening.

Although I have enjoyed my three year hiatus, I am beginning to feel the need to generate an income. Unfortunately, I haven’t yet figured out what to do. I have so many interests and I’ve been out of the work force for a long time. I am hoping Encore can help me find a way back into a paid position that I find enjoyable and meaningful.