How to add my volunteer experience into my SOP?

[jlee306]

Howdy! I do volunteer work at a pregnancy center doing counseling. I am applying to Specialist in School Psychology programs and I'm not sure how to tie in this experience to how it will benefit me as a Licensed Specialist in School Psychology? These young women that I work with come into the center wanting pregnancy tests. Before they get the test, we have to sit them down and counsel them (trying to see what their current situations are and if they are planning on aborting, parenting, or adopting out). When I first started working there, I was real shocked to find out that many people think putting a baby up for adoption is worse than abortion. Since I was adopted, I do counseling for those who don't want a baby but feel guilty just thinking about putting their child up for adoption. I try to give them the perspective from the baby's point-of-view: me and my personal experience. Then I continue counseling them through the whole adoption process and help them to see that what they are doing is best for their child, depending on their unique situation. As a LSSP, I want to work with children helping them with their learning disabilities along with many other things. School Psychologist and School Counselors are two different things...if I were going to be a School Counselor, I could see how to tie this in. However, School Psychologist do do counseling, but it is just not the same. So if any of you have any advice on how I could tie this in, I would greatly appreciate it!