The chaos and unruliness of life can be reduced into the propensity to indulge and celebrate. A less individualistic addition to this paradigm is to bear one’s neighbors’ burdens, within reason. Everyone within a community has struggles, and all will have their turn both to bear and to be borne. People like Allison Arnekrans lead the way in promoting the narrative of communal aid and carrying out its mission.
Arnekrans has been a professor in the
Master of Arts in Counseling Program at
Central Michigan University for over a decade. Originally from Toledo, Ohio, Arnekrans moved to Mt. Pleasant to begin her professional career after receiving her Ph. D. in Counselor Education and Supervision from the University of Toledo. With Mt. Pleasant’s population being around one-tenth that of Toledo’s, Arnekrans has found value in the characteristics of a smaller community.
“There is something so valuable in being in a smaller community where you know your providers, feel the ‘village’ style support, and where seeing your colleagues and neighbors at events is possible,” says Arnekrans.
She elaborates on the merits of a close-knit community, stating the benefits of a culture of “belonging, familiarity, safety, and mutual support. I think that when people feel welcomed and valued for who they are and what they bring to the table, they’re more likely to invest in their surroundings and relationships.”
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Courtesy Allison Arnekrans
Arnekrans is familiar with the importance of feeling valued by your community, as that is precisely what led her to stay in the area after a brief period of doubt.
“I stayed [in Mt. Pleasant] because of the sense of community and belonging that has developed,” she says. “We have met more families going through the same stage of life as we are and that has helped to bridge some of the gaps of not having any family nearby.”
She expands on this to include her professional life, saying, “More specifically, I have stayed at CMU because I have felt supported, my talents have been valued, I have been invested in and mentored by many, and I enjoy who I work with.”
Arnekrans’ actions in both her professional and personal life serve to help others feel the same sense of peace and belonging that she has found.
This has not been easy, as Arnekrans says.
“[This year has been] particularly challenging given the political climate, uncertainty, and cuts in higher education,” Arnekrans explains. “It is tough to train counselors in a climate that is not super supportive of the field they are about to enter and have just invested years and over $50,000 into.”
Despite the hardship, Arnekrans has been a
leader for the program in its time of need, as enrollment in the program has increased by 56% in the last four years.
“I’ve found joy in holding space for students during the uncertainty, helping them to problem solve and advocate for themselves,” she shares. “To combat the stressors, I intentionally chose to invest and dive deeper into our program and our students instead of focusing on things out of my control.”
While it is difficult to control the exact outcome of a given action, one thing that an individual has complete dominion over is the intentionality of each action they take.
Arnekrans embodies this, saying, “A mentor once shared that in any role you hold, the goal is to leave it better than you found it. I strive to embody this by listening and being responsive where I can. I think we all want a place where we can grow and learn and feel safe doing so. If I can have even a tiny hand in that by volunteering, sharing, or supporting other people, I want to do that.”
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Courtesy Allison ArnekransAllison Arnekrans (pictured right), poses in Denver, CO as the CMU counseling program received national recognition as recipients of the NCACES Innovative Counselor Education Program Award.
Arnekrans’ actions reflect her words as she supports her students at CMU, her clients through her telehealth private-practice, and even complete strangers as she donates blood bi-monthly.
“At one point in my career I wanted to be a big deal – to publish nationally, present internationally, and be a household name in the counseling profession,” Arnekrans shares. “Through experience, reflection, and processing, I tailored that way down.
“I want to care for the people in front of me, bring people together through events and programs, and just be a good human at this point. My only goal is to be a servant leader and be responsive to needs. How, when, where, and why that gets done is transient.”