*From here proceeds an extremely disjointed thought process of mine. Please read at your own risk of having your brain explode while trying to follow along my crazy ways.
Fact: I am a therapist.Fact: I am a new therapist.
Fact: I am a new, scared out of my mind, flying by the seat of my pants, therapist.
hmmmmmmm
Sometimes I wonder why I wanted to be a social worker. Why couldn't I have chosen a career that didn't involve so many people's lives? Why couldn't I be content to do a job that didn't involve hurt and sorrow and PEOPLE! My goodness sometimes it drives me nuts how much I have to interact with my clients. They don't listen to me (and I know what's best, let me tell you!) and they have their dang agency to mess up any sense of order I bring into their worlds. Down with agency I say!
But without agency, I wouldn't have a job now would I?
Without people I definitely wouldn't have a job...
And without people I wouldn't have wanted to be a social worker. I became a social worker because growing up the thing that made me feel the best was service. Helping people. Playing with kids, being aware of the ones who are a little bit different.
I always got seated next to those kids in elementary school. I liked helping.
People. They're so messy.
We all are though, aren't we? Even us who are perfectly put together. We have stories. We have experiences that are hard. Feelings are feelings. Even if you don't think what that person is going through is all that hard compared to the abuse and extreme suffering throughout the world... it's still his/her suffering. And that is completely valid. And messy.
Messy...
I am a neat freak. Ask my husband (don't ask my parents, I didn't come into this neat freak-ness until I moved away to college... and it somewhat disappeared during the summer when I went home). I like to take messes and make them neat and organized. I like the challenge.
Thus....
Fact: I like people.
Fact: I like messy people (in my professional life mind you!)
Fact: I like messy, agency filled people with whom I can use my neat freak nature and natural tendency to be a helper to change lives.
Change.
That doesn't mean "make perfect." I can't make people perfect. I'm not perfect, so I don't know how I could make someone else perfect when I'm so lacking. But I can initiate change... and I can help maintain that change... usually for the better.
And in conclusion!
Life as a therapist is hard because of the messy, agency filled people, BUT, life as a therapist is good because of the messy, agency filled people who let me help so I can feel good.
It's all selfish really.
3 comments:
Hi Cutie! A few thoughts... By Elder Wirthlin, "The Lord did not people the earth with a vibrant orchestra of personalities only to value the picolos of the world." We are all unique and we all have our set of challenges to overcome. Draw on your background of life experiences and include the Lord even in your work process and I know you will come to the answers you seek. Yes, agency is a pain -what until you have children! At the same time there is nothing more emotionally and spiritually rewarding than seeing a person change their life for the better. just because you do not see progress (or more likely regression), remember the Lord has been trying to teach His children the few EXACT same principles for thousands of years and most still do not understand or apply it! The challenge for those who attempt to help others is the emotional investment. Separate the person from the problem but use your understanding of the person to help them solve their problems. Remember you will never be able to solve it yourself. All you can do is show them the path to a better way and encourage them to be motiviated to change. Empathy is tough because if you had none you would not be good at your job. The challenge mentally is to check those emotions from work outside the door of your apartment or else it will consume your life. As you gain more experiences in your field you will see patterns, and while you should not adopt a cookie cutter approach it will give you insight. Wish I could give you a hug right now but that is Dan's job. Love ya and always there for you! Daddio
Hey! I love you and I appreciate the work and education you have. :) You're a rockstar therapist and I'm sure your clients adore you. Muah!
Awww...you're daddyman is so deep.
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