2.3.09

One step ahead


The longer I'm a therapist the more I realize that I am just one step ahead of my clients. The margin is scarily narrow. It's like God sends me the information I'm gonna need just the day before I need it.  And I find myself working in themes like: positive outlook, mourning, creating an identity. And I stick with them for, like, a whole week. 
And sometimes the angel that is supposed to send the message gets swamped and I'm not ahead of my clients at all. Case in point, I told one of my clients that if he was going to throw a fit he should get down on the ground. He then pointed out that when I got a little upset in group therapy, I did not throw my tantrum on the ground. And he was right. I threw my tantrum standing up. Client 1: Megan 0. 
And with all of my insecurities and the sure knowledge that I am winging most of what I do, I have moments where my clients let me know I haven't completely messed them up. Today a mom whose son is discharged wrote to me about the struggles of having her son home. At the end of her email she just wrote, We miss you. *Wipe the tear.* 
We are all doing the best we can. And we're all still just working at it. We're just people.
We should only judge those stupid enough to end up on TV. ;)

5 comments:

xantogal said...

I hope you don't mind me reading your blog :) I miss you and reading what you post makes me happy!

Anonymous said...

"We should only judge those stupid enough to end up on TV." This is hilarious, and my new motto.

xox

aisy said...

Hey, where did you take that cool picture!?!?! And who took that cool picture?!?!?!

I tell my kids (ahem, clients) all the time that I'm not perfect either... and thank goodness. And you know what? I think the kids love it when they can see that we are all working on something. Without naming names, I remember one kid talking about a particular teacher and how he loved that she was "crazy too". Made some of the kids glad to know that they weren't the only ones with issues. ha!

haley said...

loved this post. reminds me of my own job...you know the one where I manage people? If I was to blog about this same thing, my title would be "one step behind." still love it thought.

Jenny said...

At least you aren't one step behind them...