A new member of staff started at the TC (Therapuetic community) I'm in 3 full days a week.

I really don't know what to make of her. Me and others in the group have been honest with her about how we feel. I told her yesterday that she seems so fragile, like a little girl. I felt that she should be stronger. I said to her that I knew it was her first week and that it takes time for anyone to settle into TC, whether you are a staff member or a patient. I also said "I don't want to upset you but I'm worried about telling you how I feel incase you crumble" Boss T said "Maybe you want to upset her" I was a bit thrown by this at first (Boss T annoys me lol) and I asked him why I would want to upset her and he said maybe you want to test her. And I think yes I definetly want to test her, most patients test thier T's. I need to know if she's strong enough to hear what I have to say. I need a T to set clear boundaries with me. I felt guilty about what I had said, I still do to an extent.

We were all given the chance to meet with the prospective candidates for the Job and to ask them some questions and answer anything they had to ask. The majority of the group didn't feel she was right for the job, we told the rest of the staff this and she still got the job. So either we were just given the chance to meet with the candidates so it looked like we had a say in who was coming to work with us, or when she did have her formal interview she seemed very able to do the job. Or maybe the fact that the majority of us didn't really like her was a big reason why she got the job in the first place. I guess it is only her first week,I'm yet to get to know this woman and she doesn't know me either, and I may grow to really like her. The honest truth is I don't like her being there, I feel like she's intruding, she's not like the rest of the staff. I'm sure this is just part of my "stuff" but I know I'm not the only one feeling this way. If I was the only one then I would know it was just me being silly.

It just feels very uncomfortable, no one likes change, but it feels like she's not even trying. The TC has a very different way of working than other therapies.

I feel guilty for wanting her just to go away. I like to be able to be honest with the staff, it really helps when I am but as I say she just seems so scared and fragile and I'm scared to be completely honest with her. I don't want to be nasty, but she needs to learn just like the rest of us lol.

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