I'll explain why I asked and am crossing my fingers that nobody will become upset. I promise that I am a good person and have a good heart and would never intentionally hurt anyone.
I am a masters level social worker. In NYC I worked emergency rooms for years and when I moved out here I did some hospital work and then found a small community which I fell in love with and got a job in child protection services. Needless to say, cps is NOT my cup of tea and I desparately prayed to get out. I was amazingly blessed with a job in the same community in their mental health clinic. I am like wayyy GREEN and learning as fast as I can. I have been buying books like crazy and I put a ceramic toad on the table so that my clients could kiss it for luck if I can't help. Every time I get a new client I rush to my books or the internet and speed-read. I have never had children yet I am inhaling every parenting manual I can get my hands on because parenting issues are prevalent here. I have a desk full of glow sticks, candy, and fake tattoos for when I visit the adolescents in jail (part of my job). I know that adolescents are very symbolic and some of these kids cannot accept caring except via a silly fake tattoo. I have so many questions and clearly so much to learn and I honestly don't know where to go to admit when I feel so silly (like when I find myself totally admiring my client). I am hoping that I can come here. I promise not to betray confidences. Mostly I want to share my fears of suddenly being in the "other chair" and learn how to do this job as best possible. To top it all off, I really want to be GOOD....believe me, this little community deserves GOOD...not a surrogate savior...but someone who impacts and makes a difference...and cares. So I have this huge task ahead of me and am hoping that it will be okay if I post once in awhile.
Thanks
Karen