[adel34]

Hi Everyone,
It's been crazy this past week getting used to the day program.
The worst part is how far away it is. I'm starting to realize that even without transfering paratransit vans it is still a good hour away. Just so much time in the car, it's tiring.
I'm having to leave the house before seven in the morning, (yesterday I was out the door at six thirty!)and days where I leave the program at two I usually don't get home until after four. It's exhausting doing this day after day. Which is why I didn't come in today. I need a day to myself.
The good news is I was assigned a case manager yesterday, who in the five minutes I saw her to be introduced she seemed nice. We were planning on meeting today, but then I didn't go in today. So hopefully we'll meet on Monday. We're gonna sit down with the group schedule and really priortize which groups are most important and what I can take or leave for now.
I like most of the groups, especially art therapy. I've made some cool stuff there already.
I think the wellness management and recovery and wellness recovery planning will be very helpful. And the staff that does that last one is very upbeat.
I did go to the CBT/DBT group on Wednesday. I think I've decided to wait and only go to the DBT part which will be in about a month. I can't stand the CBT part and told the staff member who understood.
The journaling group was weird. We have to do this life writing thing where we can only write about positive things. It's actually an ok idea, you write about a positive topic and then you can see what that story says about good qualities you have as a person. I've just taken poetry/writing therapy courses in the past, and know there are lots of other techniques that are also valid, such writing about painful things and having that be contained in the journal, and the power of sharing that with others. This staff member's strict rule that you can't write about anything negative at all I think is kind of extreme and not a balanced view to take. And especially for a lot of the other members I observed them having a really hard time coming up with anything at all positive to write, obveously we're in this program because we're overwhelmed by life.
In any case, I don't know if I'll end up going to that group right now anyway. Thursdays is a short day there due to staff meetings and so maybe that'll be a staying home day for me.
I keep thinking about whether once I do get my medicade card if I should switch programs, due to how far away this one is. Also I've noticed a lot of nice people there that I could become friends with, yet they're not from near where I live which would be hard. You know in terms of getting together and whatever. It would be less stressful travil wise if I went to a closer place. On the upside, where I am now has a really cozy feel, I like most of the staff and other members and how flexible the program is. Plus I'm not sure if medicade would pay for this program I'm at now (retroactively) and then also pay for a new one. So I don't know. Guess I'll figure it out when the time comes.
Finally, I wanted to let you all know that both places where I was on a waiting list for therapy interns have openings so I'll actually get to pick!
That's all for now. I have to go get ready to meet with the social worker who comes to my facility.
Talk to you later.

[Wren_]

sounds like some good stuff going on with all of that; the only writing positive things part seems interesting ... and that's great you like the case worker

Wow, that's a lot going on, Adel! No wonder you are tired. But, so exciting also! Please keep us up date as much as you can. It will be interesting to see what you decide because this program sounds really great, but so inconvenient.

[kiki86]

i'm not surprised you're tired. but you will get used to it, and it'll be good practice for the future when you're back in the work world and that sort of thing. are you able to try the other program for a bit and see what it's like before you decide?

[adel34]

Hi Everyone,
Thanks! Yeah, it's a lot going on. I was so tired yesterday, it felt so good to sleep in until nine and just hang out all day.
Yeah, it'll get me used to the structure of a day out like it will be once I start working.
Unfortunately, I can't even get information on the other programs until I get my medicade card. The social worker here tried to get info, but they wouldn't talk to him either! Horrible!
I'll keep everyone updated.