Growing into a "Therapist"... I can say that right?

        I recently started my first “Big girl job”... or so I call it.  Technically it’s my not so easy internship, and also...not so paid.  However, I’m grateful that I have it because all in all, it’s really taught me about who I truly am.  Since I’m on route to being a therapist, I’m looking for a “therapy” for myself... that’s where this blog sets in.  It’s been a huge debate in my head because sometimes I worry what other people think about me, and sometimes I struggle with expressing myself through words...but it’s not going to kill me, right? 

It’s the end of week 3 of being an Art Therapist.  Thus far, my life has been an absolute roller coaster and I’m finding myself burning the candle at both ends.  I’m not the type to ever slow down, and I’m told I get that from my father.  I’m usually awake to greet the birds out my window before my alarm goes off, but this morning.. it woke me, and let’s just say... I wasn’t too thrilled to hear it. Let the marathon of classes, work, no social life and internship continue.  

Each client I have met and worked with so far, has presented me with different challenges since each individual is in a different spot in their treatment.  However, I’m finding it a lot easier to remember details about their lives than I thought I would.  Before I started, I had so many concerns about how the kids were going to react to me, how I was going to juggle everything.. all my processing notes, keeping the kids straight from who’s who, do I have enough material for everyone, is the material beneficial for everyone?  Always asking myself, I can say that right?  Can I say that?  But, what I’ve really discovered is... kids really like art and they reaaaally benefit from it. Sometimes I think they’re teaching me more than I’m helping them, which is a-ok. In fact, they have made me realize one of the most delightful, yet challenging aspects of my work in seeing these kids and adults come in dealing with the same stress and issues that sometimes.. Frankly, I’m learning to deal with in my life too.  These kids and teens keep me honest, and I’m not kidding when I say that I’m just a couple steps a head of them in learning how to deal with one of my own malfunctions.  I was told that the best therapists are those who have learned from their own experiences because the wisdom you need as a counselor doesn’t only come from books.  That is something that I truly live by.  So, being a therapist to me means: always being able to take that next step in my own personal growth, and to be able to confront that next issue that is often looked at as a “problem”.