A day in the life of an intern

Last Week Ever!

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 19:25:00 +0000

So, this will likely be just a short check-in blog as this is my last week of internship and life is chaotic to say the least.

On Friday, I will officially have all requirements completed to become a doctor! I am super excited and ready to see what the next chapter of my life has in store. I begin my residency in one week from today and am sure it will be as wonderful as I am expecting it to be.

This week will be filled with goodbyes and transitioning of my clients, finishing final paperwork and documentation on all of my cases, and reminiscing with my colleagues prior to our departures out of state on Friday.

It's hard to believe the end of this road is finally here. As I stand at the fork, waiting to venture down the next path, I know that God will continue to bless me in everything I do...knowing that, combined with the love and support of my family and friends, I am feeling on top of the world.

Finally within sight!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 19:45:00 +0000

So, the finish line for internship is finally within sight...just a few more hills and I should be there...

This week the new group of interns arrived to begin training for their upcoming internship year. It is very exciting to have new people here, as they are anxious to learn and fresh out of graduate school. I remember who excited and nervous I was on my first day of internship just over one year ago, and so I have vowed to be extra-understanding of the stress and various emotions they are likely feeling right now.

Beginning tomorrow, I will be taking one of them under my wing. She will be following me around, watching my every move. Although have only spent just a brief few moments with her thus far, she seems totally sweet and very eager to get started. I have alot of things to cover in the next eight days, and so much to teach her, so I am hopeful both she and I are up for the challenge :)

It's hard to believe it's almost over with. I counting the days and hours down with anticipation as I await the start of a new chapter in this book I call life!

Boxes, boxes, and more boxes...

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 15:11:00 +0000

If I had to select one word to sum up the past weekend it would be productive. I spent the entire weekend traveling and moving into my new apartment. Thursday night, my parents came to visit Lincoln and we spent time loading clothes and fragile items into my car in preparation for the move. The next morning, my dad and I got up and went to pick up the U-Haul, brought it back to my apartment, spending the next three hours loading it full.

We traveled to my home town, met up with Chris, finished loading a few things from my parents house and turned in for the night. The next morning we woke up early, had breakfast, and headed into Rolla. Shortly after we arrived, the movers we hired showed up and began unloading the truck. My friend Tessa later joined us and helped in the several hour process of unloading. By 7 p.m., however, the boxes were unpacked, pictures were hung, and we were on the road again, all heading in separate directions.

Chris and I came back to Springfield, where we spent yesterday relaxing and enjoying some much needed rest and relaxation. Right now, I am waiting to get my oil changed so I can return back to Lincoln later this afternoon.

It’s hard to believe I have three weeks left of internship. I can’t wait to be finished so I can return to Missouri for good! It will be nice to be closer to family and friends! And it will be great to return to an apartment which is already put together and just like home J

Let the countdown to becoming a doctor and beginning the next chapter of my life continue…..

It's the final countdown :)

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 21:10:00 +0000

As of today, I have 18 days of work left (not counting vacation). It is so hard to believe I will be a doctor in such a short period of time. My mom commented just the other day about the fact that I haven't mentioned the quickly approaching change in title...but the truth is, I haven't really stopped to think about it...or stopped to think about anything at all.

I spent the entire day Saturday packing up my apartment. I managed to build in a few breaks, to talk to Chris, my parents, my grandparents, and to go to church...but the remainder of the day was spent putting my whole life in boxes (with the exception of three weeks worth of clothes and my air mattress). It was relatively easy and I had no problems with boxes either...in fact, I had just enough to complete the job!

Sunday I spent the afternoon relaxing in the pool with my friend, and fellow intern, Kristen. It was great to spend three or so hours swimming and talking. After the swim, we walked across the street and ordered a fruit smoothie before calling it a day. Hours later, a sunburn began to emerge, but it has since went away (well, mostly).

I have taken vacation this Friday and the following Monday and am looking forward to moving and getting all settled in at the new place! It will put me one step closer to the finish line and the new door which is about to open in my life! Man, I am SO excited!!!

And the countdown continues!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 13:53:00 +0000

So, today officially begins the one month countdown to freedom. In exactly one month from today, I will be COMPLETELY done with internship and moving back to Missouri for good. If you can't tell from reading this post, I am VERY excited. It finally feels as if I have a light at the end of this long dark internship voyage...and I will most likely be emerging victorious and alive :)

In the meantime, while I wait for time to pass, I will remain busy. I spent the last weekend sorting through clothes and things in closets at my apartment, trashing stuff I would never use or wear. I took a huge load to Goodwill...which I think is the best place for it, as someone else will hopefully treasure my former possessions. This weekend will be busy too as I will be boxing up my entire apartment in preparaton to move my stuff next weekend. I can't wait for the long weekend, as I took next Friday and the following Monday off to move and get settled before I have to come back for my last few weeks here. Even though I will be working that entire weekend, it truly is for the greater good, as it means I will have a nice place to call home when I return to Missouri.

The week itself will also be busy, as I am preparing all of my clients for transition to new therapists and trying to tie up loose ends with regard to paperwork and documentation. I want everything to be ready prior to the arrival of the new class of interns, so I can spend the last two weeks training my replacement and saying goodbye to my clients and fellow interns.

That's all for now...gotta get busy!

A time for change...

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 18:43:00 +0000

Well...there is so much going on right now I don't even know where to begin...

This past weekend Chris and I went on a mini-vacation to Kansas City. We spent the weekend relaxing, eating good food, and taking in the city. We were also able to have dinner with our friend Ryan and his girlfriend. It was good to see him and spend a little time reminiscing about the fun memories we made together at Forest (as he is a soon-to-be alumni too).

This week I have really begun discussing my departure with my clients. Some of them are taking the news really well, while others are not doing so good...I guess this mixture of reactions is to be expected. It is bittersweet really. I have had the opportunity to work with some pretty amazing and challenging people this year and will be sad to see them go. But, I am also excited to see what the next year has in store.

This weekend I will also begin boxing up my apartment as I am moving my stuff in two weeks. It will be nice to have the next two weekends to get things situated and sorted through...but difficult as well, as I have to keep some stuff (clothes and toiletries) here because I will still have three weeks of living here before I am done with internship (I will be moving my furniture to my new apartment before I am actually done here).

All in all, I am REALLY busy. It is nice to see the light at the end of the tunnel, but frightening to belive I will soon be out on my own as a doctor. I am sure there is nothing but good ahead and am going to try to remain optimistic through the next six stressful weeks :)

The countdown continues...

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 02:27:00 +0000

As I write this blog, I only have one month and twelve days left of internship. It is hard to believe I am so close to being done. I feel as if I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel.

But for now, the focus is on keeping my head above water. Last week, I ended up with 40 client contact hours...that doesn't begin to account for the hours of paperwork that come along with seeing that many people in one week. But I managed to survive. This week, however, is a different story.

Just yesterday, in one day, I had 17 client contact hours. 17 in one day! And as a result, I now have three new psychological evaluations which need to be completely finished, revisions and everything by Friday. While I normally have longer to work on them, my supervisor is going to be on vacation for two weeks and wants all my reports before he leaves. AGH...so, it's going to be a late night tonight and probably again tomorrow.

Nevertheless, I have a great weekend to look forward to, as Chris and I are taking a mini-vacation to Kansas City. We are planning to meet up with my friend Ryan and his girlfriend for some quality R & R. But I am most forward to doing absolutely nothing related to work! I will definately need it after the next two days...

Now, back to work :)

A place to call home...

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 22:38:00 +0000

As this past weekend was a holiday, I decided to travel the 300+ miles to Springfield to spend some quality time with Chris. We had no plans beyond the normal relaxing and spending time together...despite the lack of planning, however, it turned out to be a very productive, eventful weekend...and I accomplished one major goal-finding a place to live.

On Saturday morning, we traveled through Lebanon, picked up our friend Tessa, and went to Rolla, MO...where I have been hired as a resident for the upcoming training year. Although I have had the job with Pathways secured since February, I had not yet ventured to the town to see my new office, or more importantly, find a place to live.

That day, we viewed three different places, and I absolutely fell in love with the third and final place, a newly built, cozy two bedroom two bath apartment. Although we looked at some places which were bigger, this one fell right within my desired price range, and has a great list of amenities and features too. I was even able to sign my lease that day and have set a move date for the second weekend in August.

Since Saturday, I have set a delivery date for a new couch I purchased almost two months ago, have scheduled transfer for my mail, booked a U-Haul, and took requested vacation time for the big move. Additionally, I am just found out I am approved to be a PLPC in Missouri and will be able to count hours post-dated from April 2008. Exciting times.

On a professional note, I have begun the transitioning process with many of my clients and discharged two longstanding clients of mine as well. Surprisingly, I am facing this time with sadness, as I have grown quite attached to some of these individuals. However, I know I am leaving them in good hands and in a better place than when I began working with them. As this process has just begun, I am sure it will continue to be more of the same sentiments of sadness for things I am leaving behind and excited anticipation for things to come.

Chaos in the making...

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 00:39:00 +0000

Well, I have quickly come to learn on internship that nothing is set in stone. My mantra for the year has quickly become "just roll with the punches." It seems like nothing this year has been simple. When the group home shut down, everyone was scrambling to determine what I would be doing instead of that. Just when I thought things were beginning to settle down, I got an interesting surprise Sunday night.

I will give the short version...

The state of Nebraska has contracted with three organizations (OMNI was one of them) to manage all the cases in the state. The change was supposed to take effect today (July 1). The contract had been signed, the agreement set, and everyone was preparing for the influx of work this change would likely bring. Great, right? Wrong!

Sunday night when I returned home from vacation in Illinois (which was great, by the way), my supervisor called to inform me the contract had fallen through and people would likely be loosing their jobs. Fortunately, I am safe as I still am employed with NMHC, and home based services (which is what I provide for OMNI) were not affected by the breech in contract. Some of my coworkers, however, were not so lucky. Essentially though, things changed and OMNI has signed a temporary agreement to subcontract with another organization to provide services for the time being. But, when that contract is up (very soon) there may be a reduction in force (i.e. people getting fired). Not good.

So, for the time being, I am biting my nails, waiting for the other shoe to drop. In the mean time, I have plenty to keep me busy. And I am preparing for another weekend away from Lincoln, to go to Rolla to look for apartments.

I can really use some more time off. Or just to be done with the chaos that is internship! Only 8 1/2 more weeks left :)

Uber excited...

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 22:18:00 +0000

Although not atypical when compared to other weeks on internship, this week has presented it's own set of unique work stressors. In addition to acquiring several new clients in the past week, I am buried in testing and documentation up to my ears. Although I should be stressed, I am approaching the workload with a "bring it on" attitude, as I will soon be leaving Lincoln for a few days.

This Thursday evening, when I get off work at 8 p.m., I am departing from Lincoln to make the 7 hour drive to Peru, IL, to visit with Chris, his parents, and his friends for the weekend. I took a vacation day Friday (much needed vacation day) and will be leaving the crisis phone, my client related worries, and all paperwork behind for a weekend of relaxation with family and friends. Although I am not looking forward to the evening drive as it will put us in town in the wee hours of the morning, I know I will be thankful the next morning to be able to wake up and already be there!

We have many exciting things planned for our time together (as we usually do). But, the thing I am most looking forward to is my time with Chris. It has been approximately three weeks since our last visit together, and I am missing him pretty badly right now. The good news is I will see him this weekend, as well as the next, as it is a holiday, and I plan to go to Springfield for a visit, and on to Rolla to look for a place to live while on residency!

I am SO looking forward to the fun times ahead :)

Senioritis...

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 15:58:00 +0000

I recently received an e-mail from a "pseudo" supervisior at my internship site (addressed to all interns) related to adequate completion of documentation. Although he meant the e-mail to be a form of encouragement, it was also sent as a reminder to the interns on staff to be mindful of senioritis...as we are nearing the end of our training year.

With approximately ten weeks left, I too am feeling the crunch and am counting down the days (and hours) until my move back to Missouri. I can't wait to begin the next chapter of my life (and am equally ready to close this chapter as well). I consider myself to be a very driven, highly motivated person, so achieving goals and getting work done isn't typically a problem for me. In fact, I really enjoy staying busy...I thrive on it (and the feeling of accomplishment I receive when I finish a big project).

Although I am still getting my work done with no difficulty, I forsee problems with senioritis in the future. I find myself getting easily distracted at times, requiring me to force myself to reorient to the task I need to be completing. I fully expect this trend will continue until I am finished here on internship. Although it may become an increasing struggle, I am fully prepared to "go to the mattresses" and fight the good fight until my very last day as an intern!

Wish me luck :)

A light in the darkness...

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 22:58:00 +0000

Throughout internship, I have had the opportunity to work with a variety of clients, varying greatly in age, race, socioeconomic status, and culture. Each client has offered up a new and exciting challenge, and each has been an opportunity to learn something new about the human condition, and myself as well.

Not unlike my typical week during the internship experience, this week has offered up challenges. I have several reports to write, collateral calls to make, and a few crisis situations to navigate and attempt to solve. Despite all the chaos, however, today I had an opportunity to pause and remind myself of the reason I am training to be a psychologist.

I see an elderly woman at a local nursing home here in Lincoln. I recently began seeing this individual approximately two weeks ago, and have enjoyed working with her very much. She has a wonderful disposition and is a joy to visit with each week. This week was no exception.

During our conversation, a member of the nursing staff dropped by to say hello. The two chatted briefly and the nurse prompted my client to demonstrate their "secret." They bumped foreheads, explained the story behind this move, and we all laughed. Then, my client revealed the nicknames associated with the story. The client indicated she referred to the nurse as Butthead, and to herself as Beavis. Upon revealing this information, the three of us all burst into laughter. The client reported her inspiration for these nicknames came from the cartoon "Beavis and Butthead", popular several years ago on MTV.

The thought of my elderly client knowing who these characters was totally made me stop and laugh, taking in the moment and the experience. It is moments like this that remind me how graeful I am to be able to share in the lives of my clients. I consider it a great priviledge to be allowed into their world, even if for a short time.

I am sure this moment will help me to have the extra push I need to finish out the week in a productive manner!

Longing for home...

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 17:33:00 +0000

As I am several hours away from family and friends (my entire support network really)...I often find myself feeling a bit homesick. Not only for familiar people, but places as well. Since I am feeling a bit sentimental today, I thought it may be a good opportunity to offer up suggestions for places to explore while in Springfield, MO. In my opinion, these are some of the greatest things Springfield has to offer:

The Mud Lounge-a great coffeehouse/bar downtown. Big couches and comfy chairs. A great place to sit and relax with friends on a Friday or Saturday night.
Nonnas-a wonderful Italian bistro also downtown. Great for a romantic evening with that special someone, or for a night out with friends.
Firehouse Pottery-an awesome place for the craftier person. You can paint your own pottery, they will fire and glaze it for you, and it is yours to enjoy the very next week.
Cheddars-a great restaurant...friendly atmosphere...good food.
Greenways Trails-a system of trails spanning the city of Springfield. Great for running, walking, biking, or exploring the outdoors.
Patton Alley Pub-relaxing pub atmosphere. Fun for a night out with friends.
Springfield Little Theatre-awesome local theatre, featuring talented local actors and actresses. Ticket prices are reasonable with student ID ($9 for student tickets).

These are only a few of the many things Springfield has to offer students and families (when you are not studying, of course :) I would strongly recommend checking out one, a few, or all, if you are in the area. I know I will visit them the next time I am in town!!!

Good times during the long weekend...

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Wed, 28 May 2008 00:02:00 +0000

As this past weekend was a holiday weekend, I had the good fortune of receiving an extra day off of work. I capitalized on this opportunity and went home to visit my family.

When I arrived Friday night, it was after 10 p.m. Upon settling in and visiting with my family for a short time, they went to bed. I, however, stayed up working on a report for work and waiting for Chris to arrive. As he didn't get in from Springfield until after 2 a.m., the wait was a long one.

Early the next morning...after a few hours of sleep...everyone woke to get ready to travel to visit family. I was able to visit with my grandfathers, my cousins, uncles, and grandmother. I was also given a chance to take Chris out on his first four-wheeler ride ever! It was a great day.

Sunday, after church, Chris and I went to Columbia for the afternoon. We went to the new Myseum (just opened a few weeks ago), went shopping at the mall, and finished up the evening with dinner and drinks at Flatbranch. After a few songs on guitar hero, we cleaned out our cars and headed to Wal-Mart before returning home to watch movies and turn in for the evening.

Yesterday, I helped my mom prepare for a garage sale and loaded up the car to begin the five hour drive back to Lincoln. Even with the extra day, the weekend flew by and seemed much too short.

I value my free time on the weekends so much more now that I am so busy! I enjoy spending time with family and friends, and am counting down the days until I can pack up my belongings and move closer to home. Only three months left and I will be doing just that!

An update...

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Tue, 20 May 2008 20:25:00 +0000

This weekend, I spent time traveling to and from Springfield. While there, I spent time with friends and enjoyed the weather. Friday night, I made it in time to watch Chris play softball with the Forest softball team. They were beaten pretty badly both games, but looked like they still had alot of fun. Saturday, we went to the movies and saw "21". It was excellent, and sparked some great discussion about gambling afterwards. That night, Chris and I went to see the play "Tick Tick Boom" at the Springfield Little Theatre. We had dinner before the show and the whole night was perfect.

Sunday morning we woke up, went to lunch with friends, and decided to spend some time outdoors. We stumbled across a family fun park half-way between Springfield and Nixa and decided to check it out. We rode go-carts and played miniature golf. The weather was beautiful and it was a fun, relaxing experience. Later that evening, we played some trivia games online and ordered a pizza. Early Monday morning, I woke up and drove back to Lincoln to see clients for the rest of the evening.

As I have said before, I really enjoy time away from the office when I get it. But the tough part is coming back, as I usually have mountains of work to catch up on. This weekend will be no exception. As it is a holiday, we get an extra day off. I am going to Moberly to spend time with my family and friends and am especially looking foward to seeing my grandparents. As it will be the second weekend in a row away from the office, this week will be busy with catching up. I will also be taking stuff with me to work on. Such is life as an intern I guess.

Let the excitement continue...

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Tue, 13 May 2008 22:57:00 +0000

Last week was incredibly busy...turning 25, visiting with my sister and parents who came to Lincoln for the weekend, and working on getting caught up at work were among the few of many things I accomplished.

So far, it doesn't look like there will be a break in sight anytime soon. I have completed three test batteries today, and a diagnostic assessment, and am preparing to meet with a new client. I also began facilitating domestic violence group last week (for the first time ever) and need to review the material to be presented tomorrow during session.

Despite all this, I have one thing on my mind (and one thing only)...Chris. I haven't seen him in well over a month and am so ready to take a trip to visit this weekend (I am leaving Friday after work and returning in the wee hours of Monday morning). We were supposed to be going to look for apartments in Rolla for me to move into when I begin my residency in September, but when I called the property management company, they informed me I would need to check back in July as they couldn't guarantee me a residence this early in the game. So, it looks like we will be spending a nice, relaxing weekend in Springfield. I am so excited. (Plus, this gives me an excuse for another road trip in July :)

As I am nearing the end of the internship year, I am growing increasingly more excited about graduation and the things to come. I know there will be more challenges in store, but I am growing increasingly more confident in my ability to handle anything life may throw my way. With the love and support of an amazing boyfriend, my faith in God, and great family and friends, I know I can do anything!

A time of reflection...and hope for the future...

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Mon, 05 May 2008 23:43:00 +0000

On Thursday of this week, I will be facing another milestone in my life, turning 25. As I reflect back on the last 25 years, I am amazed at all I have experienced and accomplished (and thinking to myself I don't know if I could do it again).

I feel very blessed for a number of different things in my life. I have a wonderful family, loving boyfriend, and great friends. I have a good job, and an even better one waiting for me in a few months. I am grateful to soon be graduating with my Psy.D., and am ready for the next chapter of my life.

So, I am forcing myself to take a few minutes to pause, and reflect back on my life thus far, and all of the wonderful dreams and hopes I have for my life journey in the future. As my birthday falls in the middle of the work week, I will be working my typical 12 hour day, but am excited to know my family will be joining me this weekend to celebrate and spend some quality time with each other. In all the chaos that is my life as an intern, I am so thankful for the blessings in my life...family being one of them :)

I know, with 100% confidence, the next 25 years will be even better than the first!

The importance of collaborative care...

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 17:32:00 +0000

As a burgeoning psychologist, I feel one aspect of client care, which is commonly overlooked, is collaboration with other treatment providers. Whether it be caseworkers, income maintenance workers, primary care physicians, psychiatrists, nursing staff, or past therapists, collaborating and coordinating care is of utmost importance when treating clients.

During my internship experience, I have quickly come to realize the true value of collaborating. As a treatment provider, I am often included in treatment team meetings, in which I gather with other professionals working with a particular client once per month to discuss all aspects of current treatment, as well as future goals. These meetings, although brief and infrequent, have proven to be very valuable in providing the best care possible for my clients. Not only have I been able to learn from the other providers about my clients, I have also learned about, and have gained exposure to, several other disciplines...gaining very important knowledge along the way.

So, for everyone out there who is already seeing clients, or for those of you who aspire to do so one day...collaborate with other professionals. Not only will it provide opportunities for growth in your clients, but in yourself as well.

Bring on the testing...

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 00:12:00 +0000

On internship, I have been exposed to a NUMBER of new and exciting things. From treatment approaches, to interventions...each day I am learning something new. Out of all of these experiences, however, my absolute favorite has been testing. In the past eight months, I have broadened my testing horizons, and am quickly becoming proficient at administration and interpretation of a variety of psychological, and neuropsychological instruments. This week in particular, I have LOTS of testing scheduled. Yesterday, I did a chemical dependency evaluation, today, a disability evaluation, and on Thursday, I have a comprehensive psych. eval, a neuropsychological evaluation, and another disability evaluation (YES...all in the same day). Given the time constraints and expectations we have for quick turn around of reports (we are expected to administer, score, write-up, and revise in one week), this weekend (and every week night) will be VERY busy for me. But...I say, bring it on...as I am ready for the challenge.

By next week, however, I may be singing a different tune :)

The feeling of relaxation...

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 21:30:00 +0000

This past weekend, I was officially on vacation. I shut off the crisis phone (as my supervisor was serving as coverage in the event of an emergency), packed my bags, grabbed Chris, and headed down to Eureka Springs Arkansas.

The weekend was pure bliss! We spent four days being lazy, seeing the sites, and just spending quality time with each other. We had a nice dinner out, hiked through downtown (and the surrounding areas), stayed in and cooked, had a picnic at the state park, and even took a carriage ride. We had a lovely cottage all to ourselves, with a patio hot tub. The town itself was really charming and the weather cooperated very well (aside from being a little chilly).

I could not have asked for a better weekend. Although I had high expectations for the time, it far exceeded my dreams! And the quality time spent with Chris was the most precious gift of all.

Now, returning back to work today, I am refreshed and ready to tackle the next few months of internship! The preparation for the weekend was completely worth it and I would totally do it all over again if I could!

Making Time for Yourself....

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 01:44:00 +0000

With all that is currently going on it is often difficult to find time for yourself. Although this may be easier said than done, it is of utmost imortance for me. Without some time for myself I don't know if I would make it!! I feel that getting creative with your time is a must. Whether this be taking a few minutes during the day to listen to music or finding a little time to excercise, I feel this is important. This weekend I will be taking a much needed vacation. Having completed all my work prior to leaving I will be able to relax and hopefully clear my mind. Hopefully this will give me the rest needed to make the final push towards completing my internship.

Stress, stress, and more stress...

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 15:43:00 +0000

As you may be aware, my last few blogs have dealt with one central topic...STRESS. Unfortunately, this week is no exception.

As I am nearing the end of my internship experience (only 4 months and 24 days left), the reality of my future is finally starting to set in. Although I am very excited to finally be finished with my days as a student, it is rather intimidating to think I will soon be referred to as Dr. Bradshaw, and will no longer have the comfort of my fellow interns and supervisors to fall back on. As such, I am trying to take every possible second to learn as much from these individuals as I possibly can.

In addition to this quest for knowledge, my workload is steadily increasing. Early in my internship I was to be the sole provider of therapy to behaviorally disordered adolescents in a local group home. When I arrived for internship, I quickly learned the group home was experiencing some difficulties and were no longer to accept new referrals. While my supervisor told me everything would work on in the end, I spent that three months playing the wait and see game (and falling behind on client contact hours). Eventually, the group home closed and I was left scrambling to compensate for many hours of missed contact. (***it may be important to mention I am required to have 1000 hours of direct (face to face) client contact in order to successfully complete internship at my site)

In the months since the close of the group home, I have been working many long hours, trying to recover the lost hours of client contact. I am currently over 100 hours behind, and as the end is quickly approaching, I am growing increasingly aware of this defecit. In the past, my site has required interns stay after the end date to make up any missed hours. Unfortunately, I don't have much wiggle room, as I cannot stay after August 28 (my end date) to make up hours...since I begin my residency on September 2.

Although I often get discouraged about this situation, I am constantly being reminded by my wonderful family, friends, and coworkers that this situation will eventually work out for the best. Until that day, however, I will continue to do whatever it takes to get through in one piece! Hopefully the day comes quickly though :)

What a week...

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 19:38:00 +0000

As I have mentioned in previous blogs, the preparation for time off, or time away during internship has been quite a learning experience. This week, I have experienced yet another disadvantage of time away.......the return to work.

Last weekend, I traveled back to Missouri to spend time with my family and Chris for Easter. I left town on Friday, completely caught up at work (aside from a report I worked on over the weekend from home). When I returned Monday morning, I planned on a leisurely return and a smooth transition back into the hustle and bustle of things. Boy...was I wrong.

Not only have I came in early each morning this week, and worked late into the evening most nights, I am at work today (on a Saturday) and will likely be here all day trying to catch up on reports. In addition to notes, reports, and other routine duties, it is the end of the month...which means additional work, in the form of monthly report updates, completion and submission of expense reports, and verifying authorization of each of my home based clients. I am working dilligently to get caught up again...I hate to be behind at work.

As much as I would like to say working on the weekends never happens, it is actually the norm rather than the exception. In some respects, it is fine, as my family and friends are in Missouri. Unfortunately, this weekend I have lots of things I need to do other than working on stuff at work.

More than likely, I will get everything accomplished. But all this work emphasizes the idea of taking a vacation after the vacation ;)

The Looming Stress of Licensure...

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 16:27:00 +0000

So, last week, I mentioned I had recently passed the NCE and was working on completing all necessary requirements to obtain licensure as an LPC in the State of Missouri. Although I have heard many horror stories from my peers who have, or are currently going through the process, I began the process with an open mind, hoping and praying I would have a completely different, more positive experience. Unfortunately, I was quickly brought back down to reality...

After spending a considerable amount of time wading through the regulations and statues on the state licensure webpage, I was left confused and frustrated. The information they provide is not clear, and not helpful. In hopes of getting clearer answers, I e-mailed the woman in charge of responding to inquires about the process. Following a string of e-mails back and forth, I finally determined what I would need to submit in order to get the process started.

I began filling out the paperwork immediately, requested my transcript and NCE scores be sent directly to the licensing board, and began the waiting game. Since I will be beginning my supervision of hours in Nebraska and switching supervisiors and site locations midstream, I will have to fill out more paperwork in the very near future. Frustrating really, but I have resigned myself to the fact that I must do it in order to be licensed!

On the bright side, however, I learned I only have to complete half the hours I originally thought I would have to complete. Apparently, if you have a certain amount of post-masters training, you get to waive several hours (600 direct client contact hours 1500 total hours). GREAT NEWS!!! So, provided I am able to successfully obtain provisional licensure, acquisition of 1500 total hours should be the easy part!!!

A great weekend!

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 23:40:00 +0000

This past weekend, I used two of my vacation days (Thursday and Friday) and took a trip to Springfield! While there, I was able to visit several friends and catch up on all the "goings on" in the area. Chris and I took in a theatre production of "The Miracle Worker", which was fantastic, we cooked (one of our favorite things to do together), and spent much needed quality time doing nothing!

Unfortunately, the trip was not all fun and games. On Friday, I took the NCE (National Counselors Examination) in order to begin working on my LPC. I had spent considerable time studying during the weeks leading up to the test (multi-tasking while I was at the gym each day). So, Friday afternoon at 1:30 p.m., I headed over to the H&R Block office, and took the exam. It took me a little more than two hours to finish the questions and double check the ones I was uncertain about. When I was finished, I proceeded up to the front desk to receive my results. I was pleased to learn I passed! A huge weight was instantly lifted off my shoulders and I felt as if I could truly enjoy my remaining time in Springfield.

Now, I get the priviledge of applying for licensure...which (according to my peers who have gone through the process) is an absolute nightmare. Luckily, I have lots of support and help around this area! More information about specifics of this process to come in a future blog.......