Much Better Day

So today was much better orientation wise. I learned stuff that actually applied to my internship. I learned how to get out of the many different situations I may be in if clients try to kill or harm me (which doesn't happen often if at all). I also learned how to put people into restraints. The restraint room was freaky looking, but very needed occasionally from what I understand. It's just a plain white sheeted bed away from the walls in the middle of the room with lightbulb above it. And that's it. People are restrained at the ankles and wrists and across the chest so they don't injure their backs. I always thought restraints were ridiculous and cruel, but they're really not. They're needed sometimes and only used if nothing else (therapy, medication, a shot) doesn't calm them down and they are trying to inflict harm on themselves or someone else. It is never used as punishment and someone constantly watches them while in restraints.

I'm really excited about working here. I know this is the right profession for me because this is the first job I've ever had that I wasn't nervous going into. Everyone keeps saying that the adolescent unit is very rough, but hey, I like a challenge. I was told that they are very defensive, call you every name in the book every day, and like to try to get to you; but at the same time, they can be the best people to be around and there's never a dull moment. The way I look at it is this...lord knows I had my troubles in my adolescents. I was on drugs, got kicked out of school, was arrested for tearing up someone's garden, and I made it out o.k. Some kids don't make it out o.k., and I want a chance of being that person that does help them out. As soon as I cleaned my life up and got to the position that I'm in today, I knew that I wanted to work with kids in a psychiatric setting. To me, there's no other profession that would be more rewarding personally. I just have to make sure I don't attach myself to these kids too much. But from what I've heard, they'll make it hard for me to attach to them ;p just kidding, I'm sure I'll love it.

Finally, on a totally different note, I posted yesterday about one of my favorite artists, Lisa Snellings-Clark and her magical poppets. She just posted a blog today that has one of her new poppet sculptures, a painting that she did, and a picture of her big poppet sculpture next to one of her little red poppets (one of which i own :). You can admire her latest beautiful work here.