Building a Dam

Has anyone else been flooded with a tidal wave of negativity lately? Every where I seem to look these days, people are not happy, are disgruntled, are talking behind the backs of others, and are not helpful. Can you sense a bit of negativity in my own attitude (she asks, sarcastically)?

This attitude is spilling over into my music therapy clinic. Kids are arriving for sessions growling at each other. Staff members are short-tempered. The therapist (AKA, me!), is overwhelmed by her own issues, family situations, and perception of limited time before having to go for a professional conference. I am having to take some drastic measures.

I am building a virtual dam between me and the negativity of others.

Now, let me be clear here. I am still working on positivity and the happiness initiative, but there are times in everyone's lives when you just have to express a little negativity. I struggle daily with deciding what is necessary to express and what is just me being a real you know. I am not perfect and realize that daily as well.

So, let me relate this to the profession of music therapy. Hmmm...

As a therapist, I have a professional responsibility to the children and adolescents that I serve. When the negativity starts to swirl around us all, it is my job to focus on the clients, not overly focus on the staff members around them. It is also important that I be able to acknowledge my own situations and how they affect me as a therapist. This is not always easy.

Back to the virtual dam.

Step One: Focus on the client in front of you. The client always has to be first and foremost.in the mind of every therapist. If the therapist is unable to keep the client first, it is time for a day off.

Step Two: Avoid the staff lounge. A very wise professor of mine once said, "If you like your job at all, don't eat lunch in the teachers' lounge." Wow! This has been so very true throughout my career. The lounge is where people go to complain about their students, the principals, and each other. Why put yourself in the middle of that angst?

Step Three: Prioritize. Who and what needs my attention now? What and who can wait for me later? You can only do what you can do. Some things have to be delayed.

Step Four: Only take on what you can handle. For example, I cannot afford to be counselor/ confidante to the school secretary right now. I can't be the receptor of all the negative feelings about "how bad things are." That is just a role I cannot play at the moment. After October 15, I should be able to take that role up again, but I can't and won't do it now.

Building a dam.