I Keep Trying to Make it Be a Thursday

I had a bit of a fitful night last night. I fell asleep before I turned off the light so slept in the full light of my room. I woke up several times for unknown reasons (probably having to do with the light on), but was able to flip over and fall asleep again without too many problems. I did wake up convinced it was Thursday and getting my Thursday routine started in my head. I think this was influenced by one of my anxiety, medication dreams that seems to be something about how I forgot an intern webinar (which I have only done partially once, but which I NEVER want to do again) on self-care. I was relieved when I awoke that it wasn't Friday (that would mean I had missed the webinar), so started thinking it was actually Thursday.

Here's a sample of my script. "Take a shower. Write a Thoughtful Thursday post. Check over the powerpoint for the intern webinar tonight. Make a post-it reminder for the intern webinar. Do your stretches. Take water to work. Finish session plans. Take out something for dinner. Feed the cat..." The list of things that goes through my head in the first two minutes after awakening can truly be frightening sometimes.

It wasn't until I was halfway through my shower that I realized it was actually Wednesday.

Full stop.
Reset.
Bleargh!!

My list of things to do today had to completely change. There will be no intern webinar this evening. I have physical therapy today instead of doing my stretches. The groups I see are very different, requiring a different set of skills and focus. I will leave work, go to therapy, go to my part-time job, and then stagger home. I don't need to get anything out for dinner, but I do need to stop by the bank to get money so I can pay for something to eat in between all of my other stuff to do today. Being in Wednesday means something completely different from being in Thursday.

I am now trying to get into the Wednesday mindset.

I wonder if this type of discombobulation is what my clients go through. Does my client who is actively hallucinating feel that the day he anticipates is not actually the day he is experiencing? Is this the reason that some of my clients with diagnoses of Autism Spectrum Disorder rely on a set pattern in a daily schedule? Being able to know what comes next is important to some, irrelevant to others.


I hope that I remember how this felt the next time one of my clients struggles with their own reaction to schedules and changes. It is important to keep some understanding when working with those who cannot always express their own confusion or struggle. I know how to regulate my response and reaction. I know that thinking it is one day but actually isn't that day is something that I can negotiate with some humor and cognitive training. I know how to fix the problem. My clients do not know how to fix their problem, so I have to be able to show them an appropriate example. I have to be the model for how to fix a perception without panic, aggression, significant behaviors of concern, or melting down. A little bit of empathy helps to find a way into solving a situation.

I think that is the task of the therapist, whether they be music, occupational, physical, talk, or art therapist... to find empathy for each client who sits in front of us. To strive to understand what our clients feel and experience and to move from within that understanding to empower our clients to move towards their desired outcomes and goals. 

I will strive to do that task today as part of my Wednesday.