Decisions Are Difficult

I do not have an easy time making decisions about things that are important to me. I waffle back and forth, thinking and analyzing all the possibilities and situations, and I tend to worry more than many of these decisions are worth. It's my process, and it is something that I work through on a regular basis.

I am currently in the middle of a debate with myself about a trivial little decision. It will not really matter in the long-term, but it matters today. So, I am weighing the pros and cons. I think I have come to my conclusion, but then I keep thinking. It's difficult to stop until the decision becomes irreversible. That won't happen for about 20 more minutes - the point of contact with the people who will be affected. Once that contact occurs, I will be able to relax a bit into the decision and move forward from there.

 Clinical decisions can also be difficult.

 I spend time talking to music therapy students (and others) about how to make decisions about what to focus on during music therapy sessions. When this topic shows up, we talk about how you have to know the destination before you can figure out what to do with clients. It seems intuitive, but doesn't really happen as much as it should. As a therapist, I have to know what the termination criterion is before I can start assessing client performance and present levels.

 We're going to talk more about this topic next Tuesday - November 5th, but making decisions about how to progress with a particular client is an important skill for music therapy clinicians. You have to be able to decide to act when a client responds in a particular way, and then you have to decide what to try next. You also have to evaluate what is going on and then decide how to proceed. Being a decision maker, especially in the moment, is something that all good therapists are able to do (in my opinion!).

 So, experienced clinician-readers out there. What types of clinical decisions do you have to make on a regular basis? I'm curious to know if yours are the same as mine. Let me know.

 My decision has been made. The point of contact has happened, making this the firm decision. It is now time to move forward to make other decisions all day long.

 Thanks for reading!

  

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