Synthesis Sunday: My Week in Review and a Metaphor for Therapy

Here's a review of my week...

Sunday - heading to church to find that no one needed me to do anything for Sunday School, so I planned all the anthems until Advent. Got my music arranged and ready to go for next Sunday when we have a choir (hopefully).

Monday - Three groups, one individual session and lots of moving things and arranging the office a bit more. Dove into my visual aid closet. Decided that my visual aids need more organization - paralyzed about how to proceed so didn't do anything else.

Tuesday - Five groups, three individuals, and not much else. Meeting schedule has changed so I had a bit more time in the afternoon than usual.

Wednesday - Five groups, one individual, and the first support service pod meeting EVER during pod meeting time! Tendons hurt REALLY bad and noticed bumps on the back of my tendons appearing again.

Thursday - Three groups, two individuals, and the meeting that was usually on Tuesday on its new day. Went to the doctor about my tendons. Left with blood work scheduled to rule out some stuff to see if we can figure out why my tendons are rupturing. Left with modified duty note as well - no bending my legs or physically managing clients during my work hours.

Friday - Three groups, four individual/dyad sessions - four individual seen. Got hit by upset client - explained to client that words would work better than aggression. Client used words to indicate preference for instrument play and I supported the decision. Good resolution to potentially bad situation, especially with my modified work duty expectations.

Saturday - Blood work, packed up memory boxes, two small bookcases, closet storage system, moved clothing around, found mysterious wet spot on my carpet, cancelled electricity and then realized that I need more time after the cancellation to vacuum - will have to reschedule that cancellation. Took shower, washed the sheets, figured out the laundry situation, and tried to use vacuum bags that didn't work. Gave up in frustration after not being able to get the vacuum bags to do what they promised they would do...

Sunday - woke up an hour earlier than usual (even after the time change), laid in bed until about 5:41am, and then moved out into the horribly messy living room to blog. Sent out the Monthly Music Therapy Meet reminder that should have gone out on Thursday to the group and then sat down here, ruing the day that I decided to move because it is a horribly overwhelming situation in my home at the moment. Will get breakfast, go to church for Sunday School and choir, will come home and pack some more.

Overall, a pretty good week, except for the tendon mystery and pain. I am making progress on the packing thing, but it is difficult to really see at the moment.

I think that's part of the problem - I can't see much improvement or progress on my goals at the moment. I need to look past the mess and see what has already been accomplished.

Isn't that a good metaphor for therapy, though? Looking past the mess to see what has already been accomplished? Often you have to unpack what is stuffed in the corners to see what needs to be kept, tossed, or given away to someone else. Once you unpack everything, then it is just there, waiting to be addressed. You can either deal with it by throwing it out, deciding to pack it up to take with you, or give it someone else to hold. Or, you can just walk around the mess, refusing to see it and deal with the situation as it is. You have to choose your way of doing things.

I have been in the ignoring stage, but I am getting to the dealing with it stage.

What I am finding is that I start in one place which quickly becomes overwhelming, so I head to another place to try to keep the momentum going. All that does is get lots of different places really messy. I am hoping that I will continue to progress - I really don't want to pay someone to pack me up - I want to get things done on my own, but I will have to make that decision in another week.

I know that I have taken this type of journey when I have been in therapy situations as a client. I know I have watched my clients take this same sort of journey when they have been working with me. 

So, I am now going to go into the literal world of packing and clearing out and working on things to get ready to move. See you tomorrow! 

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