The Song Currently Running Through My Head
Over my career, I have seen so many things that were surreal.
It takes quite a bit of novelty to make me take notice. A screaming temper tantrum is not something novel, but for some reason, our current crop of students think that they will get what they want when they engage in this course of action.
The best boss I ever had said something once that I often think about. She told us that our job was the equivalent of doing the box step in dancing. This analogy continued with the reinforcement of the thought that we exist in the lives of our clients to provide structure and clear expectations. We move in a predictable manner, always box stepping - nothing too exciting, but something that clients can anticipate and relax into.
At this point, there is so much tumult in our classrooms due to the additions and subtractions of clients and staff members that the structures that we have cultivated have disintegrated. It is my job to keep on box stepping and to reestablish the structures yet again.
Have I mentioned that this process (which just never ends) is exhausting?
I am heading to work for a four group day which will end in a meeting that frustrates me. There will be at least one tantrum because I won't do what our newest student commands me to do. There will be at least one student who refuses to engage in anything I present and will glare at me through the entire session. There will be many more students who will engage in what I ask them to do with positive attitudes and full participation. I have to remember that the clients who enjoy music therapy tend to outnumber the ones that don't. It is all too easy to focus on the negative responses rather than the positive ones.
I'm just over here, box stepping in the music therapy room.
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