music, therapy, and me

"Strength is a matter of a made up mind." ~ John Beecher I went searching for something to think about this morning as I was flailing about, trying to come up with something to write about today, and found this quotation. I am exhausted and going into a day of difficult sessions. I have terrible allergies right now and just want to stay in bed and cuddle with the cat all morning. If I can stick it out, tomorrow is an individual-only day (no group treatment), and I get Monday off to go to the doctor and to have some "me" time. Then, I have three and a half days and another 3-day weekend. At this point, right now, I am dreading going to work and giving myself a headache thinking about it. It's time to make up my mind. Strength is an attitude as well as a trait. I am not physically as strong as I would like, but I try very hard to be strong in attitude. Sometimes, I am strong. Other times, I am not. My strength is foreknowledge and years of experience. I...

Back to Self-Esteem I continue to have feelings of inadequacy surrounding myself and my profession choices. I look at people and think, "I should be doing that." I need to submerse myself in what I am able to do and what I do better than anyone else! So, here goes. I am a creative person. I enjoy making things with my hands and watching others use those things. I love the effect of music on behavior. I am good at finding the music that will help people get to their goals. I am a good supervisor. I help my students get to entry-level professionalism by blending my wishes with their wishes. I can see their skills realistically and can get them to the next level of development. There are many things that stand in the way of becoming the best person that I can be. I can be jealous. I work on this continuously. I hold grudges. I take on more than I can feasibly do at any one time. I want to do it all! There are many more things that I need to work on through...

Insights into Me I feel that I am pretty self-actualized. I know my strengths, my weaknesses, and my areas of focus. I have come to the conclusion that I cannot do everything, and that is fine (most of the time).  I still have my moments of insecurities, my "I should" moments, and my times when I feel inadequate as a therapist. I think these moments help me to strengthen my skills and attitudes about being a therapist. I have a chance to reflect on myself and my skills as a therapist - I try to take advantage of these moments. Here are my strengths: Genuine interest in music as a therapeutic medium for persons with developmental issues and psychiatric concerns Constant questions about music as a therapeutic medium Enjoys music Enjoys people Creativity Flexibility Goal-oriented Here are some of my weaknesses: Perfectionist Tries to take over the world Wants more opportunities to help others Time management Procrastination There are many, many more. I guess...