Big Day!

Today I started my private practice!

Woohoo!

This is something I have dreamed about doing since I was 16 and decided to be a Social Worker.  I can't believe it has finally happened.  It's only one day a week so I still my have other job a few days a week.  It's a nice balance and the perfect way to start.  Who knows how fast it will grow?  I have 6 clients my first week and I just love the work I do.  It really doesn't feel like work.   So here is to new horizons!!  Dreams really come true.  Just make them happen.

New Job

Here I am after I survived my first day at my new job!

I have now been at it for a week and half.  The first bit has been pretty slow.  You know... doing trainings, feeling overwhelmed, learning new systems, meeting great people.  There is a lot of new stuff to get accustomed, too.  I will be working 2 days in a PCP office supporting patients with a history of opiate abuse that are doing Medication Assisted Treatment and then 2 days a week doing general mental health in an outpatient office (and a day off in the middle of the week to boot!!).

I am excited to feel comfortable with the new positions, which always takes a while.  I hate the learning process sometimes.  It can be so slow and painful.  I need to hone some patience for myself and trust that I will figure it all as I put in the time and practice.  I love my field. I tell you, working with a bunch of therapists is about the most supportive work environment you could ever work in.  I love Love LOVE it.  My new co-workers walk past my door and are always checking in with me about how things are going and see if there is anything they can help me with.  It is great.  

Interestingly, the day I started my new job, I found out that my picture is on the website for my old job.  Crazy!!  I miss those good, good people.  

This week,

I'm grateful for...

- My Job! I love my job.  It always seems like the worst thing when I am on vacation... since I feel so tied down.  Then I come home, go back to work, and remember how much I love the work I do.  It is incredibly fulfilling and challenging.  I feel like I am learning to be a better communicator, advocate, and listener.  I can't believe I get paid to eat with and talk to people all day long, and do a whole bunch of paperwork about it all.  It's dreamy!

- Chapstick! That dry Utah air was a killer.  Thank heavens for chapstick to keep my little lips from cracking and peeling (it's so attractive).  Chapstick is definitely a winter necessity and I'm so grateful it exists.  Who's with me on this one?

- Ankle boots! It took me a while to figure out what to wear them with, but then it all clicked and now they are my go to for everything! Church: ankle boots. Grocery store: ankle boots. Work: ankle boots. Date: ankle boots. Game night: ankle boots pajamas!  My personal favorite is wearing them with cuffed pants.  Ankle boots are certainly my footwear crush... well, the cheetah sneaks are high up there, too. 

target is all you need

my office is doing secret santa this year - which i just love! i think i created the perfect gift that is also incredibly easy. we had a $10 limit so this is budget friendly.  all you need is a target close by (seriously target is the best) and a cute tag.

i found the metal pail in the $1 section and figured it could be my container.  then i wandered to the scarves, because that is my favorite section and everyone loves a crazy scarf. am i right?  the scarves are currently buy one, get one 50% off!! so pick one out for yourself or someone else on your giving list, too. then i found myself looking at the nail polish because why not add a little prize in the bottom?  plus, since i got the scarf 50% off, i needed a little something to make it to $10.   

then i decorated the tag so my handwriting could not be detected (good thing ashley doesn't know this blog exists), and stuffed it all into the tin.  it's a tight fit, but i like it... it reminds me of a pot of flowers.  and there you have it, easy-peasy.

so maybe i shopped more for myself than her... but she's a girl in her mid-twenties.  we must be pretty similar.  hope ashley likes it!

Let's heal.

"This will be an amazing place of healing."

This is what our CEO said at the open house last night for our new site.  I love to think of my work as healing.  I want to help others heal from whatever is barring them from peace.  It can sometimes be past abuses, current distortions, future worries, or myriads of other things.  We face fears, check the facts, accept reality, challenge beliefs, learn ways to cope, and practice mindfulness.  I love that my work focuses on our relationships with food, our bodies, and exercise.  I feel there is work we can all do on these fronts. 

This work is incredibly rewarding (and challenging) and I can't imagine doing anything else.  I feel like I have my dream job... seriously.  How did I get so lucky?  I love working in a supportive agency with experienced clinicians.  I have learned so much within these walls and I am excited to see what other skills I can master. 

After a week at the new site, things are starting to come together.  The digs are quite fancy.  When we arrived earlier this week, there was so much to do to get it up and running, lots of paperwork to update, supplies to order, and so many things to organize.  After a week of team work, we are getting settled and gearing up for programs to start on Monday. 

Here we go!!

ribs save the day!

today at work:

my wonderful-co-workers-turned-awesome-friends showered me with nice notes, gifts, and hugs this week.  i was so afraid it was going to be a cry fest in the car on the way home.  luckily, jeremy came from school for emotional support.  so instead we went to dinner and i ate my feelings in ribs and sweet potato fries.

miss you guys already!!!  let's get together sooooon.

so bitter and some sweet

today is a weird day.  it is my last day of work at my current location.  the agency i work for is opening up a site that is a closer commute for me, so i am going to be a clinician at that location starting monday.  and oh boy... i am feeling so torn. 

i am excited for the new adventure that is fast approaching.  i get to help open a clinic! what???  it's going to be wild and crazy and it will bring on a different set of challenges.  i am excited it is finally here; this has been in the works for months and months.  i am excited (and nervous) for the ways it will make me stretch and grow.  i am excited for the new people i will get to meet and learn from.  i am really excited for the shorter commute (no tolls!!) and not having to sit in traffic.  i'm excited that i get to be a part of this whole thing that will give me professional experience in a different way. 

even with all this excitement... i am incredibly sad to be leaving the team that made me a clinician (although one is coming to the new site, YAY!).  i have learned so much from them.  i started as a mere intern with almost no clinical experience and i didn't know much about CBT and DBT, except that everyone said they work.  i have obtained so much knowledge and experience here.  my supervisors have pushed me to grow and supported me along the way.  growing and learning is such a painful process.  well, this team has witnessed my growth and given me just what i needed to come out breathing on the other side.  i have developed deep friendships with my co-workers which is one of the only things that is making this a little more tolerable... i know i will continue to have these wonderful people in my life, as life-long mentors and good, good friends.  i am beyond grateful for each of them.  hugs all around!

promoted

yesterday i got the official news that i am getting promoted.

woot woot!

i get a raise, i get a bigger desk, and i get to leave my mental health counselor duties behind and become a full-time clinician.  i have been doing half and half for the past year.  i get to ditch the chart making, note filing, etc, etc and focus 100% on my clients and our work together.  i love my job and it is just getting better.  i am living the dream.

so last night, i did what anyone would do to celebrate.  i bought a fancy dress and went out for frozen yogurt.

life is good. life is so so good.

cucumber party

things on the veggie front are moving right along.  

i had a burger wrapped in lettuce with bell peppers (no GF buns at five guys, sad face), i survived a salad at chick-fil-a on saturday night, i have been snacking on red peppers the past three days, and yesterday i tried cucumbers at work thanks to my good bud erika.

i told her cucumbers were the next veggie i wanted to try. --this veggie project is pretty much a team effort and since we are experts at working with fear foods, my friends have jumped on the train of exposing me to veggies.--  she had one at work she could slice up (who has cucumbers on hand??) and we scheduled a cucumber party for 1:30.

the first, and only other time, i tried a cucumber was way back when i was a kid at a neighborhood block party in salt lake city.  my friends victoria and rebecca encouraged me to try a slice of cucumber.  i didn't like it much and i probably grabbed more chips or cookies for my plate and ran on my way. 

i avoided cucumbers my whole life based on that one taste, until yesterday at 1:30.  i ventured to erika's office, she cut some slices for me, and threw in some carrots for good measure.  the funny thing is cucumbers don't taste like much - it's like crunchy green water - so i guess it's something i can keep eating.  i will dip them in some dressing next time to jazz them up.  and the carrots are getting a little better, so i suppose i can't write them off yet either.

reflecting

this week i celebrated (internally, mostly) having my paid gig for an entire year.  my first real job in the social work field.  i love getting a paycheck, i love not having homework, and most importantly i love what i do. 

the actual year mark (tuesday) happened to be a crazy day.  my schedule was packed full: running therapeutic meals and groups, calling insurance companies, assessing and diagnosing potential clients, making treatment plans with current clients, collaborating with providers, etc.  it was a busy one and i survived. 

when i take a breath and reflect on my busy days (which feel like every day lately), i am sometimes surprised that i can actually do all of those things.  it's like looking at your legs after a long run and taking in the wonder that you know how to use them at all.  learning is pretty cool and i have learned a whole lot in the last year.

day one: i was excited to be right where i knew i was supposed to be and i was ready to embark on the adventure ahead.  i was nervous about the mistakes i would have to make to grow, to learn, and to become better at my job.  i was looking forward to the successes i would experience that make it all worth it and knew that i would have a blast doing what i love with amazing mentors and friends along the way.

here is my desk these days:

it's much different than when i started.  it only had the essentials on day one: computer, phone, sticky notes, pens, and a water bottle (and a big smile!!).

i love capturing what my desk looks like now and comparing it to a year ago. there is much more going on, it's more chaotic.  i would like to think it is some sort of metaphor for the growth i have experienced in the last year.  to me the chaos symbolizes the skills, confidence, and comfort i have cultivated in my work. 

i have grown, and that's all i can ask for and expect of myself.  there are still things i am learning and moments where i completely drop the ball.  the thank you notes and mementos my clients leave for me, keep me going when i feel like a failure.  because it's at those moments, when i feel like i'm breaking, that my learning continues. and i become better than the day before at helping my clients and there families beat eating disorders.

work party

last night we went to my work party at a country club.
we arrived late, so we missed most of the speeches.  it worked out great.  there was an open bar (hooray for free shirley temples!), dancing, and a photo booth.  also lots of desserts!

as you can see, my co-workers rock! (even when they're not buzzed.)  i love that jeremy got to meet the fun ladies i hang out with everyday.  they are hilarious and we had a blast dancing the night away and playing in the photo booth.  it was a perfect party in my book.

one thing to note, i need a better go-to dress for events like this. i ended up going in some black dress i've had since high school.  i jazzed it up with a red belt and wedge heels, but still.  since i'm kind of an adult these days, i should clean house.

saving lives

as of today, i am CPR certified.

that's a first for me i believe.  i had to go to the training for work and it was way more exciting than i thought.  i mean look at this guy below:

i saved him!  first i made sure the room was safe, tried to wake him up, assigned someone to call 911 and get the AED, counted to ten while i listened/searched for signs of breathing, did sets of 30 compressions and 2 breaths with that safe guard thing until the AED arrived, pressed the green button on the AED, and followed its instructions (remove clothing, stick things to body, clear area, press yellow button... done!). those things are smart machines. although the one i practiced with was only for training purposes, i am totally prepared to use the real deal instead of being deathly afraid of it.

see, i had a blast! in all seriousness though i do feel prepared to do CPR.  i almost grabbed an extra safe guard thing to keep in my purse for safety.  (oh and my supervisor thought the blog would love some pictures so she whipped out her phone in the middle of the action, thanks joanna!)

80 hours

i am now 80 hours into my job...

and i LOVE it.

i can't believe i get paid to do what i do.  it's fantastic!  i look forward to going to work everyday.  i feel like i am just going to hangout with some friends while we take care of people that need us by doing therapy.  it's great.  want to know a big bonus of my job?  i work in the afternoons! i work from 12-8 monday through thursday and 8-4 on fridays.  so i get to sleep-in almost every day (i only wake up to an alarm ONE day a week!!).  it's fun!  jeremy on the other hand doesn't love that i am dead asleep when he leaves for school.  in the mornings he usually nudges me awake, we say a prayer together - kind of... he says it while i lie there ever so reverently, then he kisses me, and i mumble "have a good day. i love you," as he walks out of the door.  my schedule is also forcing us to think about dinners in advance so i can pack a somewhat coherent dinner for work (since i eat with my patients and i am supposed to model normalized eating - balanced meals & proper portioning).  we have been cooking big meals on sundays and utilizing the lovely crockpot on mondays.  it works well because we have TONS of left-overs to last the week.  and we love left-overs!  it has been an adjustment, but after two weeks, i am really loving this schedule and everything about my sweet job!  i am so blessed.

 

real

today i did the exit counseling online for my glorious student loans and things just got real around here.  too real. (it was about the most depressing thing ever!) i was looking forward to spending my first paycheck on something fun and frivolous or at least putting a huge chunk towards my scooter fund... and it looks like all extra cash around here will be going to my student loans. booo!  the hostage holding by debt has begun around here and it isn't pleasant.  at least i am employed, i do feel very blessed about that.  i just find myself wishing that i had some forgotten fortune that would make all my loans go away.  but things are much sweeter when we have to work for them, right? (trying to stay positive around here.  i can totally do this.)

working girl

yesterday was my first day of work at my real social work job.

and i LOVE it! woot woot!

 i got a job where i interned all year so i get to keep working with patients with eating disorders!  yay.  i really have liked it this year and it's what i really want to stick with.  part of the time i will be working with adults and the other part with adolescents using family based treatment.  i am excited for the change (i worked with mainly adults in my internship).  i feel so blessed!  i get to do individual, group, and family therapy.  also, my co-workers totally ROCK!  seriously, i lucked out.  i'm excited for the adventures ahead, oh as well as the paychecks.  this girl doesn't work for free anymore.  yeah, it's good stuff.

here i am at my fancy new desk: 

it's pretty bare, but i will start sprucing it up pronto.  any tips to keeping a work space organized, but not boring?

another cute family

more over here

sometimes i take pictures of other people

i took family photos for this good-looking bunch over the weekend.

aren't they the cutest!? see more here

week 2

another round of photography homework!
week 1 here

point of view shots:

initial shot

other perspectives

less is more shots (of my office):

initial shot

better initial shot (well, i like it more...)

reduced shots

so what do you think?

reprimanded

I just got reprimanded for my out of office auto-reply email, which reads something like this:
(names, places, dates, and extensions have been changed to protect the innocent)

I am out of the office until Monday, July 11, 2011 around 3 pm. I'm just kicking it in Sweden. If you need help in the mean time you can contact: Felix 8-9534 or Penelope 8-1346. Sorry for the inconvenience... I hope the rest of your day rocks!

Ciao!
Katie

Some don't appreciate my personality (just one person really) ... so rather than just not loving it, they have killed it. I guess my e-mail wasn't professional enough. It now reads:

I am out of the office until Monday, July 11, 2011.

see? killed it.

Post edit: I am not really out of the office until Monday, July 11, 2011. I just picked a random date... but that would be awesome.

bunch of goofs

i scored a magnifying glass at work today and tons of candy.

it's my new toy. entertaining, no?