Professional vs. Personal
I have been struggling lately seperating my personal views from my professional work--so much so that I've questioned if I should practice social work when I graduate.
I have developed some strong relationships with my clients this year, and I find myself wanting to be an integral part of their lives outside of our 45 minutes a week. I think about them when I am at home. I hurt when they get in a fight or get in trouble at school. My heart often breaks when they leave school at the end of the day because I know that they go to face things that I never imagined facing at their fragile ages.
So, this has been a struggle for me. I always thought that I wanted to work with adolescent girls when school was over...now I am not so sure that I can handle it on a professional level.
Any advice that veteran clinicians can provide would be greatly appreciated.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Comments
While it is hard to be the one who actually knows about all the unimaginable problems children face everyday, i believe it is harder to turn your head on them preferring to turn your back and deny the reality of these peoples lives while everyone else lives happily oblivious to their suffering. While it is emotional, you must know that you cannot make their life worse, you only have the power and opprotunity to make it better. The only way to make their lives worse is when there is nobody there for them! They may yearn for that 45 minutes a day..Just being there for them already makes their life a little better knowing they have someone they can talk to..
Posted by: nay | February 12, 2008 11:44 PM