Senate Mental Health Support Thread

Good stuff

 

Created by the late psychologist Robert Plutchik, the emotion wheel describes eight basic emotions: anger, anticipation, disgust, fear, joy, sadness, surprise and trust. Those are the primary emotions. All humans feel them. They are universal, and primal. It's pretty cool stuff. I learned about it in my Human Services Helping Skills class today.

 

So, I'm no longer participating in the practicum. I got an email, which makes total sense. I get it. Kinda bummed about not getting the extra credit, but it's okay.

Hi Kristie,
I appreciate your wanting to participate, as a client, in our counseling practicum. However, interrupting your current individual counseling to do so is not the best course of action to take. As you are learning in Helping Skills, with Dr. O'Hara, building a strong therapeutic relationship is a key element in effective counseling. Interrupting that process with your current counselor then trying to establish a working relationship in the practicum is not in your best interest in my opinion.
We are doing two sections of practicum next fall (one in person and one remotely). If you are not in counseling at that time, then I would be happy to have you participate in the clinic. I can talk to one of your professors, at that time, about you receiving extra credit for your participation.
Again, thank you for your interest and if you have any questions, please contact me.
My Best,
Darwin
Instructor for Rehabilitation Counseling Practicum

 

Goodness.

 

What?

 

I was just overwhelmed with the chart. My bad. Best wishes for the weekend. Sorry. House party still going on.

I got blue this week over Russia and Ukraine. But otherwise, things are rockin' now. I wish we could have a JCF house party after the defeat of Covid.

 

This is one of the most incredible, life-affirming interviews I've listened to. Johann Hari is a treasure.

 

Interesting. I'll have to listen to that. Not really a fan of Williamson, but I heard Hari on Democracy Now! and thought he was really great.



That's obviously him talking in a very political way, but **** me if "the junk values of neoliberalism" isn't, as a phrase, just dead on target.

 

Rogue1: I don't think(?) it's my imagination that Williamson has become a bit more grounded in the past couple of years. I had once dismissed her as a well-meaning New Ager, but she's become a more formidable presence as of late. In any case, Johann Hari's words shook me to my core.

 

It makes me so happy that you're enjoying school so far.


Me personally I'm not doing great mentally but my boss came back from maternity leave today and oked my two week vacation in May so.... Hopefully that can happen by then.

 

Hope you will have a lot of rest & relaxation during your vac, sj

 

I am, and I was just notified, because I was accepted into the program for first generation students, I get priority for counseling services. So, I have another consultation on the 9th, and I will probably get assigned a therapist very soon. Normally, there's a 4-6 week waitlist, so this is a big deal.

Glad to hear you get the time off... you ****ing deserve it.

 

Raging pandemic killing thousands per day in my country alone and no one in charge cares enough to do something about it, as though there weren't already enough mass suffering; five-day 90-degree heatwave and relentlessly low humidity in what's supposed to be the rainiest month; my modest financial ambitions are always out of reach because of a cost of living that's been skyrocketing for most of my adult life and accelerated recently; and on top of that I've been nursing a probably-dying cat for over a week after an unsuccessful surgery to remove a tumor. Sometimes the mental barriers that keep me from being submerged under this *****y world break down, particularly when I am losing one of the few good things in my life-- that is, loved ones, and obviously I don't just include humans.

 

Yeah, I feel that. I feel that post real bad. We’re here for you. Love up your cat some from us

 

Keep doing what's within your power. The rest will have to work itself out.

 

I'm so sorry about your cat Evan. I'm choking up just thinking about it.

 

Evan, I'm really sorry to hear about your cat. I'm not looking forward to when I get there with Diva.

I have a new therapist through school. He's an actual Doctor. I felt comfortable talking to him pretty much right away. Today was just an assessment. We have our first hour long session next week. I think this is going to work out better than the therapist I have now. I have to terminate that relationship. I'm going to call in a bit and do that. Feeling positive about things, moving forward.

 

Glad to hear you've now found someone you're more comfortable with.

 

Yeah, I totally felt comfortable.

How's your therapy going?

 

Great. I love my therapist. She told me this week that I should be messaging her more though. The Talkspace app allows you to text between sessions as part of what my insurance pays for weekly, which is amazing.

She told me even to just text her about movies or games I'm enjoying right now. She wants me to have an outlet to focus on things I'm enjoying instead of my depression.

I like her a lot.

 

ESA, chilling in the sun, with her toys.

 

My insomnia has been brutal lately. Slept only two hours last night and still can't seem to fall asleep for a nap now. Have all lunch period to try.. we'll see.

My doctor is prescribing an additional medicine to help because I'm already on max Ambien. Ugh.

 

Insomnia was excruciating for me during the first six weeks after I broke my wrist. It's a little better now that I'm only wearing a splint, but not yet back to normal.
Never underestimate the importance of a good night's rest

 

Well I slept 1.5 hours over lunch at least bringing me to 3.5 hours in the last 36 hours.

But man I'm struggling. I'm shaking and sweating and generally feeling like ****.

My sleep doctor today prescribed an additional sleep med. We'll see if it helps tonight.

 

I've always got the impression that yours is a lot worse than mine, but the only thing that successfully treated my insomnia was cannabis. Ambien made me freak out and tranquilizers and such just made me feel like **** in the morning.