Friday, August 22, 2008

Guest Blogger Day


Today's guest blogger is Gayle Luster. She is a counselor and long-time "friend" of Earnestine's. She's blogging today while Earnestine is away grieving about her flip flops.

A Day in the life of a therapist.

(This story is shared with permission of my client, I have changed her name to protect her guilt.)

It’s rare for me to work with children and teens in my practice, but occasionally under the right circumstances I take one on as a client. Unless the parents are willing to work on their own issues, I think therapy with kids is futile. That’s why, when I work with a teen or pre-teen, I want to have a relationship with at least one of their parents. HB fits the bill. Her mother has been a client of mine. She brought HB to me 5 or 6 years ago, but the timing just wasn’t right. Finally in junior high, HB asked to see me again.

HB has been a great client and I’VE learned a lot from her. Specifically I’m learning the benefit of using MySpace in the therapy process. Things rapidly change in the life of a teen (like from hour to hour.). When things are going well, they don’t have a lot to say (at least to their therapist). But when they are angry or hurt they need to vent STAT. MySpace gives me a way to make this work for both of us. HB can write me an email and vent. When I check my messages I get to “hear” where HB is at. We can discuss what happened in our next session. HB also does her therapy homework assignments on MySpace and then we go over them the next time we see each other. I’ve discovered a powerful tool in MySpace to use with teens. HB has been a big part of my discovery.

HB is also very funny. I love her sense of humor. Recently she came to a session and we were just getting started when I looked down and saw this (see picture) on my floor. It’s an aluminum foil “brain shield” (if you’ve seen the movie Signs you’ll recognize it - the kids wore it so the aliens couldn’t read their minds.) Boy did I get a great laugh. I almost rolled out of my chair. (LOLROF in MySpace speak.)

How perfect - a mind shield in your therapist’s office. It made me think about all my “adult” clients who wear their invisible mind shields. In shrink-talk we call them defense mechanisms. It sure would make my job a lot easier if all their defense mechanisms were made out of aluminum foil and were worn on the outside of their bodies. No such luck. For now, I’ll have to use my x-ray vision and be more like one of the aliens from Signs when peering into their minds.

Today I’m grateful to HB for taking down the shield, doing therapy homework, and making me laugh!

(Note to Earnestine - flip flops don't make the woman, it's the woman that makes the flip flops. You'll be okay Just go eat a big steaming bowl of mac cheese.)

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

Où es-tu mon cher Earnestine?

Earnestine, Earnestine where for art thou Earnestine?

Just remember if you ever decide that you want to make a living being an earnest writer you're gonna pay and it's NOT for a while. I don't mean to be a whiner (and as many of you know I do have a fine French whine - "tant pis pour moi"), but sometimes it's just no fun. I've become my own brand and I've dedicated myself to a brand (heeelloooo people at Kraft.) I've learned about RSS feeds and I've over fed myself. I've been chased by a Thundering Herd and I've listened to Earnest be interviewed about the thundering herd. I've played with words and come to enjoy word play. I've come up with so many puns that it just isn't punny any more. I've been cheesy and I've written lots about cheese. I bought real estate in cyberspace that isn't really real. Now I need better places to house my wares and I've struggled with what to wear (I've even found time to watch What Not To Wear.) Some days I am tired but I am not worn out (thanks Jewel for those words.) I've outgrown my templates and scratched my temples in frustration with new platforms while building my own platform. I've called in the marines and he is coming to help. One post at a time Earnest and I are stocking the "shelves" with inventory.

One post at a time, I'm claiming my spot here in the blogosphere. It's a wild, wacky, wonderful ride filled with wonder. Where am I you ask and I want you to hear - I'm right here and here is where I'm going to stay!


The Medley Version of Life Uncommon by Jewel
(with Go Tell it On the Mountain and From a Distance)

Friday, August 1, 2008

I Kept My Promise


Dear Kraft:

I am a woman of my word.

Love and mac cheese,

Earnestine