At my internship there is a dress code that requires to dress business casual—basically no blue jeans, but other colors of denim are OK. Being that I haven't gone clothing shopping this decade, and I've gained an extra 15 pounds since my surgery, I've scoured the latest L.L. Bean catalog for sale items and recently found some good prices at Wal-Mart.

As I was admiring my new wardrobe I saw that I had acquired a lot of corduroy pants, turtleneck shirts, and casual jackets. All styles basic, comfortable, and certain to keep me warm since I am always freezing.

But then the realization hit me: corduroy pants, turtlenecks, and jackets are the quintessential attire of therapists that I have encountered—I had inadvertantly dressed like the stereotype I have long held in mind! I've since come to the conclusion that if this therapist gig doesn't work out, perhaps there is a future for me in opening a chain of clothing stores for therapists. The store would stock neutral and dark shades of corduroy pants, tweed jackets and slacks, and coodinating turtleneck shirts. Sensible and fashionable shoes would also be sold.

First Session

I am pleased to say that I survived my first session with a client. I saw all members of the family. I didn't feel as nervous as I anticipated, rather at ease for most of the time as somehow I became filled with confidence. I will need to discuss with my supervisor about how the sesion went for me, as well as get some pointers on how to do things a little differently.

I think I am relying too much on paraphrasing and need to be able to reframe key statements, or at least know how to address them, as my clients had some key issues that I indicated that I understood, but wasn't certain about what to say in a therapeutic sense.

Cats as Therapists

I've been thinking how I might be able to incorporate feline traits and interactions into therapy, as I find the beasties in my life to have always been a great healing source through dark times. Cats possess a deep wisdom and profound nature that I have long admired and have been in awe of.

Today I was looking for some resources on relaxation techniques and stress management and found this title: Cool Cats, Calm Kids: Relaxation and Stress Management for Young People. It's about how cats can serve as a role model for finding calmness, etc. I love it!