5 things I'm thinking today. . .

[lakeland]

1. I am honoured to work in the profession that we do, and to help the people that we work with by bearing witness to their challenges and troubles, but man, sometimes it just hurts. Some things are just so desperately unfair. Back to supervision for me.

Absolutely feeling this one today - I was driving into work looking forward to supervision later on. I almost miss being a trainee and having it weekly, monthly isn't enough when you work in isolation.

2. I really, really want toast, but it's just not as nice as when someone makes it for you.
3. Hoping that the ACP-UK member networks give a voice to people working in children's services as well, the areas they're starting with seem quite adult-focused.
4. I'm really happy with the service I've developed and the fact I've had time to do so.
5. I am not happy I have a fancy dress party to go to next month, I do not enjoy fancy dress at my big age.

[Beggarsroost]

1. Not sure what to do next career-wise. Young child means I'm very limited in my options, there doesn't seem to be any way for me to progress in any direction that's flexible around family life. Maybe I just need to tick along in any old somewhat-related-to-psychology role until kids are older and I have more freedom Would like to qualify as something before i'm 40...I spent a lot of time and money on various degrees and gaining years of experience.
2. Really angry at myself for messing up an interview last week. Was basically the dream job: would eventually lead to qualification and had potential to be flexible around home life. Haven't heard anything yet but am 99% sure its a no.
3. Why are all the interesting jobs either a. not flexible (shift work/full time only etc) b. pay peanuts that wont cover childcare c. fixed-term contract or d. too far a commute to manage with nursery pick-up/drop-off. I just want a local, decent paying, permanent job that will give me scope to progress somehow.
4. Have to remember that its all more than worth it for my little one. Chose for many many reasons to have children somewhat early-ish and I would do it all again given the chance. Just frustrating that working mothers are really not supported to stay in work and maintain their careers
5. On a happier we are going to see The Very Hungry Caterpillar at the theater next week

[MindfulPsych]

1-5. So tired, cannot wait to curl up in bed tonight with a good book. No idea why i'm so tired!

[nomnom]

1. First week of fasting has been surprisingly ok. I shouldn't be surprised as this is the first year that I am just working and not balancing studying, volunteering and extra projects alongside! I think the cooler weather has also helped.

2. Very excited about part 1 training for EMDR this month. My to-do lists consists of needing to start the reading and pick my own memories to process

3. I found the ideal house in the nicest area! I have called the agency twice but they are waiting on hearing from the seller for possible viewing times. I am usually patient but wanting this so much that the waiting is just annoying me! But everything crossed for now

4. I need to book some time off and go home/see friends. It has been a while and I am due to get my bearings again around familiar faces/territory.

5. Sleep, need more sleep.

[firegal]

1. It's been way too long since I checked into the forum

2. Third year is stress

3. I'm walking this weird line where yes getting thesis done is stressful, but also I'm really enjoying being so engaged in my research and kind of dreading not having that aspect of training any more (or not in the same way) once it's handed in

4. Excited (and terrified) to be facing interviews for qualified jobs

5. I would really like to be playing video games right now instead of editing my discussion....so does that make this some kind of in between procrastination attempt?

[lingua_franca]

1.) I AM GETTING A KITTEN! Or rather, the kitten got me. I had no intention of adopting kittens until one little fellow detached himself from his mother and his puddle of siblings, mountaineered into my lap, emitted a tiny purr, and then tried to stow away in my handbag. At this critical psychological moment, the owner said, "Would you like to have him?" and I, err, well. He will be weaned and ready to come home with me in three weeks.
2.) What shall I call him? Due to his adventurous nature, I'm thinking Swashbuckle.
3.) I do some teaching in a school for young people with mental health difficulties. One of them is moving back into mainstream education in September. She's rather laconic in her speech and not much given to overt displays of emotion, but today she was reflecting on how the school has helped her, and she turned to me and said abruptly, "I'm glad you came to work here." My heart was dangerously close to melting point.
4.) I am planning to book a horse riding holiday for August. I always seem to end up working on my holidays, even when I tell myself I won't, but being on a horse is a sure safeguard against that. You can't do much work aboard a horse.
5.) I'm delivering a three-hour MSc workshop on research methods tomorrow and I've got an upset stomach. I really hope it clears up overnight, otherwise it will be a very uncomfortable three hours.

[Geishawife]

How lovely, Lingua. Just be very careful - it's easy to end up with 2 dogs, 4 cats, 2 guinea pigs and 3 chickens.......

1) - 5) Have now watched "Behind The Curve" 3 times. Even using all 5 thoughts at once can't encompass just how wierd an experience I found it! It is 2019 and there are people out there who genuinely believe the Earth is flat?????

[lingua_franca]

Oh, there is no danger of dogs or chickens. They would eat into the money I'm saving for the horse.

[firegal]

Oh, there is no danger of dogs or chickens. They would eat into the money I'm saving for the horse.

I'm sure if we split the costs we could manage a horse share. Also, swashbuckle is an excellent name for a kitten!

[miriam]

1. My company has won £50k of grant funding from the local council to help us prepare to scale up.
2. We are used in 125 children's homes, some fostering and educational settings, and have our first two secure units going live soon. We are now talking to 24 local authorities about using BERRI in their children's social care commissioning.
3. We are recruiting a new finance and operations manager, so I hope we get good applicants.
4. My company is being VAT inspected next week. I never realised how complicated the VAT rules were, or quite how many errors slip through in the book keeping until I started worrying about what might come up in the inspection.
5. Why are art projects never as easy as they look on Youtube?

[Geishawife]

Congratulations Miriam. So good to see that all the hard work and effort is paying off. Let's hope the business continues to go from strength to strength.

[lingua_franca]

Oh, there is no danger of dogs or chickens. They would eat into the money I'm saving for the horse.

I'm sure if we split the costs we could manage a horse share. Also, swashbuckle is an excellent name for a kitten!

It suits him down to the ground. He looks like a little silvery tiger. I hope my current cat takes kindly to him.

I'm moving to the North East in August/September, and I'm seriously thinking about looking for a horse share when I'm there. You don't happen to be in Newcastle/Durham, do you? Of the two friends I have up there, one has severe ME and can't walk or sit up unaided, and the other is very allergic to horses. I need to find friends who want to go on lots of nice hacks.

P.S. Congrats Miriam. I read about BERRI on your blog once and it sounds like a really useful tool. Something like that would have made a big difference in the adolescent unit where I used to work.

[lingua_franca]

1.) Work today was fantastic. I feel that I made breakthroughs with two students who both struggle with significant trauma-related anxiety (and challenging behaviour as a result of their anxiety). Once I would have hesitated to have such a frank discussion about the exact sources of that behaviour, for fear of opening up raw wounds and generating more problems, but today I felt secure enough in my knowledge of the students and in my ability to contain the situation. It all worked out really well and one student even agreed a plan with me that we can deploy in future difficult situations.
2.) Horses are incredible. I would love to do a study on the therapeutic properties of horse riding and horse care. Not equine therapy as such, just being around horses. I'm seeing so many positive changes in the young people who are going riding.
3.) Two and a half more days until I get the kitten!
4.) My housemate is a clinical psychologist and her service is facing a CQC inspection. She's very frazzled. I'm thinking about sneaking downstairs in the night and baking something as a nice surprise for her. This is the only time when I could do it secretly. I'm very sleepy, though. Perhaps I will cheat and buy cookies.
5.) These essays aren't going to mark themselves. Ugh.

[miriam]

Congratulations Miriam. So good to see that all the hard work and effort is paying off. Let's hope the business continues to go from strength to strength.

P.S. Congrats Miriam. I read about BERRI on your blog once and it sounds like a really useful tool. Something like that would have made a big difference in the adolescent unit where I used to work.

Thanks both. Its a really exciting time for us, and I hope we will soon be able to make a real difference in the lives of an increasing number of children. I should be writing a new blog soon, that will explain a bit more about what we are doing. I am also doing some very exciting new stuff, including making a short animation to convey the impact of the work using two anonymised case examples of children whose lives have been changed for the better, whilst saving costs for the local authority. If you are interested I'll see if I can post a link on here when they are done.

[lakeland]

Congratulations Miriam. So good to see that all the hard work and effort is paying off. Let's hope the business continues to go from strength to strength.

P.S. Congrats Miriam. I read about BERRI on your blog once and it sounds like a really useful tool. Something like that would have made a big difference in the adolescent unit where I used to work.

Thanks both. Its a really exciting time for us, and I hope we will soon be able to make a real difference in the lives of an increasing number of children. I should be writing a new blog soon, that will explain a bit more about what we are doing. I am also doing some very exciting new stuff, including making a short animation to convey the impact of the work using two anonymised case examples of children whose lives have been changed for the better, whilst saving costs for the local authority. If you are interested I'll see if I can post a link on here when they are done.

Congratulations and I'd love to hear more about it when you've written the blog.