It would be easy to put together another self help text complete with novel steps to improve mental health, born of 30 plus years of experience in the field. There have been many psychological interventions via psychiatric hospitals, emergency rooms, nursing homes, substance abuse treatment facilities, schools/universities and employee assistance programs: many social service agencies that may or may not have survived funding issues. Lest we forget private practice, as well, this gave me the freedom and autonomy to provide therapy in a way I thought was effective. This should make me an expert at articulating behavior/emotional management skills and identifying errors in thinking. No, I'm not a writer, I'm a participant in thousands of journeys of the scarred, pained, misunderstood, and everyone seeking unconditional love.
The beginning was working at a northside of Chicago nursing home in the late 90s. I was known as a social worker and employed to care for elderly, young adults whose mental health or substance abuse history have deemed them appropriate for rehabilitation and those who have mastered the art of manipulating city and federal systems.
There was a limit to what I could do because I hadn't completed my masters degree nor did I have a license (technically I couldn't conduct therapy). Later accomplishing this goal would eventually change the financial projection of my life. Until then, I was paid $13,000 a year to address the importance of practicing daily living skills (bathing, grooming, eating, socializing,nursing homes guidelines, quality of life practices, etc.) in what was understood as a group setting. Those that required more intense intervention met with me individually, in addition to being placed on a cocktail of psychotropic medications via the periodic visit of the psychiatrist.
The diversity in presenting behavior often led to some confusing and what appeared to be less engaging interactions , Schizophrenia, dementia, alzheimer's diagnosis and substance abuse related behaviors were paramount. The average day amounted to group activities that were reward driven (coffee and desserts were essential to high attendance) and assistance from coworkers who aided by bringing residents to the group, some ambulatory and others not. A high level of oratory skills were needed due to the potential for residents napping and succumbing to high doses of medication. For as much as we preached daily living skills it had to be modeled in our care for residents as groups were commonly interrupted by individuals who soiled themselves or required assistance due to uncontrollable drool- probably a product of medication.
There was always something going on in the group that was unrelated to the day’s topic generally culminating in conflict among residents as well as colleagues. It was common for a fight to break out due to multiple residents dating the same person or residents and staff dating. The temptation was too strong for some not to take advantage of the spoils of disability or medicaid benefits. I was on the high end of the pay scale compared to others. Certain staff reduced themselves to manipulating residents out of their $30 a month: this almost always played out publicly in scandalous fashion eventually leading to termination.
I wondered if this would be my life, after all I was recently let go from a private christian school. I was employed by the same church I actively attended for 10 years. My side road of religious virtue had come to an end as well as my marriage. I was no longer the assistant principal or church minister. There were high hopes and pulpit dreams that slowly incinerated as I simply evolved. This is where the Work started.
