Well, hello, 2012

It's been a while since I've written. I started my first REAL job, working as a family therapist with kids on the autism spectrum and their families. In the interest of confidentiality, I won't go into any of that here, but I will say that on most days, I love my job and am frustrated by it all at the same time. The frustrating part, of course, comes more from the bureaucracy and the "stuff" that people neglect to think about when they sign up for a full-time job. Eg: 40 hours a week is actually 45, once you've done your notes, and 45 is actually 60 once you factor in the travel time required of a community-based therapist (which means I go into peoples' homes, kids' schools, etc.).

I've gotten certified in TFCBT (Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy), which is interesting since I don't work with abused kids any more. TFCBT has come in handy, though, since I have operationalized sex ed for a couple of concrete thinkers. I'm also working as an alternate instructor with a program that uses PREP, and I'm really excited about that, and hoping that I actually WILL get to be an instructor.

The biggest thing is that I'm trying to write more, and I have one beta reader already. I'm trying to write 5 pages a week, minimum, hoping that if I start there, everything else is a bonus. So my first novel is ready (why do I feel pretentious/ridiculous saying that?). It's a romance/suspense, and it was my NaNo project for 2011. If you want to beta read for me, send me a comment!

Specializations

Recently, I've been hearing that I shouldn't worry about specialization in therapy until I'm actually licensed. (Which will be 2013, for those of you keeping track at home.) However, I know now that I DON'T want to specialized in CADC (chemical and alcohol dependency). Here's what I DO want to do:

- EMDR. Can't do this until I've got my preliminary license, though. (CSW, at least.)

- PREP training, especially Got Your Back and Strong Bonds. (Get to do this next week!!!)

- Play therapy certification (also needs licensure)

- FACE training--METT and SETT (I can actually do this now!)

- Narrative therapy

- Child Life specialist

- Certified Sex Addiction Therapist (CSAT) and, eventually, Certified Multiple Addiction Therapist (CMAT)

- Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TFCBT)