Today was the first day of training at Hope. The supervisor and I spent three hours going over the manual and working through the assessment process. The assessments here are going to be 1000% easier because you will not have to be going through so much addiction and mental health history and substance use scanning. You don’t even have to use the computer, and in fact, at Hope, you’re not supposed to.

I had a moment of wanting to run back to Thrive. To have the familiarity with out the learning curve of change and learning a different place and system. My little office there seemed cozy and fine. I do not have an official office an will not have one for a while, if ever. Being the newest therapist I am the least in terms of seniority which means the first of my two days will have to be Friday. None of this is bothering me.

The couples’ waitlist is inches long. I am really hoping this works because I’ve never actually done it. I just have thought that I would like it and have felt like I would be able to do it. The Gottman training is not yet done, but has been exponentially helpful in terms of providing the basic structure and forms for assessments. The only time couples therapy worked was when there was an organized way to do it.

You don’t have to follow it exactly but you have to start with a plan and format. She warned me that I would be spiritually attacked there and that it happens to everyone. I made a mental note that that would mean I need to be regularly in the Word and spending time with God in prayer. It’s amazing how lingering and standing knowledge can keep you going for a while, but you cannot neglect your dire dependence.

I can spend so much of my mind on idle dreaming. How much better would it be to use it instead for prayer and reading and then moving toward action. It occurred to me recently that there is a difference between false dreams and real ones. The false ones are a distraction from your purpose. The true ones, the true ones God will lead you to and match them up with appropriate actions.