2nd Day on the Job

I started my new job yesterday.  I am working at a Methadone Clinic.  It is a out patient treatment center for individuals that are addicted to drugs.  Methadone allows some relief from the symptoms that start to kick in once you haven't had a hit in a while or a day.  It basically is a way for people that are addicted to drugs to function, to take care of their kids, or hold a job.
It will be a learning experience... but it still is not counseling.  It is more case management.  Which is what I was trying to avoid doing since I am not a social worker I am a counselor.  I will be able to provide some counseling but it's not the primary focus of treatment.  And did I mention that you don't need a masters to do this job? I have wrestled with some thoughts that run through my head.  "Why did I move to Alabama when I could have done this job... anywhere?"
The staff is super friendly and helpful, but I find at times my heart twisting for brief moments.... this is not what I really want to be doing......
I have been shadowing other Counselors.  Yes technically my position is called "Substance Abuse Counselor" though the counseling is a small piece of what we are doing, a very small piece.  I find that as I observe intakes or counselors meeting with patients I want to ask more questions and get into those dark places they briefly mention.  But that is NOT the job, the job is to get the information, get their signatures so you can move onto the next patient.

I look forward to the day when I will have a office that will be a counseling office.  Where I will be able to sit with others and ask about the details and it will be my job to do so.

I start the job at 5:30 a.m. so I am up at 4:15ish it's a early start to the day.  But it's a quite time that early, and hardly anyone is on the road so it only takes me about 12 min's to get there.  It hurts a little though.  Each morning I kind of wake up a little angry.  But each morning I arrive there are already patients lined up waiting.  It's a busy morning from 5:30 - 11:00 basically for those hours it's  some what organized chaos.  But I will say with that much going on I forget what time of the morning it is.

I guess knowing that this is just a step to getting where I want to be I find that I am not putting too much pressure on myself.  Which has been nice.

This is a somewhat random way to end this post.
 I realize that my grammar and spelling are not very good.  I know that on this blog there are probably many of you that would like to put red ink to many of my posts.  I am going to be taking some time to try to work on those things.  To be honest I have struggled with my grammar, spelling and punctuation my entire life.  But I guess though I don't write correctly or with the best grammar I find that blogging and writing has been something I really enjoy doing.  Please know that I am aware of my writing issues but in this space there lies no red ink and I think because I am not graded in this space it gives me freedom to write as I wish.  It's a little place where writing allows me to experience something that only lies in the new earth.... NO RED INK....