Post-grad job 2.0

It's a new year and I've started a new job.  2016 may very well be the year of me trying random new jobs until I take the next step of going to grad school.  I'm perfectly fine with that.

Tomorrow begins my first full-time, no more training, week as a direct support professional for a behavioral intervention service here in St. Louis.  That is a fancy way of saying I work one on one with clients who have behavior health problems (and often physical disabilities).  This line of work is never something I imagined for myself, yet, here I am, and I'm excited about it.  I got this job through a church friend (it's all about who you know...but really.)  I started training at the beginning of the year and last week had my first week of in-house shadowing and my first two shifts working alone with clients.

I'm only 13 days in and already finding myself saying, like the shrunken head in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, "It's going to be a bumpy ride!" (minus the Jamaican accent)

All of my training classes could not have prepared me for my first time with a client who has escalated--a fancy way of saying a client who has had an emotional breakdown which may or may not (but often does) involve vigorous self-injuring behavior, and which is terrifying for all new employees involved.

There I was, trying to help my client who has very little physical independence get changed into her pajamas and lay down for bed, when my client began to weep and maim herself forcefully in the head repeatedly.  I was failing to accomplish the task at hand and quickly becoming frazzled.  Luckily, I don't display my emotions when stressed, so outwardly I was able to remain quite calm.  With some assistance from another staff who was working with her own client, I was able to help the woman deescalate. change, and get to bed.  The tension subsided.  I, however, was left thinking, "What have I gotten myself into?"

This job is going to be challenging. It's going to push me mentally, emotionally, and physically.  It's going to stretch me and help me grow. And it's going to be rewarding, in it's own way.

I'm excited to see what blog-worthy material comes from next week's episode of "Anne decides to be a DSP."  Here goes nothing.