[humanser] Logistics and keeping personal belongings safe at work

[Kaiti Shelton]

Hi,

Not really.  I haven't seen this site yet but it will from what I do
know about it be basically an open room for us to lead sessions in.  I
do know that the women will be sitting in a semi-circle or a circle so
we can facilitate from either the front of the group or among them as
a group, but the facility probably won't have any place for us to
leave personal belongings.  Generally students are instructed to leave
personal items in their cars during sessions, but I can't do that
since I need to take the drops at least twice during the set up,
session, and debriefing process.

On 7/8/16, Christina Moore via Humanser <humanser at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> Is there a drawer that you can put the medication in?
>
>
>
> God bless.--Christina
>
>> On Jul 8, 2016, at 16:43, Kaiti Shelton via Humanser <humanser at nfbnet.org>
>> wrote:
>>
>> Hi all,
>>
>> I realize this might be a bigger issue for me than for probably most
>> people in some respects, but I think everyone has to deal with this in
>> at least some way.  I'm wondering how you all have dealt with keeping
>> personal belongings safe and out of harm during sessions.  As a
>> background for those who might not know me, I'm a music therapy
>> student and a lot of my work requires me to be very mobile around the
>> room and I usually have my hands full either assisting a client or
>> playing an instrument myself.  Most of my past clinical experience has
>> been with children, particularly with blind kids and kids with visual
>> impairments and other disabilities, and children on the Autism
>> spectrum in a public school self-contained classroom, but this fall I
>> will be working in a practicum at a behavioral health facility for
>> duel diagnosis mental and substance abuse disorders.
>>
>> I was doing some of my summer reading, and one note in the chapter I
>> read yesterday stressed the importance of making sure *all* materials
>> are collected at the end of each session.  Many objects used for music
>> therapy sessions could be dangerous in the hands of psychologically
>> unstable patients if they are smuggled out past supervision, and I can
>> see how even objects like mallets used to play drums and other
>> percussion equipment could be used to inflict self-harm.  It occurred
>> to me that leaving my cane propped in a corner as I usually do
>> probably would not be the best idea in this setting, as someone in
>> psychosis might see that as just a long metal stick they could use for
>> their own intentions.  I purchased a cane holster thinking it would
>> probably be helpful for this setting, but also in my work with
>> children since I can keep my cane on my person now.  Before I go on, I
>> will say that I am fully aware that my supervising professor will be
>> there at each session, as well as my practicum partner.  Furthermore,
>> we're not supposed to be left alone in the room with the residents
>> without a staff member from the facility present.  However, my
>> professors don't know all the ins and outs of adapting the work to my
>> circumstances and have encouraged me to seek this information where I
>> can.  I also am trying to treat each practicum situation as if I were
>> already working professionally in the field and realize that if I were
>> going to work on this type of a unit as a professional without the
>> support I have the luxury of having as a student, these considerations
>> might be important.
>>
>> The other issue I'm confronting is how to deal with personal
>> medication.  I have 3 different types of drops I give myself
>> throughout the day.  Two of the drops just need to be given 4 times a
>> day, and although I try to keep to a set schedule with those I can
>> move them around a bit to accommodate things like sessions or brief
>> meetings.  The other needs to be given every half hour.  This wasn't
>> the biggest problem before, but especially now that I'm going into
>> this unit and also thinking about my future internship, I don't always
>> want to lug around a purse like I have been doing everywhere I go.
>> I'm already going to be bogged down carrying instruments, and
>> sometimes just doing that with a cane can be challenging enough.  I'm
>> honestly considering paying homage to the 80s and getting myself a
>> fanny pack or some sort, especially since a lot of the professional
>> attire for women that I own doesn't even have belt loops for the cane
>> holster to clip to.
>>
>> I would be interested to hear how these kinds of things are handled by
>> those of you who are itinerant, who work with populations who might
>> take advantage of things like a cane laying around for self-harm or
>> other purposes, or who are very mobile but have to also manage
>> personal medications and keep them on your person.  Also, for the
>> women who might be in professions where you need to dress
>> professionally but also in clothing that allows you to move freely and
>> easily to do your job, please let me know any tips you might have.
>> I'm not sure of how unique my situation is on this group with having
>> the need to look professional while also getting down on the floor and
>> moving about the group on my knees to play eye level with small
>> children and such, or to facilitate movement-based therapeutic
>> experiences, but it's definitely a logistic I'm trying to work around
>> at the moment and would appreciate suggestions on.
>>
>> Thanks,
>>
>> --
>> Kaiti Shelton
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Humanser mailing list
>> Humanser at nfbnet.org
>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/humanser_nfbnet.org
>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>> Humanser:
>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/humanser_nfbnet.org/christina.moore16%40houghton.edu
>
> _______________________________________________
> Humanser mailing list
> Humanser at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/humanser_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
> Humanser:
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/humanser_nfbnet.org/crazy4clarinet104%40gmail.com
>


-- 
Kaiti Shelton