During a meeting with my 15 year old male client he told me he thinks I should get paid more to listen to people complain all day. He then said 'don't you ever work with people and think 'they are just so stupid!' I smiled but said the appropriate response of 'Well, no I don't think any one I work with is stupid'. When truly I have come across about 4 people I can think of out of about 100 that were truly choosing to be stupid and I know that they will never change. I guess 4 out of 100 isn't that bad, right? My client then rephrased the question and said 'don't you work with people that you just know won't do anything to help themselves?' And to that I answered yes. And those by far are the most frustrating cases, the ones who say they want help when you know they really don't, the ones that want you to only justify their behavior no matter what, the ones that are given the opportunity to do better every minute of their lives but they still choose not to. Those are the worst.
I did however have an incredible meeting this past week where I wore the hat of a marriage counselor and helped two parents make some sense of their teenager's behavior and their role in the mix and how they can make a few small changes and immediately see a positive affect at home. It was the kind of meeting that it was obvious I was helping these people and it was wonderful that they appreciated the help. It was the kind of family that you see how much potential they have and you get to witness their growth. And it was the kind of feeling that reminds me of why I chose to do the work that I do and the value I see in it.
Also, what gets you through a tough week? One of many things that gets me through is good music!! I had a new cd in my car this week and it gave me the extra charge I thrived in the morning, and a great burst of energy throughout the day. I was jamming to some Pearl Jam, Michael Jackson, Bright Eyes, and my rap for this week included OutKast and Mystical. Oh yea.
