TG Comes Out of Hibernation

I cannot believe it has been a month since I have written a post! I promised Sarah B. I would post over a week ago and yet... I didn't! I promised myself I would post every Tuesday and Friday and yet... I haven't. I have 1001 things to share, most of which I think are interesting, which hopefully means at least 25 will actually BE interesting.

I spent the last week in a training session for certification as a peer counselor.  Once I am certified I will be able to work with persons who have a mental health and/or addictions diagnosis and provide them with support, hope, referrals and be someone who "gets" it. I feel very strongly that the stigma that surrounds mental health needs to be shattered and that through communication and understanding we will be able to get to a point where it isn't shameful to ask for help. I hope that peer counseling will give me the tools to make a difference.

I have another 40 hours of in-class instruction next week and then an apprenticeship to complete. I haven't been a student in many years - decades! I was more nervous than I cared to admit and I think I learned most about myself and my temperament. For most of my life I thought the greatest compliment I could receive was being called nice. I didn't "do" Angry and if I accidentally offended someone or, heaven forbid, hurt their feelings it was literally a hand wringing experience for me. I spent more energy figuring out how to walk on tip-toe and apologize than I did on being happy and well.

It took three years of very intense therapy for me to learn that Angry was ok and learn how to express it. It took a huge amount of support from my coworkers and good friends to bear with me through the seemingly endless tears and timidity. And once I was on a first name basis with Angry, her cousin, Pissed Off, spent a lot of time tempting me, too. But we worked all that out, Angry and I have a very respectful relationship and Pissed Off stays (mostly) to herself.

None of which has much at all to do with my class other than reminding me that lessons learned sometimes need to be revisited. And that we each have our own winding, bumpy journey that no one can do for us. But hopefully I will be able to do them WITH someone when it is too dark to walk alone.

The story behind this picture is silly - the top hand was pretty and the hand with the ring had beautiful jewelry. Mine is on the bottom, not the prettiest or most bejeweled, but the foundation which is an honor!