A New Beginning?

Okay, people! I have decided to return to blogging. I have been struggling and ignoring the blog for quite some time now. I'm going to start safely tell you that I am moving workplaces from Durham Mental Health Services to Surrey Place Centre in Toronto. So, all you lurkers and what-nots, come and find me...I dare you!

Surrey Place is a new beginning of sorts: Six years ago I left the Griffin Centre's Crisis Network for Durham and was already familiar with Surrey Place and some of the staff working there at the time. At Griffin I was doing crisis case management with developmentally delayed and dual-diagnosed clients. Surrey Place (SP) will give me an opportunity to exercise some of those same skills again.

The bonus is I will be better paid (important, though no one seems to talk about this elephant in the room) and there are some familiar faces (even friends) at SP and the other agencies in the developmental services sector. It is a homecoming of sorts for me.

I'm very excited for the (soon to come) arrival but am also saddened by the (almost) departure. Today, I reconnected a client to a therapist he had walked away from nine months ago. Among other things discussed, his therapist discussed the importance of saying goodbye appropriately; about how I have been with this client through many hoops and over many hurdles. There have been a ton of changes and some definite successes. And it was sad to have to say goodbye to him, there is so much still to be done and it's all very much, given time, achievable and do-able. Letting go is not easy for me.

Nevertheless, the moment arrives. We shake hands, a few words exchanged. He says, "You're the best worker in the whole world!" And I say, "You've done a lot of great work and I'm sure that you will get lots done (with your new worker)." Words seem to let people down and lingering, waiting for the right phrase/sentiment to come, seems so awkward. So we shake hands, I give him a hug and say, "Be well." And drive away feeling the pain of loss, try to re-focus on the present moment and put up my work shield.

Now we're both grown up a little.