How Will I Know I'm Ready To Return To Work?

[UConnclar]

Hi Everyone,
I've taken the past six months since I got fired to really work on me. While my journey is by no means over, I do feel like I have this PTSD beast by the tail and could return to work at least part-time. My therapist seems to think 20 hours would be a good start.

I have been volunteering at an animal shelter a couple hours here and there and that has felt really good to do but I still have days where my brain feels like it's in a fog.

How will I know when I'm really ready to go back to work? The last thing I want to do is undo all of the healing I've been working so hard at.

Thanks!
Meg

 

[NarcSis]

I echo your sentiments Meg. I want to know when, and yet, I know I still have some healing to do before I get there. I feel right now like I could do other jobs, a desk job with some goal and direction as long as it doesn't deal directly with my field....I even feel like I could clean ambulances on a daily basis but I know medics will just come up to me and 'share' their day.

I'm sorry, I wish I could give you a timeline. I'm looking for a timeline myself. All my therapist tells me is that when I can talk about my trauma and discuss it like a normal memory, then we can begin to phase me back to work. I may feel 'normal', but I'm not completely 'normal' yet, its learning to practice this new skill of patience that frustrates me most.