Starting A New Job/transitions

[Catlovers141]

I just started a new job yesterday and I'm very worried about it. I just graduated with my master's in social work and this is my first job out of grad school. I will be a therapist, which I was/am very excited about, but now that I'm in the new job I'm really worried about all the demands. In my previous job, I carried a caseload but I did not have to meet a quota of how many clients I saw per week. In this job I do, and there are a lot of cancelations so essentially I need to schedule twice as many appointments as I need to have in order to meet my quota. All back to back with no breaks unless someone cancels.
Also, my hours are making it difficult to attend my own therapy. My therapist begins her day after I begin mine and ends her day before I end mine, so there really isn't time when she is working but I am not (and thus time for me to see her). I'm hoping that over time I can change my schedule a bit, but this whole transition is really stressing me out.

 

[Hope69]

HI Catlover. First of all, congratulations on the job! Second of all, I really encourage you to find a way to make time for self care. I've worked in the helping profession for many years, and it can be demanding. I know its hard with a new job, but your health is what makes it possible to help others, so you have to come first! Its good to have options, for example, is part time an option if you feel you need it, Can you employer be flexible and allow you flex afternoon a week for self care, do you have an option to do paper work at home. I moved to a cheaper living arrangement and got a roommate so I could work part time, which is a bit drastic, but it was necessary.

 

[Deleted member 541]

Congrats on the new job,,,, It sounds a bit overwhelming though. What happens if you do schedule twice as many appointments as you need and then they ALL SHOW UP??? What happens then? Just sounds like it's full of stress...

 

[Justmehere]

You might be able to asking for breaks in your day as an ADA accommodation. You wouldn't need to tell your employer what the disability is, but to be able to give them a letter from a doc or theorist stating you have a disability that requires breaks. Getting your own therapeutic support should be considered to be a good thing as part of your job too. There are pros and cons to doing this...

Transitions are super tough! :hug:

 

[Catlovers141]

That's what I mean. I'm supposed to schedule ten appointments per day back to back. If they all show up then I get more money but I don't have lunch or a break, and I have to be really sure that I end my sessions on time so that the next one can start on time. I'm used to having a 10-15 minute break between most sessions to write notes, breathe, maybe have something quick to eat. This is going to be really stressful.

 

[Catlovers141]

You might be able to asking for breaks in your day as an ADA accommodation. You wouldn't need to te...

I do wonder if this is a possibility. Or even shorter but more frequent shifts.

Another future option could be to work on Saturdays. If I did this, I would wonder if I could work a couple of shorter days during the week.

 

[Powder]

First of all, have you celebrated your success? I am so proud of those of us with PTSD who get advanced degrees and give back to our community.

Thank you for what you are doing for the world. :) Kuddos doesn't cut it. I'm dang proud of you.

Second, have you considered support in a body-focused way, such as getting in a yoga session during cancellations, with a friend in your office, or having a massage with a good, healing person near your office?

Going outside for fresh air, taking a quick walk. All these things can melt away the emotional baggage and stress of work.

I sip grapefruit juice and Bigelow Green Tea that I keep in karafe all day at work. This seems to work away much of the stress via my body's own processes.

Finally, maybe having a new or back up therapy option that is failproof, or setting up a Saturday session for yourself would be best.

I don't see any cause for alarm. You are afraid that your coping will fail? But it won't. You got this far because you got this.