Husband in search of brownie points, more relaxed wife

July 30, 2009 6:53 AM

Help me cheer up my wife! She's just started a new job (her first out of grad school) as a clinical therapist at a methadone clinic. Tell me about blogs or testimonials I can print out for her in a "Oh, THAT'S why I put up with this shit" vein.

Her clients are mandated to see her for service and most are, well, less than appreciative of her efforts, ranging from apathy to downright hostility. Goes with the territory, obviously, but that doesn't make it any more pleasant to deal with. So I'm looking for some blog posts, thoughts, musings, amusing anecdotes, etc. from other therapists who have been there and done that, which I can send to her when she needs cheering up. I've done some googling but have had no luck so far, so I turn to you, oh hive-mind.

posted by bobot to work & money (3 comments total)

Not the same job, but Random Acts of Reality, an ambulance blog shares at least part of the same client group.
posted by Coobeastie at 7:18 AM on July 30

I'm not sure exactly what goes on at these clinics, but for my whole life my single mother has had to go to the methadone clinic to pick up her dose. Sometimes she took me along for the daily trip, and I sat at the waiting room while she picked up her meds, or while she went to the restroom to provide a urine sample. Admittedly, I don't know what a therapist there would do, but I can imagine the type of people she'd have to work with.

So, I think your wife should keep in mind the families of these clients, as she's helping support these as well. If successful, her client's children won't become her future clients right? :)
As for my family, my mom's still going to the clinic and next year I'll be the first in my family to graduate from college. So you might think of it this way, you're potentially getting kids to college. You're in a unique position where you can actually change lives by just coming into work every day and offering your ear and your expertise. If that's not a reason to put up with this shit, I don't know what is.
posted by The Biggest Dreamer at 10:18 AM on July 30 [4 favorites]

Not quite what you're looking for, but here it is. I was the court appointed watch dog for someone just starting a methadone programme a few years ago and got to make the trek to the clinic daily for months until they were considered stable enough to go by themselves. What I saw there was a mix of some very well dressed people who looked like they had been totally together for years and were in for their daily drink before work, some people at the other end of the spectrum who appeared to have climbed out of the nearest ravine, and lots and lots of people from the legal age to get methadone(18 here) to mid-twenties. Some people looked fine, other looked like they had obvious mental health issues. I think my charge said it: no one who's happy ever put a needle in their arm.

One doc in the clinic was everything you could ask for; the other, was one of the rudest people I've ever seen. Her patients had to put up with whatever she dished out or they wouldn't get the methadone they needed. It's hard enough getting an addict to keep a schedule without asking them to deal with hostility in a place where they are supposed to be getting help. That doctor needed counselling.

I think it depends on where the clients are coming from. Most court ordered therapy I've heard about (in Toronto) is from the diversion programme which will give someone a conditional sentence if they get into treatment and drug counselling. I think patience is the key as the life style change is enormous and the physical changes can be difficult to deal with until dosage is settled. It's like going on a diet, starting a vigorous exercise programme, moving to a new neighbourhood and starting a new job all in one. Everything changes. I wouldn't expect too much from new clients as they are used to not knowing who to trust as well as the above. And then there's the issue of getting over whatever they did to get the $ to buy the heroin. And then there are the ones who will play you if you let them, a category that seems to overlap those who want to get better and those who don't. It's a mess. I wish your friend luck and patience and good friends to lean on now and again. She'll be saving lives and rescuing families daily. I've been in drug court to see the people who made it being congratulated by the judge and others who started recovery around the same time. There's such a joy in that room.
posted by x46 at 12:59 PM on July 30