T minus 28 days

Lynae N.

May 17, 2010 - 6:40 AM

Yes, it's true, there is now officially less than one month before I will be walking across the stage at Mac Court in an Oregon Green gown complete with a light blue and yellow Master's hood. It seems nearly impossible to think that looming date is so quickly approaching, yet I am noticing a shift in the cohort from working our minds and bodies to death, to complete everything, to preparing ourselves for the transition particularly in the HEDCO clinic.

We have started the process of moving out of our work with our clients at HEDCO, mentally preparing ourselves (as much as possible) for the quick, awkward, and final break from these relationships that have been a meaningful part of our time at the UO. For some, the therapeutic relationship has spanned the entire year of our internship. It is so strange to find myself on this side of the "transfer process." The transfer process is an important aspect of my work at HEDCO. Basically, I and all of the other 2nd year students who have been seeing clients are matched with a 1st year student (soon to be 2nd year students) who will take over our client case load.

This is a unique relationship. My job is to work with my match and prepare them for life in HEDCO. I am showing them the ropes with the AV system for recording sessions, watching sessions, scheduling clients, keeping neat files, and most importantly, being a source of encouragement. There are so many important pieces of being a therapist that are learned throughout the course of internships and externships. I have been intentional about passing down what I've learned and what works for me to manage the different roles I have been playing as a wife, mother, student, intern, and more throughout this past year. I am glad that my match also has a family and I feel that we fit together well in that respect.

I remember what it was like for me when I was on the receiving end of the transfer process what feels like a month or two ago. I didn't get along particularly well with my 2nd year match which made the process a weird one. . . I hope that I am a better fit for my match and hope to make this process as positive as possible for the both of us; as much as that depends on me.

I feel like I am coping well with the change. I will miss HEDCO tremendously and all of the fun times I was a part of in the back room and sharing life with the amazing people I am blessed to work and study with in the program. I am feeling ok about transitioning out of my client case load. I have one longer term client who is going through the transfer process and all other cases are relatively new and I haven't developed a bond in the same way I have with some other clients, knowing that I will not be working with them for very long. Now, the clients at my externship are a different story; but, I won't get into that too much right now because my brain hasn't had the time to take a look at that transition yet.