In college I worked in the counseling center on a peer hotline called Middle Earth. I was trained in most subjects that raised awareness regarding peer struggles. Topics included drugs and alcohol, family issues, school challenges, relationships, STI's, and so much more because of the chance someone would call the 24 hour hotline with a relatable topic. One of the requirements we had to apply while speaking with someone was summarizing the caller's issue rather then give any kind of advice. Active listening, repeating what you just heard in a way the caller feels understood. We were told to present this acquired info in a "good-bad-good sandwich.' For example, a caller reports their girlfriend cheated on them. I would respond, "I'm so thankful you called, it takes courage to do so. It sounds like you're upset because your girlfriend cheated. Again, I"m really glad you called it helps to talk about things, you're doing the right thing." While there is hardly something positive to report when someone shares this information, as a listener we had to try our best.
After a day like yesterday, I plan to, "good-bad-good sandwich," the heck out of my blog post today so I'm not left in a puddle of despair, similar to how i felt yesterday.
Good: It's October 3rd. A day where we can remember the EPIC movie, "Mean Girls." Lindsay Lohan and Tina Fey rocked our socks and took us back to our high school days with a lot of accuracy. I don't care what anyone says, I'm forever a LiLo fan, cocaine addiction or not.
Bad: Yesterday we started and ended the day hearing about death. Much like my post last week, I can't help to reiterate the body absorbs shock and trauma, even if you are not directly related to any of the world's current events, hearing and reading about tragedy takes a toll. There is a reason romantic comedies far out number horror movies, because we can only take so much. Take care of your heart and your loved ones, too.
The Las Vegas news sparks a lot of dialogue, in well, everything. But I'd like to pose a question that is rarely heard when something like this happens. What happens in between birth and initial gun shot. Yes we can talk about rights to bear arms, and gun ownership but...what about parenting, the school system, nutrition, environment , mental health support, all co-factors that were part of this persons, or any persons life that lead them down this path?
Believe me, I have seen my fair share of Mental Illness, working in the field for 7 years. But, even a client with the most paranoid, delusional schizo-affective symptoms, doesn't immediately fall in the category of murderer. Where does one slip through the cracks? What are we missing, or where are we missing?
Regardless, ugh. Heavy heart. Heavy body. Sad.
GOOD:
Yes, Tom Petty, passed away yesterday but ....
Breakdown.
American Girl.
Wildflowers.
Mary Jane's Last Dance.
FREE FALLIN'.
Learning To Fly.
Don't Do Me Like That.
Time To Move On.
Don't Come Around Here No More.
You Got Lucky.
HONEY BEE.
Uughhhhhhh. Literally each song can take me back to a specific boy and time, hahaha. I say boy, because for some reason whenever my heart was shattered, or softly let down, it was TOM I would turn to. And yes, that is sad, so it could technically fall under the "bad," part of a, "good/bad/good" sangy, but no way, I love that the first notes of any of his songs can send me right back in time. High school soccer games, summer nights, Sunday's in college, smoking Parliament Lights through my tears with my best friends, road trips in grad school. UGHHHH. ugh ugh ugh. Heart throbs, but SO thankful for this legend. <3
I hope you can find your good-bad-good sandwich amongst the current events that have been impacting our world. Love you, LP.
