Well tomorrow is the end of week one of my internship. I've learned a lot about the facility these last few days. Yesterday I wrote on my notepad a detailed account of my day but... I think I'm just going to hit a few things, otherwise it will be super long. Tuesday I got to observe two groups... ICU (severe disorders) and the resilience (military) unit. Before that session my director told me to look in the files of some resiliency patients and I LOVED READING THEM. The files are huge with all of their information in them but I was just reading the detailed descriptions of why they were there and stuff. They were all really sad, but it was so interesting to me. I felt just this intense admiration for them after reading them. I've just been thinking about how much I'd love to be the one that interviews patients and writes up their reports. I feel like it's hard to know what my role is here. When we were about to start the session on the resiliency unit, my director left for a little bit and I felt weird because when things like that happen I don't know what to say to the patients or anything, or if I should be saying something, or if it's okay that I don't?? Anyways so after that she did notes and everything and I left. After eating my frozen chicken pot pie, I went to the beach to watch the sunset which was crowded!! I wasn't expecting that. Last time I went to the beach here in the evening it wasn't crowded at all but it's summer and there are a ton of tourists. I got to talk to both Aliza and Sarah while I was there and it was so great! I have wonderful friends. So then yesterday I got there at 8:30, just like on Tuesday and my director didn't show up until like 9 just like on Tuesday. She's not very clear about hours, but I kinda like it because it's open and laid back. Just the whole hospital environment seems to be that way and I love it. So I got to observe a group with the open adult unit. We did this activity with "wellness wheels" where you cut out a circle from construction paper and divide it into four sections: Physical, spiritual, psychological, and social. Then you go through magazines and find pictures for the different sections so it ends up being a cool collage. It was good, I got to interact with the patients more. Today I was working on loading CDs unto iTunes all morning, which I really love doing. I made playlists on iTunes too based on different counseling topics then started adding some songs to them. Then after lunch, I went to observe a session on the resiliency unit again and we did the wellness wheels with them too. It was an AMAZING session. There were about 18 people in group which is a lot more than I'm used to and most of them were pretty into the activity. My director and I started making wellness wheels too and I'm so glad we did because I realized how good of an activity it is. It really helps with identity, mindfulness/focus, and self-reflection. Really, it's soooo therapeutic. We ended really late because everyone was so into it, haha. So afterwords my director asked if anyone wanted to share and about five people did and I almost cried when each of them were talking. Just seeing these people who need to be strong all the time let their guards down like that... it's absolutely amazing and so inspirational to me. I once again felt that intense admiration for them. It's just something about people being authentic and sharing their weaknesses and emotions that just really gets to me. And I think it's really important. That's one of the reasons I am sooo passionate about behavioral health! My director and I were talking about it afterwords and saying this is why we do what we do. For these moments. Even though so far this has been quite an adjustment, and I've had kind of a difficult time internally, I know it'll be worth it because MUSIC THERAPY IS AMAZING!!!