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Saturday, October 18, 2008

Thick Skin

A muse about a negative side effect of providing horticulture therapy.

In the "helping" and "teaching" professions you quickly learn to develop a thick skin as a means of self defense. However, that thick skin does not seem thick enough as problems seem to continue to be of a bother and issues of the world continue to exist. I have found many individuals in the helping profession to be plagued by this condition of negative attraction. We are NOT be offended by all the challenging issues (disabilities, social and racial issues to name an immediate few) in the world. You are trained for years and years to explore and nurture to health what society has torn asunder. Additionally, the issues of the world continue to exist beyond the scope of our employment and we let them in to our personal lives. The problem occurs when the ills of the world become too much and you just need to let go where you can first let go which is at home. It is harder to let things go in one's personal life than the J-O-B but sometimes, it is a matter of personal well being.

You have to draw the line in order to maintain one's sanity in this profession.

Sometimes, you wonder if your skin has become too thick and you have lost your sensitivity which is so much a part of a therapist as the sense of taste is to the chef. These past few days, there has been a couple of instances (both professionally and personally) where I wondered such... have I become jaded, tired, burnt out?

These are the times that I am SO thankful for a Monday-Friday work week.

Writing about the problem of burnt out of those in the helping and teaching profession is helpful to me...just remember to seek relaxation and replenishment for the trying and helpful times ahead.

4 comments:

  1. What a fascinating career. Sounds very challenging and extremely rewarding at the same time. I know I couldn't do what you do. Working with plants I enjoy but I'm not good at. Helping needy people is beyond me and I admire those who have the stamina to do so. People who do what you do are awesome.

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  2. I admire people who do work in the teaching field. I also love horticulture, even though I'm horrible with plants. Keep up the good work, and Radda Radda! :-)

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  3. Thank you for your well wishes. I have always "worked" with people in some type of need and have found it very rewarding. Working with plants is not as difficult as it seems (with exceptions being bonsai, and other tempermental things ie orchids). Most plants die from either one of two things: overwatering or underwatering. But, that is fodder for another blg.

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  4. You are taking well to blogging!

    It has it's value......

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