De Wok (The work)

I don’t talk much about my work because I am unsure of what, how much and how to articulate and share my experience. Since I am about half way through my time here, a bit of reflections on what I am doing seems appropriate. I am doing direct clinical work, conducting trainings and developing/conducting a survey of clients.

I co-facilitate two trauma groups and conduct assessments and follow-ups with my clients in the groups. Currently my groups are on week 6 and week 7 of a ten week session. The groups are great but also very challenging and emotionally draining. Attempting to conduct meaningful counseling when the clients are in ongoing trafficking situations proves frustrating and often greatly disheartening. Hearing that one of my girls was beaten because she was late with the water, that another was not given food for 2 days because she didn’t sell enough fish or that still another was told to go find a man and please him so that he would buy her medicine for her cold, is horrible. Knowing this and then sending them home seems unethical, yet the alternative, call the police or send them back to their village, is even less desirable. In spite of this, I have witnessed their resilient spirit; I have seen the group cohesion develop as the girls become able to trust and support one another; I have felt the relief that sharing their burdens brings; I have experienced the breakdown in the walls of isolation; and I have observed hope in what seems the most unlikely of places and times. Still it is hard and I know why the burn out is so high in this profession.

I thought that my heart and passion were in clinical work. I love working directly with clients. But it turns out that I also love trainings. They have been a welcome break from the emotional ride of my groups. Today, I conducted a workshop on Solution Focused Therapy. I won’t bore all the non-social work readers with the details but let it suffice to say that it is a therapy approach that I especially like and turns out loved teaching. The psychosocial counselors were more engaged than usual and totally got it. They came up with great examples and asked thought provoking questions. We had a wonderful debate about cultural relevance and what clients it should and should not be used with, all very stimulating.

Lastly, I am finally ready to embark on my survey. Gathering input, creating the survey and getting approvals has been a painstakingly slow process. I am attempting to interview 500 clients from our program to assess their satisfaction with services as compared to symptom reduction, type of service, length of service, counselor, etc. Bear in mind that addresses and telephone numbers are luxuries that our clients do not have. Instead I have information about the general area (below the big hill near the small store in…) that they once lived. Tracking them down or attempting to do so will defiantly keep me busy.

That is more or less my work. Questions? Comments? Is anyone even reading this?