When a potential client calls for an appointment with an urgent request to be seen immediately, I will try to accommodate the request. The individual called on Monday. I set up an appointment for Thursday of the same week and came in early to meet with the person. They did not show up or make any effort to cancel or explain. From a mental health counselor’s perspective, I wonder what happened. Was the person scared to tell their story, did they find help sooner from another provider, or did they simply feel better after making the appointment?
When I worked for a state employer, there was always some paperwork or committee work to attend to. Now as a private practitioner, I try to remember that health equity does not mean all things are equal, and we must adapt our services to the needs of the clients as represented by the bicycle graphic. My no-show client may have figured out how to ride.
The open appointment time gave me an opportunity to reflect on 2024. Weather extremes besieged thousands across the country all year from western wildfires to epic floods, to tornados, to hurricanes. There were weeks of smoky air here from wildfires burning out of control hundreds of miles away. The smoke kept people inside on otherwise lovely days. By Halloween, as we approached a presidential election, people were collectively witchy. Every side of the political spectrum bought partisan ads, and their followers prayed for their side to win. Being bombarded by constant advertising contributed to people’s hyper witchy verbalizing.
I hung some festive lights and a few of us met for dinner on Halloween night, dressed as our favorite characters, to get away from it all for an evening.
Talking heads, AKA, media, stirred the pot daily to capture readers. Political bots created stories that reflected their point of view. These fabrications were often created by other countries to sway the US election and were so sophisticated it was difficult to know what was real.
The election came and went. Half the country rejoiced, and the other half was plunged into sorrow. Much of the new administration’s script is still unwritten. Everyone was relieved the political ads ceased. Mental health providers like me work with folks regardless of political beliefs.
Holiday Season
Thanksgiving was low-key for my family. Because of food prohibitions and allergies, we skipped the turkey extravaganza. I hosted a baked potato bar with an assortment of toppings. Preparation was easier and everyone found some part of it they could safely eat. Two inches of snow blanked the ground. We stated what we are thankful for. I continue to be thankful for my family, a roof over my head, food in the fridge, and firewood piled for the woodstove.
Just past Pearl Harbor Day, the snow melted during a warm spell, and I decorated for Christmas. The 25th is also the beginning of Hanukkah this year, follow by Kwanzaa and Boxing Day on the 26th. There are so many wars across the world today leaving people homeless and hungry. Cease fires treaties are possible sometimes. In a perfect world all the faith communities would come together, urge their adherents to provide homes for the homeless, food for the hungry, and pray for peace. Recognizing that the world is far from the perfect I dream, I continue to believe if we call on our collective beliefs to do what we can, we can begin to address those problems together.
“You may say I’m a dreamer but I’m not the only one. I hope someday you’ll join us, and the world will be as one.” John Lennon
Perspective
I’m told I see the world through rose-tinted glasses. My beliefs are grounded in my counselor education and life as a parent. The adage, do unto others as you would have them do unto you, is intended to be used in a positive manner, not to justify killing each other or slaughtering entire populations.
Theory
Abraham Maslow was a developmental psychologist much studied by psychologists and counselors, as I did in my graduate counseling program years ago. There are contemporary theorists advocating different and some say updated views since then, but I see Maslow’s work as foundational. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs calls for food and shelter first before people can address mental health wellness he referred to as self-actualization and transcendence.
Be well and be kind to each other though out this holiday season and beyond!
LLZ Ranch 