August

August was a busy month for us. I finished my first semester of graduate school. I'm doing my Master's in Social Work through Boise State. Classes are Mondays and Tuesdays in Twin Falls, which is a little less than 3 hours away. I also quit my job doing Partial Care/PSR toward the end of August. I enjoyed the experience and learned a lot. I'd do Partial Care again, but would avoid PSR, it just wasn't for me. I quit my job because I have to do a practicum (internship) for grad school.

I'm interning with the Department of Health and Welfare. Specifically I'm with the Region VII Behavioral Health Crisis Team. We work with clients who are at immanent risk of becoming homeless or committing suicide, or who have We provide group therapy, individual counseling and medication management. So far I'm enjoying it. This semester I'm doing a lot of observing and not a lot of real work. I observe initial assessments, counseling sessions, Designated Exams at the jail, assessments at the Behavioral Health Center (last stop before they're committed to the state hospital), and sit through meeting after meeting. Seriously, I've never sat on my butt at a job so much in my life! I do get to co-facilitate some of our groups and have run one or two on my own.

I'm required to do 20 hours a week, so I'm there Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 8-5, but I usually leave early on Fridays. I forgot to mention that the DHW is in Idaho Falls. So, between driving to Twin Falls once and Idaho Falls three times a week, I'm averaging about 600 miles a week. That's a LOT of time in the car, by myself. But it has given me time to listen to a couple books on CD. Right now I'm listening to Truman G. Madsen's lectures on the Prophets series. I'm enjoying learning about each prophet individually.

The bad part of the internship is the fact that it's unpaid. For this reason, Jess and I could no longer afford the rent at our apartment. So, again toward the end of August, we moved in with Jess' parents in Archer. It's not our preferred living arrangement, but it's helping us get by without going into debt to pay rent. On the more difficult days we remind ourselves that it's only until May, when I'll finish grad school.

So, in a nutshell that's about all I remember from August. Sorry no pics for this post!