Walking places, and thinking about the future...

Despite the fact that I do a fair bit more walking here in Canberra, winter and too much good food is taking its toll and I just keep gaining weight. Erk. I really don't want to have to buy a whole new wardrobe, but it's starting to look a bit dire. But walking around here is pretty nice, I see so many birds, mostly natives, which are a constant source of delight to me, and one of the best things about being here.

I was walking to work and saw all these savage little spiky weeds popping up everywhere, like tiny little spears, and couldn't help but go over and poke one to see how sharp it was. Turns out they're actually quite soft, I have no idea what they are but they look cool and a bit scary all over the grass around the place, like a tiny army of pixies is trying not be noticed, but forgot that their spears are sticking up. Hehe!

I'm trying to do just a little bit more of walking and gymming and stuff, but I'm getting tired. I even skipped knitting last night in leiu of vegging at home with a tummy full of butter chicken. Hm. Goof for the soul, not so good for the thighs. LOL! Two weeks to go and I still haven't actually started the discussion section on my thesis, so that's what's on the study menu today, and I'll try to squish in study for next week's exam in somewhere else.

So, walking and thinking. Yesterday during our last ethics lecture, something occurred to me. I'm going to have to close down this blog once I become a clinical practitioner. Canberra's a pretty small place, and I'm not sure having a public blog is going to be appropriate. There seems to be a lot of ethical minefields in psychology, and living in a small town is one of them. And Canberra's a pretty small town. I know that plenty of other people have public blogs (M-H) and plenty of people have anonymous blogs (Jejune). Different reasons for different people.

This got me thinking about knitting group. What the hell's gonna happen if a client joins my knitting group? I suppose I'd have to terminate the professional relationship - it'd be way too complicated having a client there, where I quite openly chat about life, the universe, and everything (LU&E), along with what designs I like, how my family is driving me crazy, stories of ritual self-humiliation, and what my partner's been up to lately.

So what's a squeak to do? I think I'm gonna have to run the blog underground, which is a pity since I only recently shunted myself over to typepad from blogdrive, so it'll mean another blog address change. But anyway, what I'm doing here is giving you all the opportunity to contact me and ask for the new identity-free address once I've got it, and what I'll be doing is getting everyone who wants the new address to send me an email to sudokuthesis-newblog@yahoo.co.uk, and I'll send you the new blog address when I've set it up (not sure when that will be). Once I start my internship I'll move to the new blog and we'll see how it goes from there. Oh, and of course I'll be open to any suggestions for keeping the thing fun and lively while not ethically putting my foot in it. :D

Comments

[Adele]

Talking about clients online and to your knitting group would be a problem but, even then, it may not be if no-one else can identify who you're talking about.

If it's something to do with keeping your life separate from the client's, not letting them know you exist outside that office nor have a home and life to go to, I'd question how realistic this ideal is. It'd be hard enough to achieve in a capital city, let alone a small country town.

Why not have a chat to my sister and BIL, to see how they manage it? (SMS or email me and I'll put you in touch). She's a GP & he's a psychologist, and Nowra' a lot smaller than Canberra.

A close friend of hers is also a patient - they chat about kids, quilting, husbands, etc outside but, once the office door is closed, it's strictly business.

[Amanda]

Nurses have some similar issues - particularly once you start dealing with mental health or drug and alcohol clients. I've run into a number of psych clients in the community. If they say hello, then you can acknowledge them, but that is it. No going up to them and asking how their new antipsychotic is going etc.

We also have fairly strict professional boundaries rules. If a patient is in our care, we must cut communication with them at the end of the hospital stay, as the relationship was a therapeutic one and no longer has any use. If we run into each other in the community, that can be okay, but you have to be able to prove that you didn't have some way of contacting them. The easiest way to do this? Don't share personal details.

Beyond official rules and guidelines, it is then up to you to work out what you feel comfortable with.

As for the blog thing? It is why I keep LJ and its ability to have locked posts...

[Monica]

ja cool, the thing about psychs is, we aren't allowed to see friends in a professional capacity, nor are we allowed to form friendships with clients. Eg: if a client joined my knitting group I'd have to refer them to another psych, or leave the group. Oh, and no talky about the clients, ever, to anyone except other psychs, and only with permission. Not even your partner. Very strict. So, yeah. Slowly, carefully, and perhaps anonymously. :D

[M-H]

But those are the rules that nurses have too. And GPs. And every other profession. Always have had. I remember when Lizzie was delivered by our old GP in 1974, and his wife was a friend of my mother's, and he didn't tell his wife that her friend had become a grandmother. That's what confidentiality means to a professional. Nothing new there. And if I was your client and wanted to join your knitting group I wouldn't want to be your client too - I'd ask for a change! If I didn't understand that you can't relate in two different ways to the same person, that would be a warning to you that I needed to be moved on!

This stuff will get easier as you gain more confidence. It's about boundaries, and they take time to build for yourself.

[jen]

Delurking. You are facing a problem I have, particularly with the social aspect of s'n'b.
One newcomer was yelling questions down the table to a woman who works with domestic violence victims so we thought about presenting her with a charter of behaviour, but luckily she faded away.
I'm a small country town (think the coast line from your home town) and unfort my profession means I have to be careful as well, but the core is very protective when situations arise and we all make a point when welcoming newcomers that work is not to be asked about, if a member offers info, fine, but don't go questioning. We are here to knit and solve the world's problems (which we have if only we were in charge), not network.

[Em]

It's crossed my mind that once (!?) I get into the midwiffle thing I'll have the same issue with my blog(s) and other roles. My city is quite small and some of the people I will deal with will be knitters too so I can't use my knitting blog, and my lj is private/personal so don't want to do it there. And while I have a knack for writing about situations, I'd have to observe all of the usual boundaries of professionalism while maintaining my anonymity and that of my patient but I think sharing my progress through school would be interesting and worthwhile. So I hear you.

[Nanna]

The spiky weed is Common Storksbill, native of Europe & also common in Uralla. Walking around a rural place is soo much better than in the city. I feed on wild asparagus whn I walk the dog :-D

[Jejune]

Yeah, it's a tricky one. We have a friend who's a psych, and we're not allowed to see cos we're old family friends... and the psych we *do* see is very careful about boundaries and confidentiality. A more anonymouse blog could well be a good way to go. It never hurts to protect yourself, just as a general principle... mind you, I've been through some pretty trust-destroying situations, hence my attempts at being anonymous online.