Running out....

Still waiting for my first paycheck. Not so much fun. We're pretty much out of food that has any real nutritional value. I have about a quarter tank of gas left (and two weeks of commuting left before payday). So....we're going MUSHROOM HUNTING!!

I really hope there are some out, though I don't think that the weather has been (1) wet enough and (2) humid enough.....but one can pray.

Class on Wednesday was a mess. That girl who spouted nonsense about "cutters," once again got under my skin. We were broke up into small groups to discuss ethical issue in counseling minors. For the first part we had to come up with five questions to have other groups answer. My stupid a$$ volunteered to be the secretary and write our questions. This girl completely dominated the group! She wouldn't let anyone else voice an opinion.

About halfway through the professor walked through to see how everyone was doing. She paused at our group and asked how we were coming. I just kind of looked at her, trying to suppress my anger. She did the"counselor thing"....like she knew what I was thinking.

"You doing okay," she asked.

I just kind of sighed and shook my head while rolling my eyes.

"What's going on?"

"I just don't wanna me here," I said, kind of looking around....

"Burnt out?"

"I just wanna go home"

She kind of looked at me wide eyed and glanced at the girl, to which I nodded.

This woman is amazing at reading people. I hope someday to be that good.

So after finishing writing what "the girl" dictated, while the rest of the group gave up trying to participate, we traded with another group to answer their questions.

So we get to this question: "When, if ever, is it appropriate to diagnose minors with disorders?"....The group consensus was that is wasn't, but the girl pretty much told us we were all stupid and that it happens all the time. I tried to argue, but this girl is like talking to a brick wall. In her world she's always right and no one else knows what they are talking about.

I told her in the next DSM that you won't even be able to diagnose someone with many disorders until they are 18....which you're not supposed to do in this edition, but is isn't "forbidden", per se. I asked her how it is ethical to diagnose someone who isn't even cognitively mature with something that may label them for the rest of their life? How can we be sure that they truly aren't just mimicking symptoms they are seeing withing the family system? And how can we use criterion to diagnose a disease that was developed for use with adults? How is that remotely ethical??

She completely dismissed me. Everything that came out of her mouth after that was completely one/short-sided. She all but told me I don't have a clue what I'm talking about, and that I must be naive. I'M SORRY FOR HAVING AN OPINION! I'M PRETTY SURE THAT WE WERE TO DISCUSS THE ETHICS OF THESE ISSUES, NOT WHAT REALLY HAPPENS!! I am not naive! I know kids get diagnosed all the time! That does NOT make it ethical!!!

I already have such a hard time opening my mouth in class. I feel like an idiot half of the time because I don't have much field experience. After class I felt like crap. Had a discussion with a smoker, post-class. He knows I'm a cutter....or at least that I have been. Vented my frustration with him about "the girl." He agreed that she is a short-sighted witch that likes to hear herself talk and make herself feel better by negating everyone else's opinion. I felt better knowing that I wasn't just being thin skinned. That I wasn't the only one that saw how she interacted in class. Now...how do I deal with that??