You can take the girl out of therapy, but you can't take the therapy out of the girl...

I feel like a teacher-apist today. I should know better than to give out a worksheet that asks kids to list their feelings. Because when they follow instructions and list their feelings, I those old therapist tendencies start to kick in. The kids who tell me their parents don't treat them well? DESPERATELY wanted to sit them down and find out the whole situation (etiology, genogram, diagnosis!!!), but I had to refer them to the school counselor.

Or the girls who have confided that they have contemplated suicide. More than anything, I just want to sit them down and talk about this!!!! It's illogical to me that for the next two weeks, all I get to do is talk to her about how to thread a needle and sew a hem.

Don't get me wrong. I don't WANT to do therapy, but when I see kids whose needs are beyond the "scope of practice" of my teacher position, I feel limited. I am starting a prayer group with two other teachers on Monday, so hopefully, I will be able to feel like I'm doing something...