One Word
Like many beginning of the year trainings, there are those somewhat cheesy get to know you games and quizzes to show us how to communicate better with our colleagues.
We were introduced to an activity that we're supposed to think on for the next couple days till our next meeting later this week. It's based on "One Word," a talk from the inspirational speaker, Jon Gordon. Although it felt at first like ploy to get us talking to one another (which is not a problem for speech pathologists, ha!), I was particularly drawn to it because a recurring theme in the counseling and multicultural aspects of my studies has been: Know thyself. If we can distill what we're working on for the next year into one word, then perhaps we can hone our practice through knowing ourselves in order to truly know others.
For example, to accept that a parent or caregiver might not be accepting of your position, you must know your biases in order to be open to theirs. To accept that perhaps your intervention and home practice will not be practiced, you have to understand why you assigned it in the first place; were you healing a part of yourself or something truly functional for the patient? Whose point of view was most important in a counseling session? Your recommendations or the subtext of the client's words and expressions? In order to truly serve others and understand them, you have to know why you think the way you do.
I was also drawn to this idea because having "one word" to focus on for the year is a bit of a tradition amongst my two best friends and me. Each year, on New Year's Eve, for the past 3 or 4 years, we've each come up with a word we want to think on and develop for the year. I've extended this tradition with my boyfriend by etching the word into a piece of driftwood we cleaned up and put on our wall with the year, so we can look at it and keep it on our minds each day.
I've been thinking about it deeply and I believe my word this year, as a first year speechie, should be "Courage."
Being courageous each day is a choice. It comes in the moments when you're asked, "What do you think this child's goals should be?" to "How long will my wife be like this?" to "Do you have the experience to treat my child?" to when you must ask others, "What are your motivations for being in therapy?" or "How are you truly feeling?" In the words of Maya Angelou, "Courage is the most important of all the virtues because without courage, you cannot practice any other virtue consistently. You can practice any virtue erratically, but nothing consistently without courage." Thus, in choosing to be brave when faced with difficult questions or the prospect of having to ask difficult questions or face a new challenge, we choose to be vulnerable, to love, to be compassionate, to learn more about ourselves even when those truths are scary.
What is your one word?
We were introduced to an activity that we're supposed to think on for the next couple days till our next meeting later this week. It's based on "One Word," a talk from the inspirational speaker, Jon Gordon. Although it felt at first like ploy to get us talking to one another (which is not a problem for speech pathologists, ha!), I was particularly drawn to it because a recurring theme in the counseling and multicultural aspects of my studies has been: Know thyself. If we can distill what we're working on for the next year into one word, then perhaps we can hone our practice through knowing ourselves in order to truly know others.
For example, to accept that a parent or caregiver might not be accepting of your position, you must know your biases in order to be open to theirs. To accept that perhaps your intervention and home practice will not be practiced, you have to understand why you assigned it in the first place; were you healing a part of yourself or something truly functional for the patient? Whose point of view was most important in a counseling session? Your recommendations or the subtext of the client's words and expressions? In order to truly serve others and understand them, you have to know why you think the way you do.
I was also drawn to this idea because having "one word" to focus on for the year is a bit of a tradition amongst my two best friends and me. Each year, on New Year's Eve, for the past 3 or 4 years, we've each come up with a word we want to think on and develop for the year. I've extended this tradition with my boyfriend by etching the word into a piece of driftwood we cleaned up and put on our wall with the year, so we can look at it and keep it on our minds each day.
I've been thinking about it deeply and I believe my word this year, as a first year speechie, should be "Courage."
Being courageous each day is a choice. It comes in the moments when you're asked, "What do you think this child's goals should be?" to "How long will my wife be like this?" to "Do you have the experience to treat my child?" to when you must ask others, "What are your motivations for being in therapy?" or "How are you truly feeling?" In the words of Maya Angelou, "Courage is the most important of all the virtues because without courage, you cannot practice any other virtue consistently. You can practice any virtue erratically, but nothing consistently without courage." Thus, in choosing to be brave when faced with difficult questions or the prospect of having to ask difficult questions or face a new challenge, we choose to be vulnerable, to love, to be compassionate, to learn more about ourselves even when those truths are scary.
What is your one word?
Comments
Post a Comment