A Sense of Freedom

At my December 6 retirement party, I was asked, “What advice I would you give to someone just starting in Behavioral Health working with people experiencing mental health issues?”

My response was: that the individual should become a listener, creating a safe space for the ill person to express their deepest feelings and fears without judgment. 

The vulnerability and openness can be simply amazing. 

Most often the answers or improvements can be found within the suffering individual themselves, given the opportunity to share their deepest feelings or emotions. The vulnerability and openness can be simply amazing. 

This sharing can be on a one-on-one or in a group, given other participants are willing to be open and share their own suffering. The best groups that I have facilitated were those when the participants start ministering to each other. 

Early reflections on retirement: I have found a new sense of freedom that I haven’t experienced in my work life, which began in the eighth grade with a paper route. This freedom allows for better attention to my family, more outside activities, especially golf, and tending to some other projects around the house. There is also more time for reading, writing, and meditation. For the first time in years, I have written Christmas greetings to the family prior to the holidays.

I have experienced a certain level of sadness at leaving my patients, but I was able, at the very last moment to spend some time with my replacement when she attended some of my spiritual groups. 

“if we create a vacuum, God will fill it.”

My older brother, who is also retired, has counseled me more than once saying, “if we create a vacuum, God will fill it.”