You are finally feeling settled into your first job.  Then it starts.  It’s that time of the year.  The stress takes over, and you break.  Maybe it’s tears, maybe it’s a good scream in your car, a few sleepless nights or if you’re good maybe it’s a 2 mile run.  Whatever it is, we’ve all been there, and I see you.

I see you arriving early to work and leaving after dark.  You spend hours at your desk and are still working on the weekends.

I see you, reading over that report just one more time when you could be spending time with friends.

…getting practice by administering those subtests to your partner after dinner.

…putting every ounce of patience and care you have into that student who challenges you everyday.

…struggling to keep it together when someone at a meeting questions your work or judgement.

…grasping to find solutions for the teacher who is at your door with the same child, yet again.

…feeling like you serve 500 roles but do none of them well.

 

 

 

We’ve all been there.  You spent years in school: practicing tests, learning about the brain, designing behavior plans.  You interned for a year and experienced it a bit.

But none of that fully prepares you to be this person.  The one school psychologist in the school.  The one others go to for advice on special education, behavior and crises.  Now it’s you.  You have all the answers.

Except you don’t.  And you shouldn’t.  The truth is that none of us do, and that’s the beauty of this profession,  We’re all still learning.  Every new year, every new student, every experience requires a different perspective and more knowledge.

You’ve got this.

Take it one hour at a time.  Then a day, then a week.  Don’t dwell on the evaluations you have to complete before the end of the year.  They will get done.

Don’t think you have to know all the answers.  You don’t have to.  Admit that, and try something.  If it doesn’t work, learn from it.

Take breaks.  Eat lunch everyday, even if its 5 minutes before dismissal.  Give yourself a few hours at home to shut off work.  Take your work email off your phone.  It can wait.

Celebrate every single victory, even if it’s small.  Write down the positive memories.

Next year you will start the year knowing you did it.  And you’ll do it again.  And you will be awesome.

You’ve got this.

 

 

Now-stop reading about school psychology and go do something. fun 🙂