15 Minutes of.....

I was thinking about the idea of "15 minutes of fame". Why is the 15 minutes of fame the only 15 minutes that are defined in our life? If the average person lives to the age of 75, we have 2, 628,000 intervals of 15 minutes in our lives. Why do the 15 minutes that deal with fame get to shine and the others do not. I've decided to define the other 2,627,998 intervals of 15 minutes in our lives. I'm sure that it can be done.

This time I'm gonna focus on the 15 minutes of Doubt. Doubt is such an odd feeling. It seems to wash over a person at the most inopportune moments. One of the times that doubt gets to me is when I think that I'm doing good work with a client. Sometimes I feel like I'm actually making a difference in another human beings life and then I remember that we only spent 1, maybe 2 hours out of 24, working with that person. Then I begin to think that they are returning to their elements. The same elements, that caused or are causing the condition that they are getting counseling for. It is worse when you are working in a residential rehab. You would be 100% certain that a difference was being made. Then, once they leave the facility, its like the reset button was pressed. Even working at the High School; you work with a student for maybe two periods and you work hard to inspire, and enlighten; but often you have that fleeting thought of doubt. It lasts about 15 minutes. once you realize that you are doing more or working harder than the client, the feeling goes away. A good counselor knows that when you realize that; its time to pull back. I've often heard that was my main drawback as a counselor. Occasionally, I pushed them too hard. Once I meet my client, I begin to tabulate their potential. I don't demand perfection, but I promote progress. Once, I had a client say to me, very agitated, "Look, man!!! I just wanna stop doing coke, OK!!!!! I just wanna stop doing coke!!!!!" I'm not sure if it is a blessing or a curse, but I've learned that help not asked for is meddling. My goal is to be effective, efficient, inspire, accommodating, and understanding. More often than not, that means; meeting a person where they are, and walking with them. Not leading. Not following. Just offering support and belief. There is no room for doubt. Screw Those 15 minutes. But that's just my opinion though, and who the hell am I?