TCI

This week at work I was in a four day training for TCI, or therapeutic crisis intervention. It's 98% deescalation techniques and 2% physical restraints for when that doesn't work, but the restraints are all the residents are really aware of so they like to ask 'you gonna TCI me?!#?' as if its a verb. I was really excited for the training because the man who runs it is really awesome, plus I was thinking of it as my respite from working the floor. I loved most of it, and feel like I really learned a lot and have a slightly better outlook on the work that I do (although I'm still not back to the level of optimism I came to this year with). I HATED the restraint part, though. I was one of the dummys that the rest of the group practiced the restraint on, and even though I was friends with these people and they were being over careful and gentle, it still felt so invasive and violating. The restraint basically involves two people approaching the youth from the front, on one each side, taking the child to the ground on their backs, pinning their arms to their sides, and then flipping them over to their stomach and using your body to pin them to the ground. After this training I made a promise to myself that even if it's "necessary" to use a restraint on my shift I won't, unless I need to relieve or help a coworker to prevent an injury. Yet another reason to be glad there are only 6 weeks left to the year.

We had a really great pseudo-community night tonight. Laura Halley, former GSV employee who interviewed most of of for our positions this year, invited all of the GSV's to her adorable apartment in Harlem for dinner. It was really lovely to see everyone and have a change of space, even just for the evening. We're having an exciting really community night this week: Krystina is organizing a scavenger hunt for us somewhere in Manhattan! I'm also excited for our dinner with Sister Paulette (President(?) of Good Shepherd Services) this Thursday and our weekend at Jess' cabin upstate this weekend. It should be a week full of funfunfunfun.

I signed up for McGill's International Buddy Program about a week ago, and I've been emailing back and forth with my new 'buddy' for about a week now. She's going into the same program with me and has the same research interests as me (!!) and has been super helpful. It's making me feel more comfortable about moving to the unknown soon, and it's nice to know that someone will be waiting to meet me. Hopefully I'll have an apartment nailed down soon!