Placement

I have found out my first practicum placement is at the Center for Arts in Human Development

Orientation begins on Monday, therapy sessions will take place Monday and Friday’s

The Center was made in mind for Masters Students from the CATS program, I will be working with the other disciplines as well as Drama Therapists. There is a structure in place here, which to me, provides the necessary organization I NEED right now to have confidence in this program (which has slowly dwindled due to what seems like lack of administrative organization…or I may be anxious to start – I have a new brain today, so I’m tossing all ill confidences out the door)

For preparation, we are discussing in class t counselling skills and strategies for therapeutic benefits (how to prepare sessions/contracts/improv) with this specific population (developmentally disable adults)

current mood: …something

Creative Arts Therapies (CATS) Orientation @ Concordia University

Last week was the orientation day for all CATS at Concordia’s Visual Art building, downtown Montreal. I stayed within my own pack [DT's], finding the ten of us fairly outnumbered by the other disciplines: art and music therapy (this was initially surprising to me considering drama encompasses both therapies – vaguely. But maybe I am more biased than anything).

The orientation introduced us to the professors, the heads, the chairs, the secretaries… Everyone was friendly and welcoming (a maternal feeling, obviously, from the dominating number of women), it was a safe place to be. Trust was immediate, which I think necessary in any context of therapy.

I was lead to believe we would find our placements and assistantship positions (if granted), but was disappointed. At this point I am confused to where I will be placed for practicum (which is picked for you by professors based on your interactions in the orientation – eshk).

We were separated to our packs and I felt very sincere and refreshed when grouped with these people again, I am grateful to them; doubtless in my observations and hopeful for the next two years.

Our warm-up exercises (anything from drama class/make it personal) included the same ‘get to know you’s’ as we participated with in our Introductory course.
-”what’s your name mean with a food that “describes” you?” (lyndsay simmons/generic/steak/*vegetarians everywhere*);
-”embody the feeling you hope to have two years from now ” (my immediate thought was of literally jumping onto a gold mountain, not even climbing but hugging it)
-”with a partner, dramatize the next two years in one minute” (Carlos was my partner, it was terrible, “that sucked” he said….high school ha)
-”who’s here in the room with us” (a little scary, I brought Brit and cat)
-”magic box” (the necessity of ending something – the box comes from the ceiling and you take something from this MAGICAL illusive box and leave anything behind – ie. guilt/cynicism)

LUNCH: was ok…surrounded by bees.

It’s a new: city/thought/future

Within the past few months I have been accepted into the Creative Arts Therapy Program with specialization in Drama Therapy at Concordia University in Montreal, Quebec.

So this is now, here, and well, here I am:

The city is what I’ve always wanted, and the masters program seems made for me.

I’ve taken the Introduction course and was spell bound by the lovely people I am to spend the next two years with. Seriously, insta-click. I can’t tell you how comfortably horrifying it feels to be on some kind of track.

With this now, my posts will soon be changing from theatre to therapy literature, and in the city there is no more gardening…although really awesome markets. I hope to produce empirical research in my two years here for a really wise but very new purpose.

I also have to find out what CHEERS is en francais.

Au revoir