Mutual benefits

I love "win win" situations.  I work towards those with clients and in my own life.

We've had a great "win win" around here, and are enjoying every minute of it: 

• Rebecca Salzmann has her BA in social sciences and is preparing to begin her education to become a therapist...but she wants to take some time off studies and gain some life experience...which is a really wise thing for a potential therapist to do. What better place to gain experience than at a counselling office
• Melanie works 4 days a week...she wants to have a life...imagine that!  :)
  

So, Rebecca has come on to help us out one day per week.  Usually she'll be around on Wednesdays...but she may occasionally pop in elsewhere as well.  Rebecca comes to us with a lot of personality, people skills, and great experience at multitasking.  Her summer job for the last several summers has more then prepared her for the phone ringing, clients coming, therapists asking questions, and responding to emails...all at the same time--and handling it with grace and style.

The learning curve is steep...we work to be able to provide callers with accurate information to their questions, to be highly ethical in some tricky situations, and to generally be very on top of things to make the relationship clients have with our agency be a good one.  She's picked up on a ton of stuff fast, and is willing to ask questions when she needs to.  Best of all, when she makes a little goof, she's nodding and listening as I let her know the information needed, and then cheerfully takes care of it...I love how she is grateful for the feedback, and doesn't seem defensive or guilty.  After all...how could she pick up on all the information right away?  (However, many expect themselves to be able to do so, and shame themselves for any goofs).  We can all take a lesson from her page book on how to "get up to speed" in a gracious way!


So...she helps us, and I think we'll provide some helpful experience for her.  Everybody wins!  Welcome aboard, Rebecca!