Tag Archives: Mental Health

Weekly Check In

Posted on by Gertie

Happy Caturday, World!!! It is Saturday aka Caturday which is when I usually do my weekly check ins. I personally feel like I haven’t bed doing the weekly check ins on the regular basis and I have plenty of legit excuses I can use but not going to use them as I know what I can do to overcome the struggles of doing the weekly check ins.

It has been a challenging few weeks or a I should say a challenging month and a half at work. I love my job with a passion and really hope the county can find a way to to keep us open. There is a very small glimmer of hope it can stay open but the reality is, it most likely will close.

Something that helped me this week was taking yesterday (Friday) off from work and go to my grandpa’s after work on Thursday to spend a couple of days with him and my two uncles. Of course my cat Billie Dean came with me. He enjoyed the extra attention but everyone knows that I am his human.

As far as my own recovery and knowing, I will be laid off but no official lay off date as of yet, I’ve been using my DBT skills. Specifically, the Radical Acceptance skill. Not an easy skill to do but it is helping me a great deal.

On the plus note, it is finally baseball season. I am hoping to make it to a came this season. Preferably one where the Angels are in Seattle. I love my home town team of the Angels. I really hope they do well this season.

I don’t have much more to say in this particular blog post. I do want to thank you for reading my blog. If it wasn’t for you the reader, reading my blog, I would not be writing my post. Thank you again from the bottom of my heart for reading my blog. Peace Out, World

Do you realize it’s my time to hide & nap?

Posted on by Gertie

Hello, World!!! It is four thirty in the after noon in Seattle. This is the time Billie Dean goes into his hiding bed which is on my bed to take a nap. Apparently he is not happy with me because I was to take a nap as well. He does not have a happy face on and hope people can see it. I love giving Billie his space but I need sleep to. Hope you have a great Wednesday afternoon. Peace Out, World!!!

A Range of Emotions

Posted on by Gertie

Hello, World!!! As I write this particular blog, I am writing in between clients and writing note about clients. I guess it’s one of the luxuries of being able to work from home part of the time. I really love my job but today has been a tough one and I am not sure why. Be back later, I have a client to see.

Okay, now I’m back after two sessions with clients and writing their notes so their insurance can pay my employer. I love my job most days and normally don’t feel drained but I’m feeling drained because nobody really knows if my employer is actually closing or not.

I blame the board of directors on this and am happy that the county is wanting to keep us open but it appears like nothing is being done. We have no leadership left. We do have one HR person left and two of the four remaining supervisors are leaving in May.

I have a range of emotions because I love my job and am grateful for it. I’m also angry, depressed and full of anxiety of what is going on. The county is giving us some hope but not much.

Working from home is helping me today because I have Billie to help me with my emotions. I love my cat so much. I wish could talk more about Billie but I have another session with a client and then a meeting. So, thank you so much for reading my blog. It is greatly appreciated from my end of things. Again, thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading my blog. Peace Out, World!!!

Gratitude of Ramblings

Posted on by Gertie

Hello, World!!! The last month and a half has been a whirl wind especially at work. My past and current collogues have been nothing but awesome. Despite the board directs wanting to close our agency down there is some hope because the county wants us to stay open. To me the very little hope is what is keeping me going. That and the clients we serve.

I’m also grateful to the blogging community for the support you are giving me. You fellow bloggers are a big reason I continue to blog and that is because of of the support you give to me and others.

Now on to my friends, family and my cat, Billie Dean. I wouldn’t have gone through this if it it wasn’t for your support. The same support my colleagues give me .

The love and hope a receive from all of you helps me stay in my recovery and helps me keep focused on the clients my employer serves. Thank you again from the bottom of my hear for reading my blog. Without you reading my blog, I would not be writing my blog. Peace Out, World!!!

Semi-Woe Is Me Moment

Posted on by Gertie

Hello World!!!I went to my volunteer job at PAWS Cat City like I do every Sunday. I had me a great time. I love spending time with kitties waiting for their furrever home.

On that note I got to my floor where one of my neighbors started raising her voice at me. I ignored her and passed by her so I can get to my apartment. Of course I’m greeted my by cat who escaped into the hall way and this neighbor who already yelled at me, started screaming on my cat and myself. I’ve never seen cat so scared and run back to the apartment. It took all my might to not interact with this neighbor.

I spent some time with Billie Dean to calm him down which calmed me down. Which was helpful for the both of us. I went down to the community room to get a soda not know this neighbor has going to be down there doing a puzzle. She screamed at me an called me names that I won’t mention here because I found them offence of and don’t want to offend anyone else. I got my soda and listened to her and I left the community room crying. I did not say anything to her except “I hope you have a good Sunday” and left the community room and came to my apartment. Spent some more time with a Billie Dean my cat which helped.

I then reached out to a neighbor who is a friend so I could get a good reality check and a hug. We talked about twenty minutes and I felt better. The conversation I had with the neighbor I am friends with pointed out that I wouldn’t have taken all this so hard due to my work situation and being laid off with an unknown lay of date. He said “I would be having a woe is me moment if I were in your situation. The only difference is that yours is a semi woe is me moment which is goo for you.” He also suggested the I try to be friends with some of my neighbors which is true.

I do not have much more to say. I just want to say thank you for reading my blog. If it wasn’t for you reading my blog, I would not be writing it. So, thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading my blog. Peace Out, World!!!

Coming to Terms with the Reality but there is a Glimmer of Hope

Posted on by Gertie

Hello, World!!! I’ve been absent from blogging due to finding out that the agency I work at will be be closing down according to the board of directors. On the hopeful side King County wants to keep my employer open. Open because we have been the longest opened Queer mental health agency in North America if not the world. It’s been open for 53 years. It’s been around longer than I have been a live. I know the reality is that it most likely will close but at least there is some hope from King County,

I trying work with some amazing colleagues who I have grown to love a family. I just hope they feel the same about me. My colleagues have become both friends and chosen family. I just hope a miracle from the universe or a hail Mary happens before the final decision is made. If it were up to the board of directors the agency would have been shout down by now.

Any way peoples cats and other pets have been keeping us entertaining during meetings as well as sessions with clients. I will miss seeing all the pet and animals my clients and colleagues have. Shutting down Seattle Counseling Services is not a good thing especially for the Queer community.

I don’t have much to say but I have a very slightly hope that my employer can stay open. I don’t have anything else to say except thank you for reading my blog. It is greatly appreciated from my end of things that you read my blog. If it wasn’t for you reading my blog, I wouldn’t be writing my blog. Again thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading m blog. Peace Out, World!!!

Weekly Check In

Posted on by Gertie

It is another Saturday night in Seattle. Of course I am spending it alone with my cat, Billie Dean. In fact Billie has been helping me with the depression and the anxiety. My friends and family have been helping as well, like my cat Billie as well as my colleagues. It feels great to feel loved by my pet cat as well as my friends, family and colleagues.

The best part of this week is that I will be there to the last day which is May 6th. I might even be there to September but that is not one hundred percent yet. At least there is somewhat of a date. I really love this job and feel like I have a niche at this job.

It is a sad day in a America when the longest queer mental health agency is closing down. My employer serves more than two thousand clients and it breaks my heart that the clients have to go to other agencies that has caused trauma to them.

I do not have much more to say in this particular blog. I do want to thank you for reading my blog. It is greatly appreciated from my end that you the reader, read my blog. Again thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading my blog. Peace Out, World!!!

A Cat Sleeping in Human’s Lap While Human is Having a Sleepless in Seattle Type of Night

Posted on by Gertie

Good Very Early, Morning, World!!! It is 5:34 in the morning Seattle time and have not gotten much sleep. I think part of the reason I am sleepless in Seattle is because I am worried about the clients my employer serves. Sadly, the board of directors made the decision to close the doors of the longest running Queer mental health agency in the United States. Someone told me the world but I am not sure about that the world but I do know it’s the longest Queer mental agency in the United States.

I may not have liked finding out six days before my birthday that I will be getting a lay off without an unknown date especially since the following week; I am on my vacation. As depressing and anxiety provoking all this is, I am having an okay vacation. I was able to spend a couple of days in Bremerton an am now back home in Seattle.

It was nice getting out of town for a few days which helped a little bit with the depression and the anxiety. Now if I can get some sleep as the depression and anxiety regarding the lay offs for my job isn’t helping any of the sleep.

On the plus side of all this my cat hasn’t left my side since my grandpa watched Billie for me at my grandpa’s place. I think we are both glad to be home. I love my cat Billie Dean so very much and I know Billie loves me very much.

I do not have much more to say in this particular blog post. I do want to thank for reading by blog. If it wasn’t for you the reader, reading my blog, I would not be writing my blog. Again, thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading my blog. Good night and Good early morning world!!! Peace Our, World!!!

A Late Birthday Post While on Vacation & Getting Laid Off +Supportive People in My Life

Posted on by Gertie

Happy Early Friday, Morning!!! This past Monday (March 7th), I turned 43 years old and was and still am on vacation. Sadly, I found out on Tuesday, March 1, 2022 that my employer is closing its doors. The doors to the longest running queer mental health agency in the United States. Some say the world but I’m not sure about the world thing.

On that a note I did go on my vacation to Bremerton, Washington. I am glad I went because it helped me clear my head. I was able to to see friends over in Bremerton which is always good thing. While I was in Bremerton my grandpa took take of my cat at his place in Lynnwood.

I appreciate all the people who have been supporting me. I feel loved and supported by my by friend, family, colleagues, and of course my cat Billie Dean. I love my cat, Billie so much.

Despite the news of being laid off with an unknown date, I am one lucky person. I live in a country where I don’t have to flee from due to war.

I do not have much more to say in this particular blog post. I do want to thank you for reading my blog. If it wasn’t for you the blogger reading my blog, I would not be writing my blog. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading my blog. Wish me luck on finding a new job once I get laid off from my current employer. Peace Out, World!!!

A gRaTiTuDe & CoMpLaInInG pOsT

Posted on by Gertie

Good Evening, World!!!! It has been a week and two days since I last blogged. I found out that my employer will be no longer a mental health agency much longer. The board let us know on Tuesday, March 1, 2022. It came to a surprise to everyone including to the CEO. Needless to say we are all going through grief especially for our clients. I am still in shock one week and two days later. On top of that I found out six days before my birthday and my vacation.

On to the gratitude part of this post is at least I’ve had the support of my friends, family and colleague who have become family. I think all this has brought my colleagues closer together. As far as the clients go most of them are taking better than I thought they would. I am grateful for my colleagues and clients. They are the reason I do what I do and be a peer support specialist. I will miss working with my clients and colleagues. Oh, the supervisors are amazing.

I do not not have much more to say in this blog post. I do want to thank you for reading my blog. If it was not for you the reader, reading my blog, I would not be writing my blog. Again thank you from the bottom of my reading my blog. It is greatly appreciated from my end. Peace Out, World!!!