Hurricane Season.....

So Hurricane Irene is on the way and is expected to reach the U.S. coastline tomorrow.... I cannot help but think about Hurricane HUGO.  In 1989 I was 8 years of age and newly relocated from Harlem, NYC to Charleston, SC. At that time I had no idea what a hurricane was or what to expect. I could recall everyone preparing for the storm; stock up on food and water, board up their homes and located means of energy. Luckily for me and my family  we did the same, but how can you be prepared for a hurricane???

On September 15, 1989  Hugo hit Charleston, SC; all businesses were closed, schools were shut down early, adults were manic (LOL!) and all of the cities power was shut off soon after.  That night, I can recall looking outside and not being able to see the road. The winds began to blow, as the house appeared to swell from the force of the wind; Grandma than said, all we can do is prey. Later that night the storm seemed to be was over my house and woke me up out of my sleep. I can recall hearing the load noise of a freight train as the house continued to rumble.  Minutes into the storm the pressure forced a window to burst.  Words cannot explain the fear I felt that day. 
And due to this childhood traumatic experience, I will always evacuate the premises. Currently researchers are diligently working in attempt to locating ways to alleviate the impact of hurricanes.

**THIS IS WHAT I REMEMBER**

**ISLE OF PALM-LESS THAN 10 MILES AWAY**

Makeup, Makeup and free Makeup.....

Last year "The ♥ Boo" (boyfriend) recognized that I was infatuated with make-up. So he went out to South Park Mall and purchased me a fabulous Sephora Makeup Collection set. I later found out that the collection was an limited edition. Yes, The ♥ Boo got several cool points for this gift,I was sooooooo happy and immediately started to play with the palets and hues.... to see how they would appear on my pecan tan complexion....LOL!!!

Being dark skinned African American women, I struggled with locating makeup that would appear on my skin. I was happy to see that ALL colors appeared to be the color expected. So this Christmas do not hesitate to obtain this collectors’ items; I plan to purchase one for all my cousins!!!!
**This product is not sold online, however if you purchase anything from Sephora's website, you will get free shipping and 3 sample products of your choice.**

I love a good laugh!!!!

Last weekend I had the opportunity to attend a Comedy Show located in Uptown Charlotte. The line up featured several comics whom all did their thang(yes thang);however NicciHoo stood out. She presents to be a very straight forward women, who purposefully lack the ability to censure her approach or opinions, towards today’s trends and topics. By the time her set was done, I was on the floor with laughter!!! Check her out!!!!

Thank you Niccihoo for the laugh, becasue God knows I needed it!!!

Upcomming events

niccihoo@yahoo.com

My Marley I love u!!!!

I did not understand unconditional love until I brought you home. My family laughed at the thought of having you (a Pit-bull) in my home, not to mention my fears of dogs. It’s funny because at that time, you were only 5 pounds and I was scared of you. Yea I know, the reputations given to you is not positive, but your different and just wanted LOVE and AFFECTION. Through time my fears of dogs disappeared and we grew closer and closer ---->>> now you are a SPIOLED BRAT.... I LOVE YOU MARLEY!!!!!

My Journey.......

At this point in my career, I am what’s called "burntout". As a Clinical Therapist I am expected to be perfect and assist others with their issues. Currently I’m taking a break from that role, in hopes to expanding my horizon.

There are many reasons why I went into this profession, one of the main reasons is because I grew up in a single parent home and my mom was an addict. During my adolescent year of my life I wasn’t a good student. I didn’t like school, because it was hard and challenging. From time to time I had to meet with my schools counselor; they would randomly ask me questions and facilitate various assessments. Now that I look back at things her job was to locate my areas of concerns and reasoning why I was doing so poorly in school and community settings.  At that time I was a child and wasn’t fully aware, but now that I look back I am happy that she saw more in me than a dumb child. Throughout my career my pass has allowed me to display signs of empathy and understanding of the circumstances at hand.
 
My journey started over 5 years ago during my undergraduate years. In Columbia, SC I volunteered my time at local foster homes, shelters and group homes. There I had the opportunity to engage with children and families that were homeless; at that point I knew I wanted to work in the Human Services Field. After graduating with my Bachelors Degree in Social Sciences, I moved to Charlotte, NC to work at a Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facility. My role was a Mental Health Technician, soon after I gained my Qualified Professional status, which was needed for one to obtain the lead role on the milieu. April of 2009, I graduated with my Masters Degree and was promoted to a Clinical Therapist position; I also earned my MA credential.

The previous environment I work in was a residential setting. I was the therapist of 12 male clients; my objective was to gain rapport upon admission and meeting the needs of my clients. It is my duty to maintain the client’s safety, address all treatment needs, maintain appropriate documentation and incorporate all aspects of treatment (ex: school, job, home and community).

Prior to resigning from my last job, I constantly battled my decision to either leave or stay. For an extended period of time I was place in various situations that compromised my ability to provide good practice to my clients. My argument with the company was in regards to maintaining safety and compliance on my unit; unfortunate for my client whom was teased continuously and stabbed in the eye with a nail found on the premises. Words cannot express the way that I felt, but I can say that I did everything in my power to keep him safe as well as maintained appropriate documentation. After being lied to by my employer, about reporting this incident to the state, I was able to learn the truth when the story was covered by the local newspaper. The way this incident and others were reported in the newspapers, one can’t help but to think, what are the social workers and therapist doing? This situation really scared me, because I knew of the possible lawsuits for poor practices. This lesson also taught me that insurance is a necessity, because you never know what may happen, and in my case without it I would not be able to afford a lawyer.

At this point I’m taking a break and showing more interest in things that I enjoy doing and makes me happy.  This blog will assist me to articulate my emotions of the past and present; rather than holding them inside.  I don’t consider myself to be an open book; where I’ve learned that I tend to hold grudges.  So for Mental Health and Health care has to take a back seat in my life, for now it’s all about CHANEL!!!!!