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pan6467 · 03-13-2006, 09:47 AM

OK most here know how much I love my job and what I do. But everyone, even those who love their jobs have issues.

So here's mine:

I am an addictions counselor, I even have professional letters after my name. I love helping people, because trust me I don't do this job for the money.

Anyway, I lead groups and in doing so, I believe the best way to develop trust is by self disclosure. I hide nothing from my past whether in group, on here, in a relationship whatever. Hell, I even told my parents when I did coke.

So last week, I did the self disclosure, told about my addiction to gambling and how addiction is addiction and the only way to overcome it is to find something to believe in and hold onto faith that life gets better.

Well, it turns out a client believes he knew me from my past. (No way he could have but.... ok). Said client got a phone call from someone he believed didn't know he was there, didn't know his last name and he was avoiding.

This person happened to be a bookie, who happens to live in the same town as me.

So the client files a grievance saying I ratted him out to the guy. Even though, he admits to having quite a few people know where he is and that would also know his bookie and could tell said bookie the client was in treatment.

Besides being totally false, there are several issues that show there is no way this could be true.

1) I only used 1 bookie my entire life, 20 years ago in college and that was a 1 time shot.

2) I was a poker/horses gambler.... I never really bet on sports, it was too unpredictable and I could not change the outcome, so to me it was like the lottery or slots.... not fun. (True with horses you can't change the results but there was something about betting on the ponies I truly loved).

3) I never met the client, I have no idea even how to find a bookie, and I would not risk my job to turn anyone over.

All those aspects and a few more (such as my character, my morals, how I have reacted to other clients, etc) should be enough. Guess not.

Now comes the investigation of my ethics and my career.

I have no problem with knowing I'll come out of this in probably greater shape than I started. My reputation and respect from my peers is unsurpassed, they know I am damn good at what I do and that I love the job.

But this incident will make it hard to self disclose anymore and since self disclosure is a very important part of my way to help and treat, I fear this may affect the way I am able to help.

03-13-2006, 09:47 AM	#1 (permalink)
pan6467 Lennonite Priest Location: Mansfield, Ohio USA	Issues at work: OK most here know how much I love my job and what I do. But everyone, even those who love their jobs have issues. So here's mine: I am an addictions counselor, I even have professional letters after my name. I love helping people, because trust me I don't do this job for the money. Anyway, I lead groups and in doing so, I believe the best way to develop trust is by self disclosure. I hide nothing from my past whether in group, on here, in a relationship whatever. Hell, I even told my parents when I did coke. So last week, I did the self disclosure, told about my addiction to gambling and how addiction is addiction and the only way to overcome it is to find something to believe in and hold onto faith that life gets better. Well, it turns out a client believes he knew me from my past. (No way he could have but.... ok). Said client got a phone call from someone he believed didn't know he was there, didn't know his last name and he was avoiding. This person happened to be a bookie, who happens to live in the same town as me. So the client files a grievance saying I ratted him out to the guy. Even though, he admits to having quite a few people know where he is and that would also know his bookie and could tell said bookie the client was in treatment. Besides being totally false, there are several issues that show there is no way this could be true. 1) I only used 1 bookie my entire life, 20 years ago in college and that was a 1 time shot. 2) I was a poker/horses gambler.... I never really bet on sports, it was too unpredictable and I could not change the outcome, so to me it was like the lottery or slots.... not fun. (True with horses you can't change the results but there was something about betting on the ponies I truly loved). 3) I never met the client, I have no idea even how to find a bookie, and I would not risk my job to turn anyone over. All those aspects and a few more (such as my character, my morals, how I have reacted to other clients, etc) should be enough. Guess not. Now comes the investigation of my ethics and my career. I have no problem with knowing I'll come out of this in probably greater shape than I started. My reputation and respect from my peers is unsurpassed, they know I am damn good at what I do and that I love the job. But this incident will make it hard to self disclose anymore and since self disclosure is a very important part of my way to help and treat, I fear this may affect the way I am able to help. __________________ I just love people who use the excuse "I use/do this because I LOVE the feeling/joy/happiness it brings me" and expect you to be ok with that as you watch them destroy their life blindly following. My response is, "I like to put forks in an eletrical socket, just LOVE that feeling, can't ever get enough of it, so will you let me put this copper fork in that electric socket?"