April 22, 2005 - 4:18 p.m.

Just the lift I needed.

It's time for me to go through the second round of Child Life internship applications, and I was beginning to get very overwhelmed about it. To better my chances, I am applying to about a half dozen programs in cities scattered across the country. The college professor I had hoped would write a recommendation for me never got back to me. And I was already starting to worry about how to support myself during the unpaid internship if I got accepted, and what to do if I don't. It was making me a little crazy.

Today, though, I sat down with my supervisor at the hospital to discuss the possibility of interning with them. Talking about their program got me excited again about the field, which went a long way toward counterbalancing the stress and anxiety of trying to break into it. He was also very encouraging, in that he thinks I have what it takes to be a Child Life Specialist and said they'd like to work with me as an intern. The advantages of interning there are that I already know the staff, I like them and vice versa, and the director will tailor the program to my needs. He also pointed out that he didn't get a degree in Child Life, which made me feel better about trying to avoid getting a masters in Child Life. On top of all that, he recommended two books that I was already thinking about buying that will help me get a better background in research and theories related to the field.

I really needed that. Pursuing this career was becoming depressing and aggravating. Our conversation brought back my excitement - just looking at the titles of some articles and books totally captured my interest. I needed the reminder that this really feels right to me, and the external validation of my choices.

The downside to the conversation is that their intern slots are already filled for the fall. However, I definitely got the impression that they'd happily accept me for the spring (I'd have to "interview" with them, but it sounded like mostly a formality). Spring isn't ideal, since I have already decided to leave my job at the end of the summer. But, this gives me a fantastic Plan B, should I not be accepted by any of the programs I am applying to for the fall. So, I am feeling a bit more on an even keel. Thank God.

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