Licensed!

Finally, after 3 years of my full time internship, I completed my MFT licensure exams yesterday and now I am qualified to be licensed in the great state of California.

"Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist" will be my new title.

I think this sounds totally awesome:).

My Radio Show!

"No one told me we had a partnership with Radio Bilingue!" I blurted out at the beginning of supervision.

"Oh yeah, we've had that for years," my supervisor responded. 

"Well, I just heard about it, and you should give me a radio show." 

"Its Radio Bilingue. That means you have to speak Spanish."

"Nuh, uh! They have a Laotian show on there. If the Laotians can be on there, I can have an English speaking show on there." 

My supervisor changed the subject at that point, but my mania had already taken hold. I scribbled down show ideas which seemed really, really good as I wrote them down. I barely remember what we talked about in supervision, but by the end of the two hours, I had a rough draft for 10 weeks of broadcast in my hands.

After lunch, I was still amped up, and I walked into my supervisor's office and showed him what I had so far for my radio show. 

"I should be the voice of this clinic," I told him. "I need to be the new public face of our organization." 

I am still surprised I actually said those words, and more that he accepted them. I think he was so surprised he didn't know what to do, but agreed that maybe I should be, and in a very conciliatory gesture got on the phone with our administrators and asked how I would go about submitting a proposal for a radio show. 

A few clients and 4 hours later, I had a complete series proposal typed up for a 10 week, hour long wellness show that I was going to host. I emailed it to the appropriate people and expected it to go and be reviewed at some committee meeting and get a friendly rejection letter which thanked me for my plucky idea, but maybe in a few years we could talk about it again.

As I contemplated my soon-to-be rejection at home after work, I felt a little disappointed but also very relieved. I had gotten so excited that I hadn't considered what a gigantic project I was proposing. Its for the best that they don't let me do these things, I told myself. Still, I knew I can do this. I am capable of doing this.  Maybe in time they will give me some more opportunities. 

My husband was out of town during all of this with the youth from our church at the State Youth Conference. The last time he left me by myself we got a dog. I don't think the brief text message I sent him (I might have my own radio show. I'll tell you when I hear more) was very reassuring. Still, I thought, they won't actually let me do this thing. 

When I got to work the next morning, I had an email saying the CEO had looked it over the night before and approved it immediately. He loved the idea and the content, and was interested to hear when it would be starting. I was not expecting approval, and I definitely wasn't expecting total approval of all of it! His assistant also asked if I would like to speak with larger audiences as well to share my message. I answered, "Why, yes I would!" 

I was interviewed for a television show on Tuesday.

My radio show is starting on March 22nd, on 90.1 FM in the Kern County area. It airs from 5-6 every Thursday for 10 weeks, ending on May 24th. 

I am still really surprised that a little initiative was all it took for this opportunity to come my way. But that's how every good opportunity in my life has shown up, actually. It didn't take much, but it did take something. 

If you live in our area, I'd love for you to listen in.