I wish I had an image of
old Dave Fixx PhD. Serious that was his name David Fixx and he was a
PhD in clinical psychology. Dr. Fixx was my first exposure to real
life clinical psychology. In 1968, two years after my accident, I was
kind of wandering around aimlessly. I pretty much felt I had adjusted
to life in a wheelchair and having limited mobility. I actually
thought I was doing pretty good. I was living at home, of course, I
was a teenager where else would I be living? Oh yeah I forgot I told
you about my buddy Eugene. Well, case in point I was more normal than
Eugene ie. Geno. I was back in school, granted the school I was
attending was the crosstown rival of the school I was supposed to go
to. And trying to figure out how to spend the least amount of time
home as I possibly could which is pretty normal for teenager correct?
Still I felt like I needed to be doing more doing something.
My brother got in trouble
with the law, probably because of me, I was getting all the
attention. His behavior had been felonious was given the option of
five years at ISP (Idaho State Penitentiary) or going down to the
Marine Corps the day after sentencing and enlisting. Now, my brother
was getting the attention. One day shortly thereafter I was in
downtown Boise and rolled into the courthouse and ask to visit with
the judge was sentenced my brother. I don't know why I did this
perhaps the attention thing. I told the judge I was concerned about
what my brother had done and I want to help somehow make Boise a
better place so my younger brothers but not have the same temptation.
I made this all up I don't know why I told him that. Maybe survivor's
guilt – – maybe I wanted my brothers life but in a different way.
Needless to say the judge referred me over to Ada County Mental
Health. The judge said the he knew someone who could help me, Dr.
David Fixx.
Ada County Mental Health
is located in a nondescript two-story building in the Northwest part
of Boise Idaho. The facility offers mental health services for the
county and this is where I interviewed with David Fixx. I cannot
believe what I saw. He was a caricature everything I thought of when
I thought of shrinks. He was an older guy who seemed older, flowing
silver hair, Brigham Young gray type of beard with eyes that
twinkled. We talked I cannot even remember about what. I'm sure I
tried to dazzle the old guy but I doubt I dazzled at all. David Fixx
could see see through any dazzle, David Fixx became a kind of a real
life superhero. I was soon attending a group therapy session – –
I thought I was an assistant to the group facilitator but actually
I'm sure David had me pegged as one of the group however we did do a
group review after each session. I was learning. I like what I was
doing, I felt I was important. Dan Roadie a masters degree social
worker was the group facilitator. Dan ran the group and after a while
then let me run the group. I did this for over a year pretty much
until I finished high school. Once a week my mom and drop me off at
County Mental Health. My parents never really asked what I did think
they were just glad that I had a focus that was seemingly positive.
It seemed natural after I graduated from high school to enroll In the
local university which I did in psychology and I never looked back.
No comments:
Post a Comment