Doc Warren

“I can’t wait until I open my private practice and never have to do paperwork again!” There are many misconceptions about opening a private practice but this one in perhaps the biggest. Paperwork is the arch enemy of many a clinician but sad to say, going into private practice will do little to solve them. Now don’t get me wrong, I have less paperwork in private (ok, small not for profit) practice than I ever did before but I still have my share. Although I no longer have to do an expense report (because no one will pay me back for it anyway), I no longer have to do a mileage report, quarterly reports etc. Private practice still has many paperwork related items.

I am a private person even if I do find myself in the middle of many things. No, really, I do prefer being unknown and to myself, it’s just that there is something about my personality that seems to gravitate me out of the shadows and into the mix of things. I am not sure what it is but I do wish I knew how to shut it off sometimes. This likely describes a lot of us in the field. Many of us are inquisitive, intellectual and not exactly party animals although I do know plenty of exceptions to this. But seriously, how often do you think counseling conferences/ conventions are crashed by those seeking a wild and crazy time? Not many I would bet.

My in office reviewer has advised me that I must start this off by informing you that I am not reviewing a new Spike Lee movie. The title instead is directed at all of us in private practice who can surely relate to the tale about to unfold.While there is much to be loved about opening a private practice there are many down sides as well, snow days being a BIG one this time of year depending on where you live. As for me, I live in New England and my office is on the side of South Mountain. South Mountain is not the world’s largest mountain and likely is little more than a foot note in any mountain guide for Connecticut but it is large enough to spread fear in some of my clients even in good weather. Add snow, ice or a mixture and South Mountain resembles more of a Luge track than a public road and results in many weather related cancellations.

To blatantly steal from that famous Gecko, I love my job. I love the practice of helping others, the dedication, the responsibility and the pay. Ok, I do not love the pay, but the rest is true. I love that I have the ability to make a difference in the lives of others; people who I may never see again if not for my work. I suppose that is true for all of us in the field.

I grew up in the big city of Bristol, Connecticut (Population 60,062). We were a big city as I said; we had public transportation in the form of one bus that made a horse shoe pattern run several times a day that I learned about it when I was about 18 or so; though it did not run that close to me and I never used it, it was there. We even had a taxi company for a while. I never used that either but I heard it lasted a few years before it folded. We had a few buildings that were large and made of brick; some of them were over 3-4 stories tall. One downtown building which was once called the Bristol Hotel (no relation to the one mentioned in that rap song many years ago) was once home to the folks that had to be bussed into Bristol to supply labor for the largest employer at the time which was New Departure (GMC) and I believe is likely 10 stories tall or so. The factory is gone as is GMC , but the hotel has found life as an office building where you can apply for Social Security, visit the CT Marshals, Probation department and even get your teeth fixed.