Fun Fact about the Founder and Family
I double-majored in Psychology and English and have Bachelor’s Degrees in both. I enjoy writing, but these days I don’t make time to edit as it seems my sandwiched state is always calling. I have a Master’s Degree in Clinical Psychology and work as a licensed mental health professional with a contract at certain times of the year to see clients in person part-time and part-time employment providing online therapy. This blog is about my personal life and my personal experiences and it should not be considered professional counseling advice as reading this does not make the reader a client. However, like many other things about myself, my profession is a significant part of my life and my perspective. I do not seek full-time work, though I have worked full-time in the field in the past, as I haven’t found a way to successfully make it work while sandwiched in the way that I currently am. My husband’s degree is in mechanical engineering and he is in engineering management. His role is full-time and we chose together to have four children and we are fortunate at this time to be able to budget and to make sacrifices that allow part-time on my part to be enough. We are also blessed with a village who shares with us and we share with them. Some are both extended family members and also friends, some are friends, some are amazing community members.
Mom worked as a teacher at a junior high school before she took very early retirement and was able to stay home from teaching after 10 years in to raise me full-time. She taught Home Economics and was incredible at cooking, baking, and especially sewing. She made most of her own clothes while in college, majoring in Home Economics Education, and had one professor who almost lowered her grade because she thought her hand-stitching was done by machine, until her friends and roommates vouched for her. It was all done by hand on that beautiful coat. When I was in elementary school she patented her own bedsheets and she sold many sets, even appearing on QVC and making many sales. I remember having many mixed feelings about Mom going back to work, but was So very proud of her. There is much more to that story for another day. Mom has a Master’s in Education from a prestigious university, as does my Dad.
Dad worked as an English teacher, then an assistant principal, and then a high school principal for many years. He then trained student teachers as an Adjunct Faculty Member at a private university for years before he retired. Many students requested him at the university level and he successfully trained many future educators. He also taught a night class for those getting their degrees in education while working full-time jobs during the day. He has the most awards of all of us here at home.
We are very proud of the privilege we have had to be educated at the collegiate level. Each one of us has had the privilege of making a difference in others’ lives and credit for that is certainly owed in large part to the education we received. However, we have learned that when vulnerabilities arise, our support comes from one another as a family and we see many ways that we are truly better together. And we have also learned that while education can scaffold advocacy, it cannot prevent human vulnerability in stress, aging, health concerns, and beyond. We may be educated, but we are still vulnerable. We may be educated, but we are still serving one another at times in menial ways. On some days, with the right perspective, that is a great honor. On other days it quite simply feels below the pay grade and can be unexpected and uncomfortable at best, demeaning and at times traumatic at worst.
As educated individuals we urge you to have conversations and plan early and often for the more challenging years. Nothing can quite prepare you and you cannot plan for everything, but you can use these posts as a jumping off point for conversations about what if, what then, and how will you support one another while finding support for your sandwiched self. May every advocate, caregiver, sandwiched superstar find their way to their own therapist or support person of your choice who is helpful for you. I am a biased fan of the educated, experienced professional, but finding a good fit is important. I am proud to be a therapist who has a therapist and am a firm believer that every mental health provider should participate in therapy at least for a period of time in their own lives. Mental health is health.
Sandwiched Support 