Dr. Margaret has left The MindSide. Since my financial arrangement for sport psychology appointments was with the company rather than with her personally, I am following the money. I meet with my new MindSide person tomorrow. Details when I find out what level of exposure the new person is comfortable with.
The advice so far has been great: daily progress is a paper thin layer that accumulates over time, being nervous means I care, treat feelings as information. On the other hand, the advice so far has also been general. I could have gotten it from a book. The point, I assume, of a personal consult is advice tailored in a way that I am most likely to hear it.
This is nothing against Dr. Margaret. I was impressed with her diligence. After our first meeting, she responded to all the emails, tweets, and links I sent her way. She even came out to Stepping Stone Farm to observe a lesson. She watched closely but asked fewer questions than I expected. I had a sense that she was gathering and processing. We never had a chance to go over her synthesis of the data stream that is my life. I leave it as an exercise for you to imagine how much information I am capable of dumping on a person.
She offered to continue working with me. I will keep that in mind. However, at the moment I feel less riddled with nerves. I’m energized from the trip to NYC [Crystal Horses]. It is off-season for the Saddlebreds. The home team is showing flickers of progress [Naptime]. I feel motivated about work [Hello 2016!]. Do I really need this? Was I simply bored and living too much in my head?
If they had offered a refund, or conversely if they had been sticky about the changeover, I might have bailed on the whole idea. Instead, they came up with a compromise of an introductory half session to get the new person up to speed, along with Dr. Margaret’s notes. As I said earlier, I have no illusions of being a special snowflake. Anyone with experience in the field could probably sum me up in a sentence: Katherine is an ABC type, with XYZ tendencies. Inscrutable has never been a good look on me.
So, I shall keep going. Even if I’m not so badly off, I can always improve.
Previous The MindSide Posts
Meet Dr. Margaret
First Appointment
Why Bother With Nerves?
Positives 12/1/15
Update: Appointment postponed to 1/14/16.
Update: Second appointment canceled. Insurance adjuster chose that time to check out the car [Not]. As with blacksmiths, one says thank you & waits.
Virtual Brush Box 
Good thinking.
š
By now you probably want the fairy godmother to STFU, but FWIW, I say keep going. Two nice horses in your field who basically are going unridden. Goal of AERC not very attainable under those circumstances. Find out why. Even more important, find out how to overcome fear/anxiety/inertia/whateverthehell and regain mojo! I recommend the feeling.