An Observation: Politics & Poverty

I'm a practicing psychotherapist these days. And I have an observation.

.

In my career I've been a counselor in one form or another. But for the last year I've been working with clients who do not own cars, who receive public assistance, who barely have furniture, and who don't seem to have much hope or motivation that much will change for themselves or their children. I've been working in an urban city in bankruptcy, therapist to give-or-take 15 clients: some adults with histories of incredible neglect and abuse, some teens honestly trying to figure out the role of sex and opportunity in their lives, some children with sad eyes who have been taken from their mothers and live day-to-day in foster care.

.

Before I tell you my observation, I'd like to present my "credentials". I have an advanced degree in counseling, but I am also a small business owner who at one point employed nearly a hundred people in my own private human services firm. I've owned a restaurant, marketed a movie theatre, managed real estate, developed an artisan cooperative, published a book, served on several Board of Directors, and back in the day co-managed an Army Education Center. I've paid my high share of taxes and I've made plenty of wise and not-so-wise financial decisions.

.

I've also moved from liberal to moderate politics, and I'm not very pleased with the sprawling huge budget my new President has just submitted.

.

That's the back-story. Oh, one more thing: I rarely if ever use my blog for political purposes.

.

So here is my observation. In the last month, something has changed with some of my adult clients. It has not been uncommon for their poverty to be discussed in relation to their depression, or low self esteem, or inability to make decisions or stabilize their lives. I ask them in one way or another to look beyond poverty--to imagine a different life where there is not the intrusion of and reliance on welfare agencies and there is the freedom and ability to take the kids to a restaurant or a movie once or twice a month.

.

For the year that I've been at this job, I've kept asking my clients to look beyond. But we both knew there were no real prospects for jobs. The job market was dire. Here's my observation: The landscape is shifting. Changing. This week alone, three of my clients--three--mentioned working again. For the first time. One way or another they said if they could work they could start to do things differently.

.

There's a ton of controversy about the U.S. President's plan to create public service jobs. It'll certainly add to record high deficits on top of already record-high deficits. And yet, I'm confident I help these three clients work again. I have this skill. And in my small caseload in my small corner of the world, if I can contribute to the return of work and dignity, three people and three families will then take care of themselves.

.

So this is my observation: Hope. Somehow it's filtered down and reached three people who didn't have it three months ago. While the accountants mumble-jumble the management of more money with more zeros than I can ever relate to, how important is it that three adults in a caseload of ten adults--33%--will have the means to find their way back to work? And have started to think about it, to put words to it, to hope for it? Can show their children something different? Might be able to get off the government rolls altogether.

.

Is it important enough to include in a balance sheet?

.

And could it be contagious??