After conducting the beginning "here’s what we’re going to do during this process" introduction, she asked me, "So are you ready to begin?" I said, "Yes." She opens up my chart and says, "So. I notice your mother is Mennonite. And I see you have the Amish beard thing going on for you. I also notice you’re wearing the blue-shirt that Amish sometimes wear. Let’s talk about the beard. Why do you have a beard?"
And thus began my 6 hours of talking about myself, taking the MMPI-2 and delving into all sorts of pretty interesting conversations. I will receive my formal "report" in a few weeks, but…let’s just say it was a very revealing and interesting experience. I think I was able to think about some things in new ways and be presented with some interesting thoughts about my life thus far. But I still find it humorous that she first wanted to talk about ‘the beard.’
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{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
Dig the new look bro. Nice.
Oh. And shrinks. Shrinks are weird.
I remember taking my evals. At the time, I didn’t know what ‘deportment’ was, and it kept coming up on the MMPI. Freaked me out that I wasn’t going to pass, but I did.
Yah, the MMPI is really interesting. Just taking it makes me want to learn more about it and figure out how it works. Because you spend like 2 hours filling in 567 bubbles just TRUE or FALSE and you’re answering ridiculous questions, and it comes up with some pretty intense (very often, pretty right on) results…
I find her line of questioning about your mother’s religious background and your beard a bit misinformed and inappropriate.
Since when was being a Mennonite and being Amish the same and since when was having a beard and wearing blue mean that you have some subconscious desire to be Amish?
Thanks for sharing that Adam. It helps me think about her evaluation of me differently (in a good way).
BTW, I still haven’t received my written evaluation and I was tested the first week of October so it might take her awhile.
I know, I asked her about that, and she insisted that she would be able to turn it around to me pretty quickly. I suppose we’ll see…
Your beard? She was desperate.