We all do hard things every day!

As I come to an end of my internship at GiGi’s Playhouse, I’ve spent a lot of time reflecting. As a Social Work Graduate student, I was required to complete a 500-hour internship. Social work is such a large field, I felt I wanted an experience that was different. Without realizing it at the time, GiGi’s Playhouse was exactly what I needed! I was pushed to grow and develop on a professional, educational, and personal level further than I could have imagined. 500 hours seemed like a life sentence in August; but today, with only 25 more hours to go I have a mix of emotions. Instead of just going through the motions to complete tasks, assignments, and time I have gained a love and respect for those that not only attend GiGi’s Playhouse, but also for those in our community to make the playhouse run each and every day. I have learned real life use of therapeutic interventions, life skills training, resource building, and being a support for families. The importance of GiGi’s Playhouse in our community can truly be seen when you play with a 6-year old, delighted to be in the foam pit, not realizing the strength she is using to move within it; witnessing a 22-year old skipping for the first time; talking to the excited 33-year old that just got her first job; and having letters and words identified by the 34-year old that’s never read before. Being pushed out of my norm and my comfort zone I grew exponentially. GiGi’s Playhouse was the best experience I’ve ever had. They worked with my schedule, and with what my intern requirements were. Throughout the 6 months I was often asked how I felt things were going, where I felt I needed to continue to grow, and what thoughts I had to contribute. I felt valued and needed which renewed my sense of dedication over the 500 hours. I love this Playhouse, the families, and the participants. I plan to remain involved in smaller roles once my internship is complete as after this experience it’s not something you could just walk away from!

Kara Latham