Adventures in CES Land

We did it again: Residency Round Two. Check.
And this time? New vibe, new logistics, same number of coffee runs (actually, maybe more).

This was the second time my cohort supported the master’s residency intensive, but the first time we worked with two different student groups, jumping between them like some kind of CES ninja. It was also a bigger team overall: more faculty, more CES students, more moving parts… and, unsurprisingly, more opinions. Everyone had thoughts (so many thoughts). Which is fair, because this work matters, and also… well, it’s impossible to make everyone happy, especially when there are snacks involved. But keep trying!

But here’s the thing: for me, personally? It was kind of amazing.

I felt – dare I say it? – relaxed.
Confident.
Like I was exactly where I needed to be.
(Still confused about what day it was, but I guess that’s just the natural byproduct of residency.)

This time, it was a chance to wander. I moved from Res I to Res II, group to group, room to room, conversation to conversation. I stopped to chat with whoever was nearby, humans I may or may not have met before but felt deeply drawn to in that moment. I was connecting.

And here’s the kicker: I felt competent. Not “I have it all figured out” competent. But more like: I belong here. I know things. And I love this work.

I got to supervise groups. I got to lead them. I got to co-lead them with master’s students (who, by the way, were absolute stars). And somewhere between redirecting a side conversation and facilitating a reflection that made the room pause and feel, I realized something kind of big:

I love running groups.

Like, really love it. I’d been suspecting this, but this residency confirmed it. There’s something magical about the combination of group energy, unpredictability, vulnerability, shared momentum.

What really got me, though, like, actual-eyes-filling-with-tears got me, was the chance to connect with students just starting the program. I was one of the first people they met. I got to welcome them to Counseling-Land™. What an honor. What a responsibility. What a moment of full-circle(ish) beauty.

And then, in the very next hour, I’d be with students gearing up for practicum, with big opinions, strong skills, and hearts wide open to growth. Students who are so ready to step into this field and make it better than it was before.

I got to hold both ends of the journey in the same hands, in the same day.

My feet hurt. My brain was buzzing. My caffeine levels were questionable.

But my heart? So, so full.

This residency was loud and beautiful and messy and grounding. It reminded me that I’m growing into this role, not in spite of the chaos, but because of it. And that sometimes, the clearest signs you’re where you’re supposed to be don’t come in the quiet. They come in the swirl of voices, movement, and moments when you realize, “I love this. And I want more of it.”

P.S. To the students I worked with: thank you. For showing up, for trying, for being real. I was honored to be part of your beginning and your journey.

P.P.S. To my fellow CESers: more time together, more hallway laughs, more coffee IVs, please. You made the chaos fun, the learning rich, and the snacks communal, and I wouldn’t want residency-wrangle with anyone else.

P.P.P.S. To the faculty: thank you for trusting us, guiding us, and letting us take up space in this wild and wonderful process. Your steady presence means more than you know.

Jackie Bicas Grapa https://silverleaftherapy.com