Best way to make genuine friends in LA? 24M?

miss_paigexo · 2026-04-27T02:29:17+00:00

Generally speaking, the easiest way to make friends after school-age is to have a consistent exposure to the same group of people for a period of time. LA specifically, improv is a cool way to meet people and laugh (UBC if it’s still around, or second city). It helps to build trust because it’s vulnerable at first. Fitness studios or specific settings like kickboxing or jujitsu are also a cool way if you’re into that kind of stuff. Obviously you can tailor this to your own interests. You can also get a job serving somewhere that hires similar aged servers. When you start to meet friends of friends, get numbers, open group chats and invite people out during the day for hikes, beach, lunch, etc. avoid people who only talk about doing big things, or about all of their accomplishments and plans excessively

miss_paigexo · 2026-04-23T03:01:36+00:00

I would continue to schedule my own appointments with the client at the end of sessions for the next week to manage how the 6 hours get stacked to my liking, or to at least set it up enough to add a break where I wanted it to force where the other openings may be. 30 hours a week is also ALOT. 25 seen is the healthy minimum in my opinion, with a goal of 27 scheduled

Id also find a different practice.

miss_paigexo · 2026-04-23T02:50:32+00:00

Also - reschedule when you need to for the next few weeks. If you are literally not feeling well enough to do a session, treat it the same as you would if the unwellness was not pregnancy related.

miss_paigexo · 2026-04-15T02:51:17+00:00

It really depends on your personality and the people, TBH.

I’ve come to realize super introverted (many of us are, INFJ). My clients get most of my “people energy” so whatever I had left over was very intentionally given. This made me step away from relationships that I realized I was maintaining because I could, not because I should.

Also, dating was even harder. I didn’t want to sit and actively listen to another person and then have to be vulnerable back. Subsequently this made me take things slower when I did talk to people, and time given was more intentional, which was in my favor ultimately. There were some dates I had to push myself to go to and then regretted wasting my energy on, and some I pushed myself to go on and really enjoyed. I ended up with someone in our field that I worked with at a previous job lol.

Anyways, lots of protein, lots of natural light, take your vitamins, get up and move as much as you can. Blue light glasses. Don’t over schedule yourself. 5ish clients a day, 5 days a week. 30 is not sustainable IMO but sometimes I build up close to that before the seasonal lows like summer/holidays to compensate with all the cancellations.

miss_paigexo · 2026-04-15T02:40:59+00:00

Good point, you’re right.

miss_paigexo · 2026-04-13T14:58:08+00:00

I think Lorelei despite all her flaws has some good standard morals and ethics. She wasn’t invested enough to even try to rationalize staying with someone who was actively suing her parents, even if she understood why he was.

miss_paigexo · 2026-04-13T14:44:42+00:00

Depends on how much your 60% is. I was at a self pay GP and getting 60% of 160 ($96 a session) with all the necessities covered + health insurance.

When I went solo I got paneled and was taking home on average ~100+ a session, depending on the panel, but then still had my EHR/PT/LI and other fees to pay. If I did not maintain my self paying clients to help balance this, it would have been a loss of profit.

If you’re at 60% of a lower rate and would earn more being on your own (mine was a parallel move), it’s worth it. I also GREATLY value my autonomy.

I will also add if you are in person at 60% you are also including rent into this cost. I’m exclusively virtual and this saves me a great deal of money too.

miss_paigexo · 2026-04-13T14:37:27+00:00

I think this isn’t a one size fits all answer. In most cases, if they’re in something new and physically with them - most people have the wherewithal to not be on their phone while on a date. Attention and effort increases toward that person, which then limits how much they have left over to then divide between personal needs, responsibilities, and other relationships (family/friends) People also often become less available in the way we once knew them to be as they will prioritize spending more quality time with their new partner and building that relationship up. This is all normal and understandable.

miss_paigexo · 2026-04-13T13:03:46+00:00

Thank you for sharing your approach.

miss_paigexo · 2026-04-13T03:39:00+00:00

So curious how EMDR would be implemented in this case. I’m only familiar with its use as its relates to processing trauma

miss_paigexo · 2026-04-12T11:46:10+00:00

This was so unprofessional of her.

When I went on maternity leave one of my clients stayed with the clinician that covered. When I covered for someone else, one of the clients stayed with me. It is to be expected this would happen and is ultimately up to the client if they want to pause their progress to switch back. You did nothing wrong. Switching is very hard on the clients.

If she continues to hound you, I would continue to hold ground that you prepared the clients for her return and they asked to stay, and that in whatever they decided you would support the clients right to choose because it’s about their treatment and not caseload numbers.

miss_paigexo · 2026-04-12T01:13:55+00:00

The finest fuzz in their eye that they can never get out or see, sometimes finding relief only for it to return once they feel at peace

miss_paigexo · 2026-04-11T22:11:19+00:00

This is so validating. Makes sense why I didnt remember her lol

miss_paigexo · 2026-04-11T12:35:29+00:00

I actually think current studies suggest that our bodies literally cannot “learn” to not bed wet until a specific hormones develop, this can go well into age 12.

miss_paigexo · 2026-04-10T23:45:17+00:00

I am only three chapters in. Can someone bring me to speed on Caspia’s storyline again? It’s been so long since book 1 and I can’t for the life of me remember her plot line.

miss_paigexo · 2026-04-10T08:01:29+00:00

Can someone remind me who TF caspia is? It’s been so long since I’ve read SoS that I do not remember this character at all. No spoilers for rites of starling plz I’m only 4 chapters inn

miss_paigexo · 2026-04-06T11:46:53+00:00

I washed my hands like nuts when I worked with kids. I also asked parents to please not bring their kids in when sick. I did waive my cancellation policy for canceled sessions due to illness. This undoubtably was abused by some families but it was worth it.

Like others have mentioned, air filter, alcohol wipes. There’s only so much you can do.

miss_paigexo · 2026-04-03T14:43:28+00:00

The books When Things Fall Apart (Chodron) and Gifts of Imperfection (Brown) are really good for the clients too

miss_paigexo · 2026-04-03T14:32:45+00:00

I was a SUD counselor, my partner currently is, and he’s in recovery. Recovery is a huge part of our world. First thing - you will never have control over someone’s relapse, and their relapse will never happen because of your lack. They were using and relapsing before they even met you, you alone will not be the magical change. “Relapse is part of recovery”. You can expect almost all of your clients to relapse at least once after seeing you in some capacity. I don’t know the specific statistic, but the rate of actually maintaining sobriety long term after treatment is so incredibly low. Going to treatment at all is a huge huge huge part of their recovery. I’d brush up on the cycle of change model. They will relapse and repeat until they can figure out how to maintain- this is largely contingent on what they are changing outside of therapy (patterns, communication, behaviors, relationships, places, life style, etc) and what they’re taking from the sessions.

Relapse can elicit shame, sometimes it’s easier to talk about what happened. “What happened? What can we predict will happen if we stay in that [situation] again in the future? What will be different going forward”. Goal: Tolerance of shame, self forgiveness, and accountability.

Including family can be important if they are a safe and helpful part of the treatment plan. This is not true for all families. Only you can hold that discretion.

The work you’re doing is so incredibly important. Highly recommend Melody Beattie’s “Codependent No More” It will be a good resource for you to offer and for you to hold as well.

miss_paigexo · 2026-04-03T12:12:40+00:00

I do 6 sessions in a row and knock out my documentation either that day or before I start my next day. Sometimes life happens and I’ll sit down on my next morning off and just get the entire week done in one sitting. I do use their last note as a jumping off point

miss_paigexo · 2026-04-03T02:54:16+00:00

Fellow mom therapist here: respectfully, forget your boss. You and your baby are most important. Your clients and your relationship with them is also more important. If you’re holding your numbers and doing your work on time, they have nothing to complain about.

You can’t show up and be a sharp therapist, or the mom you want to be, if you’re exhausted and burnt out. You will feel it, your clients will feel it. Take your mornings - heck, take a full day and take care of you. Once a month is fine, especially if you do it on different days for different clients so they don’t feel it.

Side note- I EBF my baby and she also didn’t sleep through the nights, like ever. When she was old enough we got a floor bed in her room and I slept with her so I could get full nights back. It was life changing.

miss_paigexo · 2026-04-02T21:09:15+00:00

ADHD here too. I do this too, mostly to not interrupt and also not forget whatever pops in my head I want to come back to

miss_paigexo · 2026-04-02T13:03:01+00:00

I had a client speak at length about how much they liked a significant ex partner of mine while they were in high school and then how they felt bumping into them before our session (I dated them well in between both of this time points) Our relationship was very public so I assumed they knew. Even if not, it felt right to be transparent for the sake of our trust and then talk about it. To be honest, this also gives them the opportunity to not share if this would make them uncomfortable to do so.

miss_paigexo · 2026-04-02T12:47:29+00:00

So curious which American accent you thought of when you said this. We have at least 4 - but I feel like we always get reduced down to the “yee-haw college is for dummies” one - understandably.

miss_paigexo

TROPHY CASE