OT 640 Debriefing

Peer-Reviewed Journal Article - OT's Role in a Criminal Justice Setting

The article I have chosen to write about for this blog post is entitled, "The Scope of Practice of Occupational Therapy in U.S. Criminal Justice Settings." The article discussed the current roles and practices of OTs in the criminal justice system in the United States, and how OTs specifically can help with the alarmingly high percentage of inmates that are re-incarcerated each year. The article also talks about the demographics of inmates who are re-incarcerated; the common trend for repeat offenders is those who are economically and socially disadvantaged. The purpose of the study was to establish a baseline inventory for training, describe OT's scope of practice in this setting, and to form a network of OTs working in this setting. Many of the respondents of the study used group interventions to address areas primarily in communication and problem-solving skills, but also concentrated on coping, stress management, goal setting, employment, leisure, wellness and fitness, financial management, developing community living skills, and work/job-related skills.

OT in the criminal justice system is currently an emerging area of practice. Just recently, I have begun watching a new docuseries on Netflix entitled, "Girls Incarcerated", which follows the journeys of teenage girls who are incarcerated, their progress throughout their various programs while in prison, and being reintegrated back into their communities. Before OT school, I never thought jails or prisons could be a setting in which an occupational therapist could work. After reading this article and watching the docuseries, I am more informed and educated on the desperate need for OTs in this area of practice.

Many individuals who re-enter society after being incarcerated do not have the skills they need to be a successful, functioning adult. An astonishing number of people lose their communication skills and coping mechanisms because of the context and environment they are in. It is difficult for them to have an outlet for releasing stress and anger, and many of them have anxiety worrying about how they are going to survive when they are released. "How am I going to find a job? Why would anyone want to hire me? Where am I going to live? Will I ever get custody of my kids back? How do I better myself so I don't end up back in here?." Many inmates ask themselves these questions, and more, every single day. OTs have an excellent opportunity to help these individuals succeed in life through group interventions related to the areas I have listed above. Many benefits would come from placing OTs in these settings; one in particular would be improving the economy.

If you think about it, if OT in prisons became a more popular practice area, we could help people reintegrate back into the community, decrease the amount of inmates in our jails, reduce readmission rates, save taxpayers money, and improve the economy overall. The important point is not about the numbers, though; the point is that all of these individuals are human. They all have hearts, souls, feelings, and emotions just like everyone else. If we continue to treat them like animals and keep them locked up in cages, then this problem will only get worse. We have to meet them where they are and help them get back to being productive members of society. Maybe, just maybe, one day they will want to pay it forward and help someone else that is in the position they were once in. Think about how much different this world would be...

I could go on and on about this topic, but I will wind it down. I have never really been interested in this until recently, but I think there is such a dire need for OTs, group therapy, and interdisciplinary collaboration with psychologists and social workers in this setting. It is my hope that in the next 10 years this practice area develops even more and OTs can help these individuals find their purpose again so that they can live the best quality of life possible.

12-Step Meeting Attendance

Last night, Haleigh and I attended a Narcotics Anonymous (Nar-Anon) meeting at a church in Bartlett, TN. My expectation going into this meeting was that I would hear personal accounts of individuals who have a drug addiction. However, when Haleigh and I first walked in the room, I noticed the facilitator, 2 couples, a single dad and a single mom. The facilitator asked if we were family of, and we replied no, and stated that we were there to witness a real-life group facilitation. They were very accepting and welcoming of us into their group. The group began by stating the 12 steps and traditions; every person went around the room and said each one until everything was said. The facilitator played a facilitative/hands-off role in this group. He started the discussion by talking about he and his wife and their experience with their adult daughter, who is addicted to drugs. He talked about distancing himself from her, and devoting more time to himself and his wife, and finally being able to be happy and live his life again.

The facilitator asked the members to share something they liked from their readings in the Nar-Anon book, and then he asked them to share about what they have learned or experienced from attending Nar-Anon meetings. He didn't push or pressure anyone to answer questions or share, but he encouraged that anyone who wanted to was welcome. I was interested to learn that the members at this particular meeting were not addicts, but family of addicts; mothers and fathers. Interestingly, many of the members had adopted their children, and had little knowledge about their children's home lives before they adopted them. The environment was set up so that the tables made a "C" shape in one of the Bible study rooms. Everyone was able to make eye contact and face each other in a circle, which made the meeting more comfortable for the members.

In my opinion, this group was very therapeutic. One member was in the very beginning stages of his journey, coping with the aftermath of his 20-year-old daughter's drug addiction. Others had multiple children that had been addicted to drugs for many years or were currently in rehab programs or living in a sober living facility. One of the mothers was teary-eyed when she talked about her son and how she can still see the sweet little 8-year-old boy in him. Another member, a father, was more realistic about his son's addiction, and didn't show as much emotion as some of the other members. Either way, members were able to get their point across in a respectful and appropriate way, without fear of judgment or ridicule from others.

I believe this group was geared around the Developmental Frame of Reference, specifically talking about the mastery of skills and coping mechanisms, the interruption of growth, and the impact of the trauma related to the actions made by the addict.

OT 532: Individual Facilitation of a Group Session (How to Care for Your Pet)

For my second group facilitation (the first that I did on my own), I led a life skills group that discussed caring for pets, including the different tasks involved, as well as different perspectives and personal experiences of pet owners. 

Introduction: I started out by introducing myself and had everyone else introduce themselves by stating their name as well as their pet's name. We also did an ice breaker which involved a memory chain of stating names and pets' names, so that the person at the end of the line had to state their own name and pet's name, and the previous group member's name and their pet's name all the way back to the beginning. It was a great way to open up the group and I think it gave everyone a good laugh trying to remember all of the names. 

Activity: Next, I had the group members brainstorm about what the various tasks are that make up pet care. They ended up naming several more tasks than I had originally thought of; I loved their originality and creativity. The main activity was called "Learning to Expect the Unexpected". This involved pairs of group members each receiving a scenario in which an unexpected circumstance regarding pet care took place. Each pair of members had to brainstorm and come up with a solution to their scenario and act it by role playing or discussing it with the group. 

Sharing: Each of the group members shared their personal experience about their own pets and how they got them, what it is like to have their pet and their pets' quirks/personality, or a funny story about their pet. 

Processing: I asked the group members if their perspectives on pet care for their own pet changed after they completed the activity. I also asked if they would respond to one of the other group member's scenarios differently, and they gave positive feedback or alternate solutions to the scenarios. 

Generalizing: I discussed the many benefits of owning a pet, including stress relief/therapeutic benefits, teaching responsibility, and companionship. I asked the group members to discuss other ways in which responsibilities included in pet care could carry over into other aspects of care taking (i.e. caring for an elderly parent, grandparent, or younger sibling). 

Application: Lastly, the group members identified how they could apply the knowledge they learned from the group into their daily lives and other aspects of care taking. 

Summary: Thanking the group members for attendance and participation, and closing of the group session.

For me, the most important thing that I learned after facilitating this group was that sometimes I can be my own worst enemy. I had it set in my mind that my group was going to be a flop, it was going to get totally derailed by the other group members, or I would talk so fast because of nerves that my group would not last an appropriate amount of time. Before leading this group, I was terrified that I would stumble over my words, or that the group members would catch on to the fact that I was nervous. I realized at the end of the session that I was probably overthinking it way too much, because several people came up to me afterwards and told me they really liked my group, that it was fun, and it made them laugh. I did the best I could to make the session fun and interactive, and I was so worried that the members wouldn't be engaged because it was at 4:00 in the afternoon, but everyone seemed to enjoy it. Sometimes I get so caught up in judging myself that I forget I am in the same boat as my peers, and we are all just trying to do the best we can. I learned that I am a competent group leader, and even though I was pushed out of my comfort zone, I will be a better practitioner in the long run because I "embraced the gray". :) 

After leading this group and hearing from the other members about their pets, I can better relate to the struggles they face on a daily basis with pet care, as we discussed with our scenarios. Sometimes life happens, and the dog may need to go to the vet while you're in the middle of class. Or you come home and find your living room destroyed because they got out of their kennel. Sometimes it might not be possible to go let the dog out on your lunch break because you live an hour away from your school or workplace. The other group members also discussed tasks associated with pet care that I would have never thought of, such as ordering food online instead of picking it up at the store, or changing out cat litter instead of picking up waste with a doggy bag. It also broadened my perspective on different types of pets because I have owned mainly dogs, with the exception of a few cats, in my lifetime. It was very interesting to hear about the experiences of the members that owned a bearded dragon and a hedgehog! As I look to the future for other groups I might lead, I will remember not to be so hard on myself and to just go with the flow, because sometimes my perceptions of myself are not always right. I was very thankful for this learning experience and for going outside of my comfort zone to lead this group, and I hope to continue to build on further improving and fine-tuning my communication skills in the future. 

OT 532 Leadership Summitt

For my second group facilitation, I am leading a group on how to take care of your pets. This is a topic that I have a lot of knowledge on, since I grew up with cats, dogs, fish, and even a turtle (just for a day) and I have been raising my dog all on my own for nearly 2 years. I love animals, especially dogs, so I was very interested to hear about other people's pets and what they do to care for them. I will be honest, I had a difficult time coming up with an activity to do for this group. I knew what frames of reference I wanted to use, and what I wanted to talk about, but I couldn't think of a fun, interactive activity that would draw members in. I researched a lot of ideas on Pinterest, but they were more appropriate for Kindergarteners, not graduate students. I received a lot of helpful advice and feedback from the other group leaders on their various topics, and I was able to provide input for other group members as well. It was very interesting to me that I was able to help someone else brainstorm ideas for their topic, which was totally the opposite of what I was doing, and others who had very different topics from myself had lots of great input. It just goes to show that we can always rely on our peers to help us out, and that we should ask questions to our future OT colleagues and colleagues from other disciplines to get a different perspective from our own.

OT 532: Co-Facilitation of a Group Session (Using Your Time Wisely)

For the first group co-facilitation, Cameron, Gracie, and I lead a group targeting professionalism, specifically dealing with time management skills.

Introduction: We started out with an icebreaker activity where the group members had to line themselves up from youngest to oldest, without talking. Then we had the group members identify things they do that they consider wasting time, as well as a strategy that they currently use to manage their time wisely.

Activity: Next, we gave the group members $86,400 in "pretend money" that represented the number of seconds in the day, which translated to how much time they spent

Sharing: Each of the group members shared what they could "buy" with their money, such as paying off loans, putting a down payment on a house, or buying a car.

Processing: This translated into how the group members spent their time, and lead to a discussion of what they learned from the activity, and what they learned about how another person spent their money.

Generalizing: The co-facilitators listed specific examples of how time management skills are important to have as OT students, and asked group members to give their own examples.

Application: Lastly, the group identified how they could apply the knowledge they learned from the group into their daily lives.

Summary: Thanking the group members for attendance and participation, and closing of the group session.

For me, the most important thing that I learned after helping to facilitate the group session was that I spend my time in very similar ways as my peers. Before leading this group, I thought I was the only person that spent way too much time watching Netflix, or perusing social media when I should be studying. This might be because I am so worried about myself and what other people think of me, that I don't tend to focus on what other people think of themselves. This is similar to how I view my level of productivity in general, because I feel like I am never doing enough, or that I could be doing more, and that everyone is so much more productive than I am. I learned that everyone struggles to be productive and manage their time in one way or another, and that I am not alone.

After helping co-lead this group and hear from my peers about the same struggles they have with managing time, I can better relate to my peers and realize that I am more similar to my peers than I previously thought. This makes me feel human, because no one is perfect, and we should give grace to every client we work with. Our clients are human too, and they may face many similar, or even radically different struggles than we do as practitioners. Moving forward, it is important to remove biases and judgment from the way we view our clients so we can see our clients through a clearer lens, and we can treat them the way the would like to be treated - just like everyone else.

Neuro Note #5: (TedTalk) Can the Damaged Brain Repair Itself?

While searching for something to write my last neuro note on, I came across this TedTalk from Dr. Siddharthan Chandran, "Can the damaged brain repair itself?", discussing how the brain can spontaneously repair itself by using its own stem cells. This was fascinating to me, because I have been interested in stem cell research for some time. Dr. Chandran opens by talking about the devastating effects of neurological conditions, such as multiple sclerosis and Huntington's disease, and how they affect the people diagnosed with them. He says that thirty-five million people are living with a neurological condition, while the annual cost of these diseases is around 700 billion dollars. The number of people living with neurological conditions today is rising because these diseases are age-related, and people are living longer.

Dr. Chandran made an interesting point in his presentation; the brain can repair itself, but it just doesn't do it well enough. When damage is made to brain cells, it is manifested as disease. This makes sense, because when nerve cells become demyelinated, this can lead to the manifestation of multiple sclerosis. Spontaneous repair can occur from human stem cells in the brain which lays down new myelin over damaged nerves. In one study, Dr. Chandran discusses a patient's shrinking optic nerve as a result of multiple sclerosis. He found that after placing new stem cells in the brain, over a twelve month period, the optic nerve began to repair itself and increase in size. I think it is pretty amazing how our bodies can repair themselves, even after incurring damage.

The topic of stem cell research has been heavily debated in the last ten years, so I think it is difficult to say how many doctors, researchers, and patients would actually be on board with this type of treatment. I believe that there can be many benefits from the use of stem cells, since they have the potential to be generated into basically any type of cell that is needed, such as bone, liver, or nerve cells. I would like to further my knowledge on this topic by looking into more studies, such as the one mentioned by Dr. Chandran, to see how this intervention can affect individuals with other types of neurological conditions. Dr. Chandran's message gives hope to people who live with neurological conditions, and hopefully there will be cures one day for these awful diseases.

You can access Dr. Chandran's TedTalk at the link listed below:

Chandran, S. (July 2013). Can the damaged brain repair itself? [Video file]. Retrieved from:
https://www.ted.com/talks/siddharthan_chandran_can_the_damaged_brain_repair_itself#t-939196

OT 537 Media Project: The Helping Handle

My initial reaction to coming up with a therapeutic tool for occupational therapy intervention was very exciting. I have recently become interested in adaptive equipment and technology, and I was looking forward to getting to make my own device. However, my first thought when I found out I would be making a piece of equipment out of an empty ketchup bottle was, "What in the world am I supposed to do with this?!". It took a lot of brainstorming and trial and error, but I came up with the perfect piece of adaptive equipment for my client, Maurice, who is a retired 83-year-old dairy farmer. 

Introducing, The Helping Handle! 

I used an empty ketchup bottle, felt, duct tape, pebbles, and velcro strips to make this device. I cut a screen out of the front of the bottle, where the label would normally go. I added pebbles to give more weight to the handle and sealed it off with hot glue and a piece of felt. This tool features a window so that my client can scoop or pull objects from a table or floor and bring them closer to him. He is also able to turn light switches off and on as he pleases, and he is able to more independently feed himself with the velcro strips I attached on the side of the bottle, where his adapted spoon and fork would go.

For someone with Parkinson's disease (PD), like Maurice, I thought this tool could be helpful in a variety of ways. I chose to make the tool with contrasting colors because Maurice has cataracts in both eyes, which diminishes his ability to see properly. I wanted to make the colors alternate enough so that he could differentiate objects within the handle, but not so much that a neon color would shock his visual system. I also added weight to the handle because people with PD usually have some sort of tremor. I thought that adding weight would be beneficial for improving his fine motor coordination with certain activities of daily living (ADLs), such as eating. 

Once I came up with the design of this tool, it was not that difficult to make. The only real challenge that I faced while making this was keeping the pebbles inside of the handle. I had to hot glue the pebbles inside to make sure they would not come out. I gave it a test "shake" to see if they would stay. A few of the pebbles came flying out of the tool, So I had to reinforce the pebbles again, and hot glue the edges of the felt so the pebbles would not come out. 

I also designed this tool to allow for more independence with choices and decision-making for my client. He stated that he still likes to make choices about the food he eats and the clothing he wears, and I wanted to be able to give him some of that independence back by helping him pick clothes from his closet, and bring his shoes closer to him so he does not fatigue himself by stooping down to pick them up. This tool will provide increased independence for Maurice so that he does not have to rely on his wife as much, and will allow for more freedom in eating, dressing, and doing things around the house. I have included a number of pictures you can view below: 

 Maurice can hang up his clothes, or pick out his outfit for the day 

I have adapted a fork and a spoon using velcro strips so that he can independently feed himself. 

Using the scooping mechanism, Maurice is able to bring objects closer to him so that he does not fatigue himself by getting up and walking to them, or bending down to pick them up. 

Alzheimer's Disease Case Study: Ronald Reagan

Before Lauren gave this presentation, I was not aware that former President Ronald Reagan had Alzheimer's disease. His roles included being a husband, father, son, brother, and patriotic American. His occupations included riding horses, acting, and taking care of his ranch and horses. I was aware of some of the symptoms of Alzheimer's, including forgetfulness and memory loss, but did not know about some of the other symptoms, including difficulty sleeping. I noticed in Lauren's goals for Reagan that she included a sleep management program to help him get a restful night's sleep. I did not know that Alzheimer's could cause irregular, inconsistent sleep patterns, as Ronald had. I also learned that he had acquired a blood clot after being thrown off a horse in 1989, which Nancy believes is a big cause of his Alzheimer's. He did not get diagnosed until 1994.

One of Ronald's main concerns was to not be a burden on Nancy, since she was his primary caretaker. Lauren introduced caregiver education as part of her treatment program, which would be very helpful in improving both Nancy's and Ronald's quality of life. Her long-term and short-term goals for Ronald were very reasonable. I learned a lot about Alzheimer's and about former President Reagan. Her presentation was very insightful and informative!

Neuro Note #4: (TedTalk) What you can do to prevent Alzheimer's

I came across this TedTalk while looking for something to write my next neuro note on. I try to write about things that we are learning about in class, that way I can elaborate on my knowledge and understanding on that particular topic. In this TedTalk, Lisa Genova, author of the book, "Still Alice" talks about how we can prevent Alzheimer's disease by making new neural pathways and increasing our cognitive reserve. I thought that this topic was interesting because there is currently no cure for Alzheimer's and I wanted to see how what she talked about could help my future patients and clients. She explains that individuals with Alzheimer's disease have increased amyloid plaques, tangles, and brain shrinkage caused by microglia, and that this is due to losing synapses in the brain. People can start developing these plaques and tangles as early as age 40, but are unaware that anything is wrong because they typically do not show any signs of Alzheimer's until later into their 70s and 80s.

One thing that I found very interesting was that sleep deprivation and poor sleep habits in general can significantly increase the amount of amyloid plaques in the brain. Even one night of sleep deprivation can increase the amount of plaque. I can't speak for everybody, but I know I won't be pulling any more all-nighters in school. Lisa goes on to say that people have an increased risk for developing Alzheimer's disease if they have poor sleep habits, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, if they smoke, or have high cholesterol. The brain has about 100 trillion synapses, which makes up our cognitive reserve. This number can vary at any given time, and can be increased by making new connections in the brain. We can train our brains to combat Alzheimer's if we have more years of formal education, a higher degree of literacy, and engage regularly in mentally stimulating activities, which will create more neural pathways and increase our cognitive reserve. Lisa also put an emphasis on participating in activities that are meaningful, which is a big buzzword in the field of OT. Doing things like crossword puzzles wouldn't necessarily help with making new neural pathways, but rather meeting new friends, learning a new language, or reading a book would have a significantly higher impact.

From an occupational therapy perspective, I believe this is something that needs to be researched even more. Hospitals and healthcare providers would save so much money buy implementing preventative care into their practice rather than treating the symptoms after their patients have already been diagnosed. I personally love that the engagement in purposeful and meaningful activities can be a useful tool to help prevent the onset of Alzheimer's, even if someone is genetically predisposed to it. I would love to incorporate this into my practice if I end up working with individuals with Alzheimer's disease. Lisa mentioned three lessons she learned from her grandmother that she mentioned at the end of the talk, and they really stood out to me: "Having the diagnosis doesn't mean you're dying tomorrow; keep living.  You won't lose your emotional memory. You are more than what you can remember."

I really enjoyed this TedTalk and would recommend it to anyone who is curious about Alzheimer's prevention. The link for the talk is listed below:


Genova, L. (April 2017). What you can do to prevent Alzheimer's. [Video file]. Retrieved from: https://www.ted.com/talks/lisa_genova_what_you_can_do_to_prevent_alzheimer_s#t-791251

MD Case Study: Jonah Marlin

Before I gave this presentation, I knew a little about muscular dystrophy from knowing Jonah through my church. I knew he was in a power wheelchair and that was his main form of getting around, but I truly did not understand how much it affected his life. When I interviewed his dad, I learned that he has difficulty with transferring in and out of the bed, toileting, and self-feeding, which were his primary concerns that I addressed in the presentation. It never occurred to me that the muscles become so weak that he could not do anything for himself. The one thing that broke my heart was when Jonah's dad said the hardest part about having DMD is not being able to play with kids his age because he can't run around and keep up with children in school.

I learned that individuals with MD are typically diagnosed at age 5, which is when Jonah was diagnosed, and that his form of muscular dystrophy, Duchenne's muscular dystrophy, is the most common form. I learned that DMD is caused by a defective gene called dystrophin, which is responsible for making protein in the muscle, and that individuals with DMD have a 50% chance of passing it on to their children. DMD also causes pseudohypertrophy, which is false enlargement of the muscles in the calves, due to an increase in creatine kinase in the muscle. His calves are not large because of the muscle fibers, but because of scarring and fat buildup on the muscle.

Overall, my main takeaway from this project was that there needs to be more research done to find a cure for DMD. Most males diagnosed with DMD do not live past their twenties, which significantly decreases their quality and longevity of life. Just because people have DMD, does not mean that they don't have something to offer to the world. You can learn more about Jonah and his little brother, Emory, at www.fightdmd.com.

HD Case Study: Charles Sabine

Huntington's Disease is a degenerative neurological disorder that affects the nerve cells in the brain and causes them to break down. HD is genetic, and parents who have the disease have a 50% chance of passing on the disease to their children. Charles Sabine, a 57-year-old former journalist and producer has the disease, as well as his older brother, who is in the late stage of HD. Charles' father passed away from HD. Charles has difficulty with feeding and dressing independently, maintaining control over body movements, and cognitive deficits. Occupational therapy interventions for Charles could include energy conservation, compensatory strategies, adaptive equipment for eating, as well as postural changes to decrease his level of fatigue. People who have HD do not die directly from the disease, but from choking due to weakness in muscles used for respiration.

Before Alicia's presentation, I was not aware that this disease was hereditary and could be passed on to children. Charles did not choose to find out he had the gene for HD until he was in his 40s, which is typically a later age of onset. I don't know how I would feel if I knew someone in my family had the disease and I had a chance of getting it. On one hand, knowing would help me feel prepared on how to handle it whenever I did develop symptoms. On the other hand, not knowing would make me appreciate my life and live every day like it's my last.

Neuro Note #3: TransFatty Lives

For my third Neuro Note, I decided to watch the Netflix documentary, "TransFatty Lives". This documentary depicts what life is like for Patrick O'Brien, a 30-year-old film maker and director from New Jersey who has been diagnosed with ALS, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. I chose this documentary because Professor Lancaster had mentioned it in class, and I knew a few of my other classmates that had watched it and recommended it. In our Neurological Aspects of OT class, we just learned about ALS, and I thought watching this documentary would enhance my knowledge and understanding of this diagnosis.

Before I started OT school, I had no idea what ALS was. I had heard about people doing the Ice Bucket Challenge a few years ago, and my Facebook feed was blowing up with videos of people participating in the challenge. I knew that this disease was debilitating, but I didn't realize how crippling it was until I learned about it in class and watched this documentary.

Patrick's story begins when he is first diagnosed with ALS at the age of 30 in the Spring of 2005. Before his diagnosis, Patrick was a creative, out-of-the-box film maker who had a very lively, outgoing personality. There was no one else like him. His doctors gave him 2-5 years to live. On a trip he took six months ago, he first began to notice his leg trembling. Through the documentary, Patrick deals with his worsening symptoms, including weakness, trembling, and severe muscle fatigue. Eventually, Patrick loses his ability to walk, feed himself, dress himself, shower himself, and perform all the other activities of daily living that we often take for granted.

Though Patrick was diagnosed with a terminal illness, he was still able to find love. He met Laura in the Winter of 2006, and they fell in love. He jokes about still being able to have sex, despite his diagnosis. Patrick is ecstatic when Laura gives birth to their son, Sean Patrick.

As his condition worsens, the one thing that Patrick said that matters most to him is his son. It broke my heart when Patrick said he couldn't hold him, play with him, or be there with him when he got older. All he wanted was to watch his son grow up, but Laura moved to Florida, while Patrick stayed in Maryland.

In 2010, Patrick moved to a facility in Boston, Massachusetts that gives individualized care to people with ALS.

While watching this film, there were a few things Patrick said that really stood out to me. "You can’t help it, so you may as well go with it and stay positive". "When there's nothing you can do, simply surrender." That one absolutely broke my heart. And finally, “Thank God I still have my mind, that’s the only thing I have left to control”. He goes on to say that he has become a better person, and has witnessed those around him being transformed as well. He stopped focusing on the things that weren't important, and started focusing on the things that were important to him. 

It breaks my heart that this fatal disease has no cure. It has really opened my eyes to what Patrick and others living with ALS, as well as their caregivers, have to deal with on a daily basis. Things we take for granted, like eating, walking, and even playing with our children, were stripped away from Patrick. Despite his diagnosis, he still finds purpose in his life by using social media and blogging as a platform to educate people and advocate for his disease and others living with ALS. I would highly recommend this documentary to anyone who wants to increase their knowledge and understanding of ALS.

You can access the documentary at the link posted below:


O'Brien, P. (Director). (2015). TransFatty Lives [Documentary]. Retrieved from: https://www.netflix.com/search?q=transfatty.

Foundations Course Wrap-Up

I very much enjoyed taking our Foundations of Occupation-Centered Practice course. At the beginning of this class, I knew what occupational therapy was, but I was not able to give a great definition of it to someone else, or thoroughly explain what occupational therapists do. After completing some of our assignments, such as the occupational profile, era presentations, activity analysis, and conceptual diagram of the field of OT, I have a much better understanding of what occupational therapy is, and the role of an OT practitioner. 

When I first started this program, I thought, "How am I going to possibly be able to learn everything I need to know about being an OT? I love occupational therapy, but I don't know if I will really be prepared to be a practitioner once I leave UTHSC." I can now confidently say that even with a few weeks left in my first semester, I feel much more at ease about learning all of the material I need to in order to pass my board exam and to be a great OT. I know I still have a lot left to learn and more skills to develop and cultivate, but this Foundations course has really given me a good, solid base of my knowledge of OT and how I can tell other people about what I am studying. 

I have learned more about myself and about the field of OT in this class than I have ever in any kind of internship or clinical setting. It has truly opened my eyes to what the distinct value of OT is and how OTs can help make a difference in the world. I feel like I am very prepared to take on the next semester of coursework and use the knowledge I learned from this class in order to be successful throughout the duration of the OT program. 

MG Case Study: Kristen Graham

Before I heard Valerie's presentation of Myasthenia gravis, I had no idea what this diagnosis was or the symptoms that went along with it. I learned that symptoms of MG include muscle fatigue, weakness, double vision, and facial drooping, and can be induced by stress. For Kristen, having this diagnosis made her occupation of being a hairdresser very difficult, since she has to be on her feet all day and have the stamina and endurance to get through the day. Kristen has been on medication for MG before, but is currently off all medications, and is focusing on maintaining life balance, independence, and energy conservation by doing yoga in order to decrease the severity of her symptoms. MG can be debilitating for some individuals, but luckily for Kristen, her symptoms are managed by the techniques listed above. Her main goal is to live her life to the fullest, and not let her diagnosis get in the way of her living her life the way she wants.

Begin With the End in Mind

When I first started UTHSC's occupational therapy program in January, I was nervous/excited/scared all at the same time. I was ready to be here, but terrified of getting swallowed up by the monster that is Gross Anatomy. During those 10 weeks, I thought, "Man, this is never going to end!". I was fascinated to learn about the human body, but I couldn't wait to get into the more in-depth OT classes. Many nights I would cry, stress, worry, and just feel overwhelmed because I thought, "If this anatomy class is any indication of how my time in OT school is going to be, I don't know if I deserve to be here. This is REALLY hard."

Luckily, Gross Anatomy ended and life was a breeze after that. 

I was so caught up in how I felt about that one class and how my performance would affect me that I forgot the reason why I am here in the first place - because I love to help people and I want them to be happy and successful. It's hard to think about that when you and 4 other people are standing over a cadaver 3 days a week, poking, prodding, and dissecting every ounce of tissue you can find. But sometimes I have to take a step back and look at the bigger picture. I am here for a REASON. 

I'm sure I will have more challenging classes as my time in school passes, but I am up for the challenge. I am choosing to start every day now by beginning with the end in mind. 

At the end of this journey of OT school, I will have a degree, pass my boards (fingers crossed), and work in a job that's not just a job, but a career that I can do for the rest of my life. So the next time I get stressed about a test grade, project, or paper and tight deadlines, I am going to remember my purpose for being here, and enjoy the ride along the way.

Perseverance is Key

Often in our profession, it seems that we are the ones motivating our clients, encouraging them to never give up, despite the insurmountable circumstances. We are there to see them through the many ups and downs they face during the treatment process. We even help their families cope with a new diagnosis or injury their loved one is facing. But my question is, how do we as future OTs become motivated?

It is no secret that getting into occupational therapy school is a large feat in itself. We as students had to compete against hundreds of others who are as equally as qualified, motivated, and skilled, yet we are the ones who made it. Why is that?

The answer to both of these questions is perseverance. The process of applying to occupational therapy school involved jumping through a lot of hoops, getting observation hours, references from mentors and professors, and writing a really killer admissions essay. But even after all of that hard work, so many people still get rejected; people like me.

I was not admitted into UTHSC's OT program the first time I applied. I was discouraged and upset, but I did NOT give up. I persevered, took the GRE 2 more times, got an internship and full-time job experience under my belt, and I was ready to apply again. I had confidence in the skills and knowledge that I had learned from the first time I applied to the second. I felt I was much more competent and deserving of being accepted into the program for which I had worked so hard to be in.

Because we as OT students persevered and encountered many obstacles just getting into school, I feel that we are able to help our clients succeed and reach their goals, because we know what it is like to want something so badly, yet it being just out of reach. We can be the driving force that helps keep them going, and we will always be reminded why we are all here in the first place - because we want to help people.

How OT School Has Given Me a New Outlook

I will admit, before I was in occupational therapy school, and even when I was in middle school and high school, I was afraid to interact with kids my age who had disabilities. It wasn't that I thought negatively about them, but I was afraid to ask the wrong thing and end up putting my foot in my mouth. Being in school has taught me that everyone is different, everyone faces challenges, and everyone has a purpose in life that they are trying to fulfill. Just because someone has a disability, doesn't meant that they AREN'T ABLE. It just means that they do things differently.

I have a very good friend, Lindsey, who uses a wheelchair because of her spina bifida and is a survivor of thyroid cancer. She loves to blog and came out with an interesting post a while back giving her point of view on how people view her in a wheelchair. Reading her blog post and learning about disabilities in school has really opened my eyes to how I talk to, and even how I look at people who use a wheelchair and other assistive devices. She owns her own business, is very active, goes to the gym, goes to concerts, and even just completed a huge bucket list of things she wanted to do before she died. Despite all that she has been through, Lindsey has not let her diagnoses get in her way of accomplishing her goals and doing things that bring her to joy to her life.

With new advances in technology every single day, we as future occupational therapists are better able to serve our clients and meet their needs, despite any challenges they may face. Lindsey has been an inspiration to me and has given me the confidence and encouragement to achieve my goals. If everyone had her outlook on life, the world would be a much brighter place.

ALS Case Study: Ulla-Carin Lindquist

What I have learned from Lauren's presentation is that Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis is a debilitating, fatal disease that affects the nerve and motor cell in the brain and spinal cord. The disease is very hard to diagnose, and there are many diagnostic tests that have to be performed in order to obtain a diagnosis. What blew me away was that from the time of Mrs. Lindquist's diagnosis to her passing, only one year had passed. This disease accelerates rapdily, and is very unforgiving to the people it affects.

Fortunately for Mrs. Lindquist, she was able to stay in her home while she dealt with her diagnosis. She had many adaptations made to her home so that she could have available access. The one thing that surprised me was how quickly patients with ALS can fatigue. Mrs. Lindquist stated in her book that it would take her twice as long to recover from performing certain activities, such as brushing her hair, compared to the average person without the diagnosis. I believe OTs can play a big role in teaching clients with ALS, as well as many other clients with various diagnoses, about energy conservation.

Though it is a sad situation that Mrs. Lindquist passed away, her book, "Rowing Without Oars" has given people an insight into what her life was like while living with ALS, and can hopefully educate people on this diagnosis which can lead to further research, and a cure.

Why OT Students Need Balance

In our Foundations class, we discussed Work-Life Balance, which has to do with the amount of time participating in activities in work and outside of work. It can be difficult for people who work in certain professions to maintain a proper work-life balance, such as individuals who work night shifts and may not get to see their family during the day, or people who work long hours nearly every day of the week. In graduate programs such as ours, it can also be difficult to maintain a "school-life balance."

When I was working at my outpatient PT clinic, I would dread going to work and would stare at the clock, watching the time drag by. It would seem like days waiting for lunch time to come, and once it was over, the "3 o'clock sleepies" as I like to call them, would set in and make me even more bored. The good thing about being in the workforce (for some people) is that once they clock out and leave for the day, they get to leave their work AT work and don't have to worry about anything else until the next work day.

In OT school, we are pretty much working a full-time job (plus overtime). What I mean by that, is we are supposed to be available from 8 am to 5 pm, Monday through Friday. That is a typical work day, with one hour of lunch calculated in. And most days, we are going all day. But whenever we leave our last class for the day, the work is not done. For me, I have to go straight home and let my dog out and feed him. I usually change into comfy clothes and wind down from the long day I just had. Sometimes I'll sit in my room and scroll through social media for a while, or even go sit outside and enjoy the weather. Whatever I have to do to release the stress of that day, that's what I do. Sometimes I will go home and take an hour-long nap before dinner. Then I'll fix dinner or heat up some leftovers, maybe watch 30 minutes of television, and jump into studying.  Because my boyfriend and I are long-distance, we usually FaceTime for about an hour before we both go to bed.

I say all this because we all have ways we maintain balance in our lives. If I studied day in and day out with no breaks, I would drive myself crazy and burn out quickly. Everyone is different. Some people like to go grab coffee or go out to eat after class, others can dive right into studying. For me, I just need a break to digest everything before I start studying again. And I think that's okay! I have beaten myself up because I don't study the way my peers do and am not constantly in the library or study through my lunch break. What works for me is frequent breaks, which might not work for someone else. The bottom line is, we all have different ways we cope with stress, and I am proud of taking care of myself and maintaining balance in my life while going through a rigorous graduate program.