Hey Mike: The diversional activity was definitely more, well, diversional. I am unsure about wether it helped and if it did, I'm unsure about what may have been helped. I hope my experience points to the fact that occupation is an amazingly complex and its application as a therapeutic medium requires knowledge, understanding, commitment to its power from both therapist and client. RC ---------- On 05/02/2001, Mike Said: M> It sounds like you are saying that diversionary activities helped more? I'm not sure if diversionary is the right M> description... M> Mike M> Ron Carson wrote: >> Hey Mike: >> >> I also thought kayaking would have been therapeutic which is why I am so >> amazed that it wasn't. Several reasons which may point to its lack of >> therapeutic effectiveness: >> >> 1. It has a link to my loss >> >> 2. It provided opportunity for failure - normally not an issue but >> during increased times of stress (for all of us) one becomes more >> hypersensitive to failure. >> >> These are probably the two biggest reasons. >> >> RC >> >> ---------- >> On 05/02/2001, Mike Said: >> M> Sorry to hear about your difficulties -- glad to hear you're beginning to >tackle them. I would be >> M> interested to know why some activities were more therapeutic than others, if you >have any thoughts on this. >> M> I would have thought kayaking would be therapeutic, as it involves physical >activity and a presumably >> M> pleasant outdoors environment, both of which I would have expected to have >fairly high therapeutic levels. >> M> what do you think makes the difference? I do see your point about distraction >not necessarily being >> M> therapeutic. >> >> M> Cheers >> >> M> Mike Griffin >> M> http://www.otdirect.co.uk >> >> M> Ron Carson wrote: >> >> >> Hello All: >> >> >> >> Recently, I experienced great tragedy in my personal life. Left with >> >> feelings of complete overwhelm and helplessness, for much of the time I >> >> did nothing but reflect on the situation. Slowly, however, I began to >> >> engage in meaningful occupations such as kayaking, yard work and >> >> woodworking. In the wake of my experience, I have made several personal >> >> observations about occupation as a therapeutic medium. >> >> >> >> 1. Not all occupations are created equal when it comes to their >> >> therapeutic effectiveness. >> >> >> >> I love to kayak and fish - it's my new found hobby. However, >> >> during this experience, I quickly learned that kayaking was not >> >> therapeutic. For me, kayaking contributed to my depression and to my >> >> negative feelings. Fishing was a setup for failure. Being unsuccessful >> >> at catching fish (a very common experience) only contribute to my >> >> negative feelings. As great as kayaking potential to be therapeutic, it >> >> was a very negative experience. >> >> >> >> 2. Occupation's ability to divert one's attention is very powerful but >> >> may not be therapeutic. >> >> >> >> During my yard and wood working, I primarily focused attention >> >> on the task at hand and not on the the problems in my life. While this >> >> has certain therapeutic effectiveness, it may not have directly helped >> >> solve the issues. However, as I write this I can see that directing my >> >> attention away from the problems may have allowed me to be more clearly >> >> focuses when I did return to addressing the problems. >> >> >> >> Clinically, I have learned a great deal about the power (or lack of) >> >> occupation. >> >> >> >> Ron >> >> >> >> (Writing this is part of my self-prescribed therapy. This list serve is >> >> one of my occupations and writing today has been very therapeutic) >> >> >> >> rC >> >> >> >> ******************** >> >> >> >> Unsubscribe by sending a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] In the message's body, >put the following text: >> >> >> >> unsubscribe OTlist >> >> >> >> ------ >> >> >> >> OTnow messages are archived at: >> >> >> >> http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected] (and) >> >> http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected] >> >> >> >> ********rC*********** >> >> M> ******************** >> >> M> Unsubscribe by sending a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] In the message's body, >put the following text: >> >> M> unsubscribe OTlist >> >> M> ------ >> >> M> OTnow messages are archived at: >> >> M> http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected] (and) >> M> http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected] >> >> M> ********rC*********** >> >> ******************** >> >> Unsubscribe by sending a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] In the message's body, >put the following text: >> >> unsubscribe OTlist >> >> ------ >> >> OTnow messages are archived at: >> >> http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected] (and) >> http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected] >> >> ********rC*********** M> ******************** M> Unsubscribe by sending a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] In the message's body, put the following text: M> unsubscribe OTlist M> ------ M> OTnow messages are archived at: M> http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected] (and) M> http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected] M> ********rC*********** ******************** Unsubscribe by sending a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] In the message's body, put the following text: unsubscribe OTlist ------ OTnow messages are archived at: http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected] (and) http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected] ********rC***********
