Very true. The complexity is really frightening at times. My curiosity about this stems from the fact that my pre qualification background was in physical disability, my post qualification background has all been in physical disability, and my only psych experience was in two clinical placements. So when we talk about using occupation as a therapeutic medium, I sometimes feel a bit lost. I think that what I do, and what I've always done, is to facilitate occupational activities -- I can find ways to accomplish practical tasks and I can help to remediate physical dysfunction, but if I were placed in a setting where I was expected to use meaningful activities to remediate mental health difficulties, I would be pretty lost. Sometimes it feels like OT is two different professions, one that uses occupation therapeutically and one that remediates difficulties in occupational dysfunction. This relates to previous discussions on the list -- I'm sure the issue will be around for a long time. Cheers Mike http://www.otdirect.co.uk Ron Carson wrote: > 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*********** ******************** 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***********
