OT for pets!

How wonderfully awesome is this? This dog is blind and so his owner created a device to stop him bumping into walls and other obstacles. #truelove

Family centred practice

Reading the mission statements of OT practice services for children in Ireland and I frequently come across "family centred care". Of course this is the basis for effective care provision in the area of occupational therapy, and why shouldn't it be? It stands to reason that including families in methods of intervention would surely ensure the continuation of home treatment plans, improve levels of satisfaction amongst families and clients and nourish that all important therapeutic relationship.

But how difficult is it to exercise effective family centred care when all services are dictated by the availability of resources such as time and money?

And what's more important; time and money or the life of a child and his/her family?

Bikram love

I'm making an extra special effort this semester to fit in one bikram yoga class a week - if I could I would do three classes a week but as the class is 90 minutes long (not including the 10 minutes of meditation before and again after) and it's a 45 minute drive from home I don't really have the time. So I've set a realistic goal that's achievable instead of an unrealistic one that I'll feel bad about when I fail every week! 

What I adore about the class is the intense heat and the rush of endorphins that hits me when I leave the hot room. I love it when I achieve improvement in a posture or when I'm able to push through the difficult classes with mental determination. It also helps with my rotten shoulder aches!

Absolutely crying laughing when I saw this photo because it is SOOOO TRUE! 

One week down....

It's been a hectic week. New tutors, new timetable, assignments and presentations, new books, new tasks...I'm wiped! But I'm loving every minute so far and I'm excited to get stuck in to assignments and presentations. This year is going to fly by so fast and I want to soak up as much as I can! 

Madeline Stuart

People like Madeline Stuart are changing the way society perceives "disability".

By changing perceptions, designing an environment that is inclusive for all and providing encouragement to those in need, "disability" will cease to exist.

Life hacks

Maybe it's the OT in me but I just love life hack ideas! 

http://www.onegoodthingbyjillee.com/2015/04/25-clever-hacks-to-make-life-a-little-easier.html?utm_source=getresponse&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=onegoodthing&utm_content=%5B%5Brssitem_title%5D%5D

Overcoming life challenges

I'm a worrier. I stress. The three top things on my worry list are college (am I doing the right thing?), money (do I have enough to get me through college?) and time (do I have enough time to finish a degree, build a house and have children?).

I admit that these worries are beyond my control but such is the way with worrying. ,ore often than not it's a waste of time. So I'm trying to be more productive in my worrying. I practice mindfulness (though not always very successfully), I eat healthily (healthy body, healthy mind) and I practice Bikram yoga (it does wonders for my self confidence after a good class and it definitely improves my ability to remain focused).

I love the following article - lots of new ideas on building self esteem and reducing anxiety.

http://liveboldandbloom.com/11/self-improvement/20-ways-to-overcome-life-challenges

Any thoughts? Anything to add?

A really lovely read on how to help children suffering anxiety. These articles have been of particular interest to me over the summer months as my second year in college focuses on children and adolescents. I've never felt the desire to work with children (possibly owing to the fact that I find it difficult to interact with kids?!) but I'm keeping an open mind and I'll embrace the challenges I face throughout the year; afterall, challenges are what make life interesting and overcoming them is what makes life meaningful.

http://www.heysigmund.com/building-emotional-intelligence-what-to-say-to-children-with-anxiety/

I'd be interested to hear anyone else's thoughts or experiences in treating children with anxiety.

AOTI

My first Irish journal from the AOTI.

I loved that it's main focus is on mental health as it's area I feel hugely drawn towards.

Year 2

Year two begins on Monday and this is year is all about the kids #pediatrics 

#ItsOnUs Campaign

Take the pledge to end sexual assault.

www.itsonus.org

Less is more

This rang true on so many levels with me. I hate that our world is filling up with material objects that we want but do not need.

http://www.theguardian.com/global/2015/sep/01/depriving-your-kids-of-toys-great-idea

Summertime reflections

Four months have gone by since I set foot in my college's OT department. I've made no secret of the fact that returning to college last September proved to be a difficult transition for me. I'd regularly ask myself why, would it be worth it, am I doing the right thing. I felt like I could never strike the balance between college and my personal life. I immersed myself in books, journals and articles trying to absorb everything my college tutors were throwing at me. I stopped doing the things that make me happy - painting, crafting, yoga. I found myself too tired at the end of each day to do little more than veg out on the couch and watch mindless tv. The whole of first year went by in a blur of assignments, deadlines and unhealthy coffee and cake breaks. Before I knew it April arrived, bringing longer days and an end to the barrage of college work. I made a promise to myself; I would make the most of the summer months. I threw myself in to project after project, determined to wake up each morning with a plan for the day. Having a purpose, a goal, something to get me out of bed in the morning was nothing short of motivation in itself. I immersed myself in glue and fabric, paint and glitter, baking, Pinterest and exercise classes. Rooms have been painted, furniture upstyled, new clothes created and new recipes tasted. I made the most of my months off, each day making up for what I neglected during the eight months of college. I fulfilled the promise I made to myself in April; I made the most of the four beautiful summer months. Now I feel ready for second year and everything that it will no doubt throw my way. I now know what to expect. I know the hours that it will take from me. I know I will have ups and downs and I know there will be times when I will want to throw in the towel and give up. But I'll pull through those moments just like I did in first year. Reflecting on everything has brought me to this conclusion; finding a balance between work and play is essential to mental health. I'm determined to find my balance this year. 

A day in the life...

For three hours I wheeled my way around my home county's city centre in a powered wheelchair. I was accompanied by three college associates who were to act as my carers. I do not need a wheelchair. The purpose of this exercise was to see the world from the perspective of somebody with a disability and truly appreciate the importance of Universal Design in its quest for "inclusion for all".

During these three hours I found myself confronted with many difficulties that I had not even considered would be a problem. While many shops were easily accessible with wide open doors, most problems lay within shop walls. One shop in particular had limited space between its aisles that were not wide enough to fit my chair. This was a major barrier in allowing me access throughout the shop and to the cash register. Many products were placed on higher shelves which meant I would require assistance in reaching them, something I would not be inclined to do if I was browsing without the intent of purchasing.

Throughout thr day my three college associates would frequently call to each other across shop floors to draw attention to an item of interest. Because it would take me longer to reach them, and often because of obstacles in the way, I found myself opting to wait by the main door for them to finish. I can see how, over time, moments like this could lead to anger, frustration, upset and ultimately resulting in the avoidance of engaging in this type of occupation with friends. Fault does not lie with my college associates, it lies in the inaccessible structure of the shop. The layout creates a barrier to allow for optimal engagement, thus negatively affecting my experience and leading me to feel isolated and "left out".

The restaurant we chose for lunch was small with little room for movement between tables and chairs. I could see this being a problem for anyone with a buggy or even with a lot of shopping bags (a distinct possibility given the restaurants location). Only for it being quiet, with only three other customers present, was I able to get around. However, it was not with ease. The counter where orders were taken was placed in such a way that I was able to wheel myself towards it. I then had to wheel backwards to my table as there was insufficient room to turn my chair. The table we sat at was chosen because it was the only one with enough space to accommodate my chair. There was no wheelchair accessible toilet on this premises.

Bumpy footpaths proved to be a major problem when, towards the end of my three hour session, the control switch for the wheelchair finally came loose and broke off the armrest of my chair. I had not noticed it was coming loose and it never dawned on me to check it. At €1,000 the cost of the controls do not come cheap. Not only this but upon coming loose the chair jerked forward throwing me from the seat. Only for having the use of my legs was I able to hold myself upright and avoid falling on the ground and being at the mercy of someone else's aid. Uneven, bumpy surfaces also required that I kept having to move my feet back on the footrest as the vibration caused them to move forward. I understand the majority of wheelchairs will have a strap for around the feet but this one did not.

Many footpaths were not wide enough or lacked dipped kerbing, thus forcing me on to a busy road that was already barely wide enough to allow the comfortable passing of two cars. Why would I want to put myself in that kind of danger? More important is the question why should I have to? I got myself stuck between a tree and a wall owing to the narrowness of a footpath and without the help of those accompanying me I would have been stuck for a lot longer. But the question here is why should I have to rely on someone else being with me for me to manouver the city comfortably?

What I experienced was minuscule in comparison to the challenges faced every day by wheelchair users. What I gained was a little insight and I have no doubt the list of challenges is far greater than the ones I encountered. Added to this, was the benefit of knowing my experience was one that would come to an end. I found myself quite overwhelmed by the end of the exercise. Physically exhausted from trying to access shops, wrestle with doors and manouver my chair at the same time. And emotionally tired from thinking about my next moves, assessing whether or not I would fit through a space, looking ahead to locate where I could cross a road safely and feeling like an outsider with my group owing to the inability to access all areas of the shops I entered. The experience, though short lived, has opened my eyes. I now walk through the city centre with a whole different outlook. I find myself assessing pedestrian crossings, the positioning of lamp posts and trees on footpaths and walkways, the availability of public seats and rest areas, elevators, wheelchair ramps, the size of parking spaces...the list goes on!

Universal Design is not only for those with a disability. Dipped kerbing accommodates the elderly who cannot lift their feet as high as they once could. Wider aisles accommodate a mother with a buggy, allowing a more pleasurable shopping experience. More space in busy city centre restaurant allows shoppers to relax and prevents accidental trips over shopping bags in walkways between tables. Universal Design, accessibility for all; it just makes sense.

On top of the world!

I am sitting on cloud nine right now! Exam results for semester one were released today and not only did I pass, I absolutely aced it!

I completely underestimated how difficult college would be as a mature student (age 30). I'm a smart person, I like to read, I'm inquisitive and I love to learn. I didn't do badly in school (all those years ago) and I thought my life experience would stand to me. Don't get me wrong; I never expected college to be a walk in the park either, but it was certainly more challenging than I had predicted. I felt so bogged down by the heavy workload. Failing an assignment almost broke me. I spent three days crying and beating myself up over my idiocy at not getting it right. That week in November the critic in me fought hard with my pride to leave college and succumb to the thought that I wasn't good enough. Pride won through. Determination wouldn't let me give up. How happy I am now that I stuck with it! I know it's only first year and it doesn't count towards my degree but it means the world to me that I came out with first class honours in three modules and second class in one module (that one assignment brought me down grrr!) I'm shamelessly boasting here but I am so proud of myself that I don't care! I poured my heart and soul in to first semester and those results have shown me what I'm really capable of. Probably for the first time since starting college in September 2014 I actually think I could be a really good occupational therapist when I graduate. 

So often we are too quick and ready to criticise our faults and our failures. I think it's important to celebrate our achievements and that's exactly what I'm doing all this weekend!

This is me, feeling on top of the world!⬇️

Experiencing Creative Occupations

Day 1: Creative Occupations class - Reflection.

What?

So the purpose of engaging in six weeks of creative occupations is to really feel the effect of participation, "flow" and creativity. Class began with an introduction to the basic steps involved in the art of weaving and we each created a collage of shapes and colours by drawing on inspiration from the images we had chosen prior to class. I think there was a little bit of nervous laughter as each person presented their image and created their collages but all in all it was a comfortable group experience.

So what?

At first I was apprehensive about this particular craft and I had regretted my choice of weaving over print making. Perhaps it is because my expectations had sunk so low in the couple of weeks prior to class that I ended up really enjoying it! The group dynamic was great. With only seven people in the class it's a real chance to get to know people on a deeper level. Already I feel like I know the other six a little better. For the past two years I've been experimenting with knitting and for the most part I've been happy with my products. Knitting tends to require so much of my concentration that my brain leaves reality and escapes itself for a while, resulting in a more relaxed state of mind and reducing my levels of anxiety. Perhaps it is because I am working with the same medium that weaving had a similar effect. Once I really got in to the swing of it I found myself concentrating hard on making sure the edges were neat and tidy and that each row was even and all the waft was covered as instructed by the teacher. When break time came I felt myself wanting to stay seated and continue with my work. I think this is what Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi describes as "flow". 

What now?

So over the next week we are to work on the design of our final piece. I'm looking forward to choosing colours and learning more weaving techniques. I also feel like a strong bond will form amongst the group which is important if we are to spend the next four years together!

*Below are my inspirational images of sunsets, boats and whales. Also photos of my first weaving attept and a quick snapshot of my collage.

Creative Occupations

As part of our first year Occuaptional Therapy course we are required to take part in a creative textiles or printing class. I've chosen textiles as I have experience with printing and I feel like I should branch out and challenge myself with something different. The purpose of taking part in such a class is to explore and experience our own creativity and the process of actually being creative. Crafts appear to have played a huge role since the beginning of occupational therapy with many believing that by engaging in art, craft work and horticulture we can have a healing effect on our physical being and our mental health. As every occupational therapist knows it was Mary Reilly who said that "man, through the use of his hands, as they are energised by mind and will, can influence the state of his own health". The benefits of engaging in craft work are numerous and include building hand-eye coordination, focusing and engaging the mind and freeing up our creative sides. We use mostly our hands daily to occupy our time. While some may look upon craft work as a hobby it can be essential to every day living. For example wood work can produce furniture for the home. Engaging in craft work can help build habits that are useful in daily life. Group craft work can promote support and camaraderie among people, thus creating a sense of belonging through participation. I love to set myself tasks and projects. I am forever searching for new projects to undertake from cooking new recipe ideas, knitting baby booties, painting furniture to trying my hand at growing my own vegetables. It is not just the end product that motivates me but the feeling of being involved and using my brain and my hands to create something. I'm excited about this textile class and I'm mostly looking forward to the experience of not only trying something new, but doing it as part of a group.

Below is the image I've decided to use as inspiration for my textile project. I wanted to incorporate all the things I love and what makes me feel happy. The ocean brings back some very special memories for me as I spent almost two years working on cruise ships. Being at sea made me feel free - free of responsibility, worries, negativity and to an extent real life! That feeling of freedom and happiness was something lost on me before I embarked on my first ship adventure. I found myself during those first few weeks at sea and I formed strong friendships that have supported me every day since leaving ship life in Fort Lauderdale in 2013. Some of my most happiest memories are of watching sunsets and seeing the whales in Hawaii and in Alaska.

Follow my Instagram journey @myotjourney

Me time!

One of my biggest struggles during my first semester was never finding time for myself to do the things I love to do. I love tinkering around with crafty projects - knitting, sewing, painting furniture, attempting to crochet, trawling through DIY shops, adding sequins, buttons and ribbons to anything that I think requires updating! Sometimes I finish these projects, sometimes I don't. But I always enjoy the act of being productive!

It makes me sad then when I look back at how my first three months of college completely took over my life. Any spare time I had in the evenings (after dinner, showering and preparing for the following day was done) was spent slumped in front of the tv, scrolling through facebook and Instagram and Pinterest - lazy, mindless methods of low level brain stimulation. I abandoned my bikram yoga classes because class times always coincided with a hectic college schedule. I was always too tired on my one day off in the week to get out my boxes of sequins and buttons and ribbons. I dreaded getting in to the car to go ANYWHERE, so I didn't bother.

From my research in to occupational therapy it would appear that a high level of importance is placed on leisure time and many OT's promote the positive effect it has on mental health. Why then do many OT's spend so much of their time and energy on others, frequently forgetting do to the same for themselves?

My second semester is about to start and I have made a promise to myself that I will make time for me every week. A couple of hours to attend a yoga class. An hour for cooking or baking for pleasure, not just out of necessity. Twenty minutes of sitting alone in a quiet room to reconnect with myself. Anything! But I have to do something, for the sake of my own mental health.

College is no easy feat at 30.

I knew returning to full time education at 29 years of age would be hard. I braced myself for the difficulty of being in a class of 18 year olds. I prepared myself for the hardship of not having as much money to spend on myself. I asked myself more than a hundred times if I would regret delaying starting a family. The first two issues have not bothered me in the slightest. The third plays on my mind now and again. But surprisingly what I found most difficult was the sheer volume of work. I had not expected there to be so much work, especially in the first semester. Week after week I found myself constantly struggling to keep on top of it. Just when I felt like I was getting ahead another load was thrown at me, knocking me right back to the start again. Quite soon in to the beginning of the first semester in September I was feeling knee deep in sh*t! Endless pages of reading, weekly online assessments that would count towards my end of year marks, everything in a language that was completely alien to me. By November I was at my wits end. I spent a week crying in to my pillow. I repeatedly questioned why in the world I was doing this to myself. I had not seen my friends in two months. I struggled to find time to do the things that I wanted to do. I had not been able to get to a yoga class, something that I had been practicing three days a week before the course started. I was in college Monday to Friday, putting in 40 hours a week. Add that to the 45 minute commute to and from college. I left early the morning and arrived home late in the evenings. I worked one day at the weekend. On my day off I struggled to get out of bed. I had no energy to go anywhere, do anything or see anyone. I usually spent my day off doing laundry and making any excuse to not get in my car. I was spending 9 hours a week in my car. I didn't want to get in to it again on my day off. I felt like I was drowning and I had only been doing the course for three months. How could I possibly do this for four years? This "meltdown" coincided with my 30th birthday which possibly added to my torment and upset. Should I leave? Get a steady job? Consider having a family? Aren't these the things we are supposed to be doing at 30? It's certainly what all my friends are doing!

I've had four weeks off for the Christmas break and if I'm honest I still question if I'm doing the right thing. I don't know where this journey will take me. I don't know if I'll even get a job in the area of OT thanks to a first world country with a third world health care system. But I'm rested and feeling upbeat, positive and determined. I'm looking forward to seeing my class. I'm prepared for the workload because I've experienced it already and I know what to expect. I'm not ready to give up yet. #BringIt #NoRegrets #determined

Journey To Occupational Therapy

My journey towards becoming an occupational therapist began in February 2013 after I returned home from two years of traveling the world. Whilst traveling I was working as a massage therapist and in the back of my mind I always knew I would return home and progress in to the field of physiotherapy; more specifically I wanted to enter the area of rehabilitation. During extensive research in to college courses I came across Occupational Therapy and immediately it struck a cord. I was drawn to the way it takes the whole person in to consideration in its treatment of patients rather trying to fix the superficial problem.

My first step was to find out more about the area of OT before I took on the full time four year course and I wanted to do this in a practical setting rather than reading about it online. Getting work experience was no easy feat. For insurance reasons many OT's were unable to offer work experience or to allow me to shadow them during work hours. This is when I stumbled upon an internship programme in Auckland, New Zealand; http://www.travellersworldwide.com. It cost me a considerable amount of money and was a massive gamble to travel so far just to find out if OT was for me, but I love to travel and I vowed to embrace the experience regardless of how the internship turned out. I'm happy to say it was a success in more ways than one. I met some truly amazing woman who made my time in New Zealand so special and the volunteer program was a huge eye opener to really understanding what an occupational therapist does on a daily basis. 
Arriving home I began the long and torturous process of filling out application forms, applications for grants and writing my personal statement. Upon receiving positive feedback regarding my personal statement I was then invited to interview. I was one of 65 people interviewing for one of five places. Determination and preparation paid off and I received news that I had been accepted! I was elated and thrilled to be taking on the challenge. I'm now three months in to the course, and while there have been moments when I've questioned why I'm back in college at 30 years of age I know that I'm heading in the right direction 👍😊💝🎓