OT 640: Level 1 Fieldwork C Debrief

Peer-Reviewed Journal Article

I chose the article Clinician perceptions about inpatient occupational therapy groups in traumatic brain injury rehabilitation for my peer-reviewed blog, I was able to find this article by using the UTHSC library database. This article looked at clinicians perspectives when it came to the benefits and challenges of group therapy for clients with traumatic brain injury. I felt that this article really went well with our course because it addresses how the leadership can alter the group, which is something we discussed. I also liked how they used focus groups to collect the data, stating that this help "the exchange of ideas between participants." In the conclusion, they discuss the benefits for a client to have relationships and person to person contact with others, especially those going through a similar situation. They discuss how this can often be eliminated in the hospital setting, but group therapy can fill this void. To conclude, they determined that group therapy was "worthwhile and rewarding."

For me, the most significant part was being able to read this article and compare it to everything I have learned in our groups class as well as my adults class. Subsequently, I noticed that these practitioners pointed out a lot of the benefits and challenges that come along with group intervention. This is probably because after just completing the course I can better understand the challenges that they face. This is similar to when you don't understand until you have experienced it first hand because things usually sound easier than they actually are. Having read this, I now feel excited to continue to advocate for the benefits of group intervention. This means that I need to continue to study and develop my skills as a group leader. In the future, I hope to look back at this time and know that I have made a difference in others lives using group therapy. 



Reference: 
Patterson, F. )., Fleming, J. )., & Doig, E. ). (2017). Clinician perceptions about inpatient occupational therapy groups in 
traumatic brain injury rehabilitation. Brain Injury, 31(8), 1077-1087. doi:10.1080/02699052.2017.1296974

Post Group Facilitation Reflection #2

Group Topic: Financial Management

Today I lead a group on the topic of financial management. The group lasted 50 minutes and consisted of a warm-up activity ot check in on participants, 3 activities, reflection, and discussion. For me, the most meaningful element was how honest the group members were when talking about their finances. Previously, I thought people would be too embarrassed or uncomfortable to talk about finances and budgeting. This is probably because I have never openly discussed the topic with others. This is similar to openly discussing your weight because they always say you should never ask someone how much they weigh. Having experienced leading this group I now see that if you go about it the right way it is ok to talk about finances. This makes me feel confident that I created a comfortable space for group members to share. Going forward, I will try to always create an environment where others feel comfortable to share and express their feelings.

Going through the leadership evaluation form, I believe I hit the majority of the points. I was able to follow my protocol and evoke great discussion from group members. For the introduction, I clearly stated the purpose and what I expected from the group members. I then described what would be taking place throughout the session so group members could be prepared. The three activities ran smoothly and all group members seemed to understand the directions and sample given. When it came to sharing, the group members were very active in answering all of my questions. I even ran out of time to ask some of the questions I had planned on because group members had such thorough responses. The questions asked allowed all group members to process and express their feelings. Since the group consisted of all graduate students I was able to generalize common themes. The group stayed motivated from start to finish, actively participating in all parts. The group was well-behaved and did not require me to set any limits. All group members spoke for relatively equal amounts of time. For application, I was able to provide the group with tools they can use in their everyday lives. Each group member also stated a goal for themselves going forward. I was able to wrap the group up with a summary of what we learned and discussed, as well as thanking all members for participating.

Leadership Summit

For my leadership summit I met with my fellow classmates, Caitlyn White, Emily White, and Camille Vaughn. Caitlyn is presenting on care of pets, Emily is presenting on volunteerism, and Camille is presenting on meal prep. We took turns explaining our protocol, talking about our theory choices, and leadership styles.
For me, the most useful aspect was talking through my group protocol with my classmates. Initially, I thought I had it all planned out and ready to go. This might be because I had spent a lot of time working on it. This is different from what I thought though because I really benefited from talking it through. Having experienced this I now understand the benefit of brainstorming and problem solving with peers. This makes me feel appreciative for this experience. Going forward, I will make a point to meet with peers and run through things before presentations or projects.

12-Step Meeting

I had the opportunity to attend an Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meeting at Calvary Episcopal Church in Downtown Memphis. A total of 4 men were present, 1 of which arrived late and 2 of which who got up and left midway through the meeting. The facilitator played a very hands off role during the meeting. He really did not "run" the group other than handing out the Daily Reflection, asking someone to read the 12 steps, and asking someone to read the "How it Works." He then went into a series of personal stories about friends or family members that had been addicted to a substance and had died from it. He rambled on about this to the point that one group member became agitated, the group member blurted out "so what is the topic, lets get started." The leader responded by just handing the book over to him and letting him read the days topic. I have attached a note that this same participant handed to us on his way out, informing us of other meeting options. The environment greatly impacted the session. To start, it cost $6 to park in the church parking lot. I feel that this could discourage many who need to commute to the church. There was also a lot going on in the church and the door was left open which was very distracting. The group leader was not very good at making those feel included and welcome to the meeting. In my opinion, the session was not therapeutic. I believe this due to the various reasons I have listed about. I was upset by this because I feel that if it was someones first time to an AA meeting they would not return back. This group was supposed to be a self-management group. As was mentioned in "How it Works," the group is supposed to be completely self-sufficient. 

For me, the most significant aspect was realizing that all of these groups are not professionally run. Previously, I thought that an AA meeting would be lead by a trained professional. This is probably because I had never experienced an AA meeting before. This is different from what I had previously thought because I assumed it to be run like I had seen in the movies and learned in class. Having experienced the AA meeting I now understand that a groups meeting can look very differently. This means that there is not a solidified way to do it. Going forward, I will remember what I saw and try to use it to make me a better therapist. 

Post Group Facilitation Reflection #1

Group Topic: Time Management

I co-lead a group on the professionalism topic of time management. The group lasted an hour and consisted of a game, a survey, an activity, reflection, and discussions lead by myself and co-facilitator. For me, the most significant element was when we had our discussion at the end. Initially, I did not think that our group members would be as talkative as they were. This could be because I did not think they would be interested in the topic of time management. This is similar to other presentation I have given, because I doubt myself and my abilities to successfully lead a group. Having experienced this group, I now feel more confident as a group leader. This makes me feel excited as I go forward in this class and for my level two fieldwork in a community mental health setting. Next time, I will trust in my abilities and keep my expectations a bit higher.

Going through the leadership evaluation form, I feel proud of myself and my co-facilitator. We stuck to our written group protocol and bounced off of one another when asking discussion questions to the group. For the introduction, we explained the group purpose, provided an outline, and communicated our expectations. We also played "minute to win it" games to prepare our group members. For our activity, we used blank clocks for participants to draw out their typical day. This allowed them to have a visual of how they are spending their time. We had all of the appropriate materials for the participants and provided clear instructions, as well as an example. Following the activity, each member was given time to share their clock. Participants also completed a time management survey and were provided with an opportunity to share their results. I felt that the questions we asked encouraged the members to process their feelings and speak up when they did not understand. All throughout the group, we were able to point out common themes and differences amongst group members time management skills. We kept our group motivated by having positive and welcoming attitudes. Each member had adequate time to speak and express themselves throughout. We did not have any inappropriate behavior during our group. Following all of the activities we asked the participants to relate the activity back to their daily lives. We then followed up with ideas that the group members did not mention. Our summary and wrap up were successful, I feel all of the group members knew the purpose of the group and were prepared to implement their knew skills going forward.

EBP Learning Objective Question #1

Learning objective: Organize self and material in order to write a literature review. (study guide #3)

1.     Mikey is in his final year of occupational therapy school. He is currently working to search through, evaluate, and organize literature. When Mikey finishes, he hopes to be able to critically evaluate, analyze, and interpret what he found in the literature. What is Mikey working on?

a.     Mixed method design

b.    Writing a literature review

c.     Grant writing

d.     Practice Framework