OT rocks!
The pieces are finally coming together. I feel as if I have come full circle with occupational therapy. Having practiced in various roles for 15 years and therefore meeting so many different people, not only clients, but carers, staff, agencies etc., I have learned so much about life and really get that we are all different!! I had not always appreciated that and I did not treat people differently, especially in the earlier years I was so focused on trying to help the client and on occasions was led by diagnosis. I know this is all part of learning. My first role was in mental health and I must admit to this day I believe it is a great grounding and training for interpersonal skills and seeing the person despite the diagnosis.
When I first came to coaching I loved it and it took some time to know what exactly it was that I loved. I know I left feeling enthused about OT again and started to use the enablement and communication skills in all I did, which was noticeable with clients, colleagues, in supervision and generally. This still was not enough though I really still could not grasp exactly what was happening, one day it clicked, well after being part of an international OTcoach SIG, noticing and journalling.
The coaching approach comes from a strengths based model. Much of my training with Results Coaching Systems covered aspects that we covered in our training. I started to also see that I was no longer treating people as if they were sick and needed fixed, which I know is a bit of challenge in our field, that is why we are there!!! I also noticed that in actual fact the type of questions that a coach uses are designed to elicit answers from the person. How would you like to see it? What brings you pleasure? What makes you smile? What matters to you? These were on top of looking at function and purposeful activity, meaningful perhaps in terms of well I need to cook, clean, dress, drive etc but not meaningful in terms of self and here’s the thing. I can honestly say that I have only just really grasped that over the last say 3 – 4 years.
I am also a Kaizen Muse Creativity Coach, we have many tools that I use all the time but one of the biggest aha moments of my life (I have had many!!) was just how much connecting to the self is the key to everything. We are encouraged to explore with a client ways of using creativity, could be aspect at all, gardening, cooking, painting, drawing, writing, sewing, does not matter as you know but for me some how I had this profound aha moment of realising that purposeful and meaningful did not necessary mean functional in terms of ADLs, work, etc. These are of course hugely important to a person’s life but for me I had forgotten the creativity in me.
I then started to change my approach with clients asking them the above type questions. It was clearly obvious at times that dressing independently was definitely a goal or driving etc but I sometimes don’t start there. I start with a leisure activity, an interest, something that is not so focused on functional stuff. What I have found is that a person often, not always can connect to who they are and still are despite a disability, the barriers, once this occurs it seems to have made the rest of rehab more tolerable for a client. They have a balance and can experience pleasure in other ways. One client had a dense stroke and his spark was that he could still love his grandchildren, he was still granddad and they were a part of his rehab – amazing.
Part of our role is to focus on deficits because we are there to facilitate change and/or compensatory methods, adaptations etc, so coming from strengths based model, such as focusing and reminding them what is working, is much more of a balance. It is of course not that simple or easy at but our training lends us to look at the client as a whole, fantastic.
I have also used both coaching approaches in supervision, particularly the questions and balance, checking in with supervisees about what they do for fun, for pleasure, how do they look after themselves in and outside of work. It certainly makes a difference.
The other day I had another huge aha moment, only about 3 weeks ago. I know that I am passionate about OT and kept wondering if I am that passionate how come I want to finish clinically, which will be August 2012 but continue in supervision, supporting students that are not in DHB environments, be part of OT. Through a coaching session with the amazing Jeanette Isaacs Young I realised that everything I do is informed by Occupational Therapy, everything, especially my coaching.
My coaching is all about the person, really getting to know their values, who they are to then support exploration of meaningful, purposeful activities because with out a doubt it leads to meaningful and purposeful lives. I have been working like this as a coach since being certified with RCS but had not really appreciated that I was coming from this angle so much until I did KMCC and after receiving coaching (various coaches), being mentored and mentoring. I also encourage greatly balance, taking time out even for 5 minutes, experiencing all emotions, recognise what cannot be changed, change what can and really know the difference.
If this is not OT then what is? Honestly this was quite a revelation. I shared this with my husband, guess what I said everything I do in coaching is actually occupational therapy in the ‘well’ world. Far out! Well to be honest I used different language but how fantastic. I had just accepted what we do and it is so ingrained now. I love that I have this and have embraced it. I just think that coaching is such an awesome modality for OT but OT rocks, truly it does.
So I emailed our Professional Advisor and told her that I did want to finish clinically but I would be dedicating some of my coach practice to OT. That I am passionate about OT and believe in the profession. It was no surprise to her or the OTcoach SIG of my desire to support others to reignite their passion, their creativity in what they do, find balance, build resilience and live a life according to who they are. To do this for clients and themselves. I will develop a couple of packages re coaching approach but also about balance, small steps, dealing with overwhelm, perhaps bring some creative tools for OTs. I definitely want to create a one day re-treat.
So this may or may not work, it really almost does not matter, what matters is how I feel about it and to share it if I can but if not to live it and know that I am so grateful for what I have. I feel so blessed to be able to supervise and will always do this. I have over the years gained amazing stories and inspirations from the clients I have worked with. There have been so many that have changed my life. They are people just like you and I. I want to always remember I have a person in front of me.
Well what a beginning blog for OTcoach!
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