I am sitting at the computer working on one of my projects. As I work, I often have the television on for background noise. One of those cheesy holiday programs is on. The main character as just lost her job, her boyfriend wants to write a novel and she had to put her dog in the kennel for boarding since her lease does not allow pets. Her best friend recommended that she visit a ‘Life Coach.’ And so the story begins. Her life coach tells her to go to her website and log in. Once logged in, she can enter 12 Wishes, hence the name of the story. Her life coach was, of course, a ‘Mrs. Claus’/Angel type character with an intense love of all things Christmas. Needless to say, the character’s wishes all came true.
So what does this have to do with my blog or my own future? A sense of all that I have accomplished in my life, a sense of what I want to do in the future and a sense of what I need to do right now. More important, what are my visions for world and where do I fit in. As in this cutesy movie, I need to be careful for what I wish for; not for the content of my wishes, but for how my wishes impact myself and those around me.
These are wishes that I really want or need to happen, so here goes:
1. I wish to be debt free [selfish].
2. I wish for a new house [selfish].
3. I wish for a new car [selfish].
4. I wish that all my family and friends will have a healthy and happy year [getting better but not there yet].
5. I wish that every time I leave a client or student, that they have acquired a new skill or feel more comfortable using the skills that they already have.
6. I wish that Republicans and Democrats could reach across the table and help each other and bring us off this fiscal cliff that everyone speaks about.
7. I wish that all the families affected by Hurricane Sandy get their homes and jobs back better than they were before.
8. I wish that everyone in the military comes back safely. I wish that everyone in the military has the services that they need to be healthy and happy, free of physical and emotional distress.
9. I wish that all those suffering from mental illness find the medications that they are comfortable with. I wish that both they and their families find peace and contentment.
10. I wish that all weapons of any kind would disappear from this earth and that we never, ever again have a Sandy Hook. I wish that the families affect find happiness again and can celebrate the lives of those who lost their lives.
11. I wish that everyone in this world has a cozy, comfortable home and food to eat no matter where they choose to live.
12. I wish everyone would decide to do the right thing, just because it is the right thing.
I wish all the readers of this blog, peace, joy and freedom this holiday season.
Sunday, December 23, 2012
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
Mental Health
It is extraordinarily difficult to wrap my head around the events of the past week at Sandy Hook Elementary School. I am hearing stories about heroism and fear, strengths and weaknesses. The one thing that I know is that we need resources to try and prevent this from occurring again. I hear that the Lanza Family knew that their son had significant difficulties. Were they addressed? We can never be absolutely sure if and how they might have been. I am sure that this will be investigated but it is after the fact. What is absolutely needed is a resource for free and confidential mental health services for individuals and families. We have 911 for emergencies, 311 for complaints and community information services, and 411 for telephone numbers, etc. I looked at 211 connected to the United Way where people could give and get help. I think there should be a number just like this for individuals and families to call and get immediate assistance. Good Morning America previously profiled a family needing urgent assistance for their daughter and were struggling to find it. Individuals and families needing this assistance should have it, no question about it. Will this prevent future incidents like this? Maybe?
Mental health has become such a topic of discussion after this horrendous tragedy. I think that there should be a bank of competent mental health service providers that individuals and families could access when they have questions about behaviors or where to go for affordable help. Every health care provider should receive an e-mail, certified letter and telephone call to alert them as to where to go for assistance. Just think of how the world might change if mental illness were addressed in a supportive way and early on, not just when something happens.
I recently wrote a blog about an article in Advance on parents of children with social anxiety disorder. Both the article and I kind of indicated that the “Apple does not fall far from the tree.” Well, while that may be true [or not], we still need to support the family of this child or adult presenting with a mental health disability. In my opinion, no baby should be released from the hospital without the parents going through some training on mental health of the baby, as it grows, and themselves. Sorry to put a damper on things but that precious child needs to remain precious in your eyes and supported through every bump in life. I am not saying that we should infantilize our children and not hold them accountable for their own behavior; we need to learn how to respond and where to get help when we need it.
Mental health has become such a topic of discussion after this horrendous tragedy. I think that there should be a bank of competent mental health service providers that individuals and families could access when they have questions about behaviors or where to go for affordable help. Every health care provider should receive an e-mail, certified letter and telephone call to alert them as to where to go for assistance. Just think of how the world might change if mental illness were addressed in a supportive way and early on, not just when something happens.
I recently wrote a blog about an article in Advance on parents of children with social anxiety disorder. Both the article and I kind of indicated that the “Apple does not fall far from the tree.” Well, while that may be true [or not], we still need to support the family of this child or adult presenting with a mental health disability. In my opinion, no baby should be released from the hospital without the parents going through some training on mental health of the baby, as it grows, and themselves. Sorry to put a damper on things but that precious child needs to remain precious in your eyes and supported through every bump in life. I am not saying that we should infantilize our children and not hold them accountable for their own behavior; we need to learn how to respond and where to get help when we need it.
Monday, December 10, 2012
OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY & ME
Tonight I was asked the following question: Do you enjoy being an OT?
Initially, I thought, what a bazaar question. I blog OT, I tweet OT, I Facebook OT, I promote OT on Linked In and on Google+. I live, sleep and eat OT. I think that OT is in my DNA! In many ways, in the words of Lady Gaga, "Baby, I was born this way!"
I was a single mom, I worked at so many different types of jobs but never felt like me. Then my dad had a brain hemorrhage. I never got to see any of the therapies that he was prescribed. But, I could sew well and I made him some things that I thought would help him. One day, when I visited him at the Rehab Center, some one asked me if I was an OT. I had no clue what an OT was. I looked into it, went to work in a health care environment to see if it was a good fit for me. I loved working in health care. Within one year I was in school starting my prerequisite courses at SUNY and pretty much aced them. Then went to OT school. It was hard, I worked a full time job and went to school at the same time. Not an easy task and not so great for your grades either. But I muddled through. I remember driving home from my very last day of level II fieldwork and I called my mom on the way home. I was so emotional, "I did it! I finished!" I cried into the phone. My mom actually gave me a graduation gift that very day, a a beautiful emerald band ring. I was was so thrilled. The day my license came in the mail, I screamed, "I passed, it's a big envelop!" My poor dad nearly fell off his chair, I scared him so much. For graduation, my son gave me a card that I hold onto until this day, so many years later. The card read, "For your Advanced Degree." He wrote that he was so proud of me and it was the best card and gift that I could ever receive.
I cannot see being anything but an OT. I love the ability to be creative and to work with different age groups. It is the most freeing job that I have ever had. OT is growing by leaps and bounds. I am a maverick in my field going where few have gone before but I am loving the exploration. I want to see more OT out in the community. I want to see community groups involving OT. OT should not just be cornered in a classroom or a rehab unit. OT should be celebrated as it provides skills for people to live independently.
My dad died in 2002. He was my co-pilot in many adventures. When I graduated, of course, one of the first things I bought was a car. The two years later I bought the SUV. I would lift my dad into the SUV and we would go places all the time. We loved the midnight rides to the Hess station around Christmas time to find that year's Hess truck. We loved going to the Air Show at Republic Airport. He loved the Air Power Museum at Republic. Our very last trip was to the museum in Nassau County. The very next day he went into the hospital and never came out. Without the support of my son, mom and dad, I would not be doing what I am today. Dad would be so proud to see how I have stepped out of my comfort zone and started down the really tough road to my own practice. He would love to see some of the things that I have written and will soon publish. Today, I would not be who I am without my family. I am an OT! Thank you <3
Initially, I thought, what a bazaar question. I blog OT, I tweet OT, I Facebook OT, I promote OT on Linked In and on Google+. I live, sleep and eat OT. I think that OT is in my DNA! In many ways, in the words of Lady Gaga, "Baby, I was born this way!"
I was a single mom, I worked at so many different types of jobs but never felt like me. Then my dad had a brain hemorrhage. I never got to see any of the therapies that he was prescribed. But, I could sew well and I made him some things that I thought would help him. One day, when I visited him at the Rehab Center, some one asked me if I was an OT. I had no clue what an OT was. I looked into it, went to work in a health care environment to see if it was a good fit for me. I loved working in health care. Within one year I was in school starting my prerequisite courses at SUNY and pretty much aced them. Then went to OT school. It was hard, I worked a full time job and went to school at the same time. Not an easy task and not so great for your grades either. But I muddled through. I remember driving home from my very last day of level II fieldwork and I called my mom on the way home. I was so emotional, "I did it! I finished!" I cried into the phone. My mom actually gave me a graduation gift that very day, a a beautiful emerald band ring. I was was so thrilled. The day my license came in the mail, I screamed, "I passed, it's a big envelop!" My poor dad nearly fell off his chair, I scared him so much. For graduation, my son gave me a card that I hold onto until this day, so many years later. The card read, "For your Advanced Degree." He wrote that he was so proud of me and it was the best card and gift that I could ever receive.
I cannot see being anything but an OT. I love the ability to be creative and to work with different age groups. It is the most freeing job that I have ever had. OT is growing by leaps and bounds. I am a maverick in my field going where few have gone before but I am loving the exploration. I want to see more OT out in the community. I want to see community groups involving OT. OT should not just be cornered in a classroom or a rehab unit. OT should be celebrated as it provides skills for people to live independently.
My dad died in 2002. He was my co-pilot in many adventures. When I graduated, of course, one of the first things I bought was a car. The two years later I bought the SUV. I would lift my dad into the SUV and we would go places all the time. We loved the midnight rides to the Hess station around Christmas time to find that year's Hess truck. We loved going to the Air Show at Republic Airport. He loved the Air Power Museum at Republic. Our very last trip was to the museum in Nassau County. The very next day he went into the hospital and never came out. Without the support of my son, mom and dad, I would not be doing what I am today. Dad would be so proud to see how I have stepped out of my comfort zone and started down the really tough road to my own practice. He would love to see some of the things that I have written and will soon publish. Today, I would not be who I am without my family. I am an OT! Thank you <3
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