sOcial buTterfly

Cancer-- a disease that discriminates against no age group, a leading cause of death in our country, a diagnosis that far too many people receive, a word that family members hate-- is very prevalent in our society. If you overcome this debilitating disease, you are considered a hero. After such an amazing accomplishment, very few people expect to encounter dysfunction months, years, and even decades post-cancer and cancer treatment. In a recent podcast episode, "Cancer-Related Cognitive Dysfunction," I learned about ongoing research in cancer survivors that suggests that cancer-related issues are not completely over after the last treatment session. Some of these issues include executive cognitive dysfunction in areas like word-finding, information-processing, management of appointments, and care of self and others. Socially, difficulty coming up with names and words, processing the words of others, and remembering important dates can negatively impact conversation and rela...

Occupational therapists care about  occupations--  it's in the name! Contrary to popular belief, however, occupations aren't merely vocational. In OT, an occupation is anything that takes up one's time. Occupations are things that we need, want, and are expected to do as we fulfill certain life roles. Often, these roles are extremely important to us and give us a sense of identity and purpose. Typing a blog post is a fun activity involved in one of my primary occupations,  completing assignments. Completing assignments  ties back to my role as an OT student. What are some occupations that are important to you?

When describing occupational therapy to others, I always include a statement such as, "Occupational therapists help you do things that are often taken for granted-- things you don't realize you cherish until you can no longer do them." I think that the term "blissful ordinariness" relates to that same idea. The small, routine tasks we do every day string together to make us who we are. Being able to fully participate in and enjoy our ordinary, every day activities contributes to our sense of identity and purpose. Even when on a spectacular beach vacation, I almost always still long to get back to my "blissful ordinariness" by the end of the week. One of the unique traits of occupational therapy is this: the OT cares  about the client's "ordinary" life. In fact, it is the client's patterns of performance, routines, and rituals that drive and guide the intervention process. While the therapist must maintain a professional therapeutic ...