The Life of Eric ;)
Wednesday, June 20, 2018
Thursday, March 8, 2018
Research Article
"A Group of ME's"
This article pertained to individuals who had been diagnosed
with multiple sclerosis. Fatigue is the most common symptom of MS. Fatigue
management is found to be very effective for MS patients. There has been much
research on fatigue management, but the focus has been on the perceptions of
occupational therapists, not the participants. This study wanted to look deeper
into the learning process that supports change in fatigue management. A
qualitative case study method was used to explore how participants learned from
the group process and how the group process supported participants in managing
fatigue. The main findings were that the
group process facilitated learning and that the learning was supported by
relationships, comparisons, interactions, and comparisons to others.
In reflection, I found the section “Group Process as
Learning” to be very interesting. “Participants talked about how being in group
helped them feel less alone in their illness experience, and that it also
supported learning. Knowing the other members had similar problems not only
made participants feel better, it supported them in trying new strategies to
manage their fatigue”. As we’ve learned through our whole groups class,
sometimes we just need to know that we’re not alone, and that there are people
out there going through similar situations as ourselves. They say there are
strengths in numbers, and healthcare is no different. I think it’s awesome that
clients began to try new strategies because of the support of their other group
members. A believe a special bondage was created between these group members. The
other members became their ultimate support. I have experienced this kind of
bondage with my “purple” group. Going through occupational therapy school for a
year certainly made us close, but I feel like ever since we’ve been connected
on a deeper level through the group process, that our bondage is now at an all-time
high through laughter, tears (real tears), and just deepness on an emotional
level. This article and groups class makes me so thankful to be a part of
occupational therapy. I look forward to viewing and participating in multiple
group sessions in the very near future!
Preissner, K. L. (2013, January 1). "A Group of
Me's": Adult Learning through Group Process: The Experiences of
Participants in a Teleconference Delivered Multiple Sclerosis Fatigue
Management Program. ProQuest LLC,
12 Step Meeting! :)
On March 5th, 2018, I had the privilege of
attending a 12 step Al-Alon meeting at Woodland Presbyterian with two other
classmates. This meeting was specifically for individuals who have family
members that struggle with substance abuse and other psychological conditions.
The role of the leader was to keep the group flowing at an
optimal level while also providing wisdom in relation to the group session. I
found the group leader to be very approachable and kind. There were times when
she would open the floor for discussion for a certain topic, and then close the
topic at a specific point to make sure the group completed all objectives for
the day. The leader also made sure that any group member that didn’t get to
speak, had an opportunity at the end, if time permitted.
I found the group leader to be very relatable, this
correlated well with all of the group members. The leader was very open about
her own personal experiences, this gave confidence to other group members to
speak up. Participation was very high in this group session.
The environment was very welcoming. I could tell that all
group members were very comfortable. Some members had coffee and snacks. I
never once felt tension between any group members. I believe the group session
could have lasted for hours, if there had not been a time limit. All members
seemed to enjoy the environment.
I considered the group session to be very therapeutic, not
only for the members, but also for myself. Due to how authentic the group
leader was, it was easy for members to open up about what they have been going
through in relation to the different topics that were being discussed. Not only
were members being realistic about their struggles and fears, but other members
were also giving great advice on how to address these struggles and fears. I
would say that the age range was between 30-70 years old, with about 30 group
members. This created a wide range of experiences and, also much wisdom to go
along with it.
I would consider this to be a support group. One of
the major themes that I noticed from this group was sponsorship. A sponsor is a
person who you trust to mentor you through a situation that they have experienced,
they are also considered an accountability partner, just with a more mentor
role. I believe we can all use sponsors in our lives at one point or another.
From when I first walker into the session, it was very clear that the leader
and members were all there for each other, and were prepared to show support
for everyone in the room. There were a good number of slogans that were shared
during this session, but the one that stuck out the most to me was “Take what
you like, leave the rest.” Overall, I found the experience to be wonderful and
I look forward to participating in many more group sessions at Greenhouse
ministries.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)