FORENSIC SERVICES FEATURE
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‘ An occupational therapy group engaging in , for instance , playing board games is fun for the prisoners . But it is far from easy . They are challenged to be patient , to listen , to compromise , to be gracious and most importantly to reflect .’
The prisoners Lisa works with have committed serious crimes , she explains , and she recognises that her passion for this work is often difficult for people to understand . ‘ Even my family and friends struggle to understand my compassion ,’ she says .
‘ I remember learning about occupational alienation at university , but never experienced what it looks like during practice placements . On the Beacon , occupational alienation is clear to see . Not only have our prisoners been rejected from important relationships , but by society as a whole .
‘ Opportunities for them to explore and engage in meaningful activity have been limited in their lives and then perished when they came to prison . Occupational deprivation hits an all time low in prison , their opportunities diminished by stigma , likely to last a life time .
‘ But when I learn about each prisoner on my caseload , I see a person who has battled the kind of trauma that most of society would not think possible . Their life stories lead to tragic consequences . It is for this reason that I remain strong in my values .’
She stresses that the Beacon is ‘ proudly recognised as an enabling environment ’.
‘ Each person who either works or lives in our service is part of a community , where all contributions are valued ,’ she says . ‘ It is a place we all feel part of . Beacon prisoners , prison officers and clinical staff work in alliance , trying new things , without judgment . It is incredibly rewarding to be an occupational therapist on the Beacon because prisoners are supported to apply the skills they learn .
‘ They take risks to chair meetings ; they get involved in community meals and sports . They take on new roles to represent our community , our library and our garden . They even interview
job applicants , which I remember well . We are in it together , doing and belonging .’
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Reflecting on her time at university she says : ‘ During my university placements , I observed the value of occupational therapy as something that needed fighting for . To my relief , occupational therapy is valued in the Beacon service and I could not be prouder of my profession .
‘ Through group work , we enable prisoners to explore their occupational identity by empowering opportunities to engage in meaningful activities . For example , we run art groups , comedy clubs , record clubs , topical discussions , team building groups , debate clubs , just to name a few .
‘ We invite outside agencies to run workshops . For example , we had a musician run a programme in rapping .
‘ It does not stop there . Exploration of occupational identity is taken further by reflecting on what lead to their less pro-social occupations . For example , self-harm , violence and drug use all have meaningful functions . These occupations are habitual . They serve to help them to feel a sense of belonging . They help them to not have to deal with difficult feelings .
‘ We seek to understand darker occupations in the context of their life and their experiences . It is incredibly important to understand this so that we can support them to make changes that they want and need . Only then , can they be supported to develop pro-social occupations that they never had the opportunity to experience until now .’
She concludes : ‘ My work is very challenging at times , but the fulfilment I get is immeasurable by comparison . Even small wins carry remarkable rewards . I am proud of the Beacon … I am proud to be an occupational therapist .’
Lisa Hindle , occupational therapist , the Beacon at HMP Garth , Mersey Care NHS Trust , visit : www . merseycare . nhs . uk
OTnews December 2020 33