FEATURE MENTAL HEALTH
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I think Branching Out should be available to all people who have experienced trauma . [ It ] helps people to come together , to feel safe and to know you are not alone , to create hope , joy and happiness – it is better than medication and talking .
Another participant said :
‘ I think Branching Out should be available to all people who have experienced trauma . [ It ] helps people to come together , to feel safe and to know you are not alone , to create hope , joy and happiness – it is better than medication and talking .’ The subjective feedback provided by participants fits very well with the improvements we might hope to see when working with individuals who have a history of complex trauma . Another person movingly said : ‘ It healed me physically , emotionally and spiritually . This programme brought me back to life .’
Duncan ( 2002 ) explains that occupational therapists strive to comprehend an individual ’ s occupational identity and occupational performance , describing the role of the occupational therapist in supporting individuals to ‘ regain competence and ( re ) develop a positive occupational identity ’.
As Breines ( 1995 ) explains , ‘ human beings define their lives , cultures , values and worth through activities ’. One Branching Out participant said , when reflecting on how the group helped them to achieve a more positive sense of self : ‘ When you ’ ve been traumatised by people who have broken you , being involved with other people and nature is important for peace .’
The post-group evaluation feedback speaks of the therapeutic benefits of engagement in valued and meaningful graded activity within a therapeutic group , with one participant stating : ‘ The main thing I liked was being involved in new activities , learning new things while being with other people I felt safe and comfortable with . I felt like being involved in Branching Out helped me to take a step forward every week . Each step was a step towards a new and better life .’
Another person spoke about the changes that had occurred as a result of involvement in the group , saying : ‘ A lot of times in my daily life I don ’ t have motivation or hopes , but in the group I wanted to do things . My problems moved further away ; out of touching distance .’
It is clear from the feedback provided that the aims of the programme , the benefits reported , and the ethos of occupational therapy fit well together . The promise of occupational therapy has always been a simple yet potentially powerful one – ‘ to enable people from all walks of life to perform meaningful activities ’ ( Iwama 2006 ).
Involvement in Branching Out , when delivered as an occupational therapy intervention , has provided participants with a lived experience , which is entirely opposite to their trauma experiences .
This has allowed the realisation that interpersonal relationships , safety , enjoyment , hope and meaningful activity are possible after trauma . This lived experience offers evidence to participants that there is potential for recovery and growth following trauma , which fits well with the evidence ( Cloitre et al 2012 ), and best practice guidelines for working with individuals who have experienced complex trauma during phase one and three of treatment .
References
Breines EB ( 1995 ) Occupational therapy activities from clay to computers : theory and practice . Philadelphia : F . A . Davis
Cloitre M , Courtois CA , Ford JD , Green BL , Alexander P , Briere J , Herman JL , Lanius R , Stolbach BC , Spinazzola J , Van Der Kolk BA and Van Der Hart O ( 2012 ) The ISTSS expert consensus treatment guidelines for complex PTSD in adults [ online ]. International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies . Available from :
www . istss . org / ISTSS _ Main / media / Documents / ISTSS-Expert-Concesnsus-Guidelines-for-Complex-PTSD- Updated-060315 . pdf [ accessed18 June 2020 ]
Duncan E ( 2002 ) Foundations for practice in occupational therapy ( 4th ed ) Churchill Livingstone
Herman J ( 1994 ) Trauma and recovery : from domestic abuse to political terror . Rivers Oram Press : Pandora List
International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems ( 11th ed ; ICD-11 ; World Health Organization 2019 )
Iwama MK ( 2006 ) The Kawa model : culturally relevant occupational therapy . Churchill Livingstone
Sharon Rae , specialist occupational therapist , Glasgow Psychological Trauma Service
50 OTnews December 2020