My journey has taken me all over and landed me in London , but my gumption , passion , zest , humour and survival skills are all Guyanese , without which I could not be the occupational therapist I am today .”
My practice went from strength to strength , with many bumps , changes and reflection along the way . But the pandemic really affected being able to see children in a clinic setting and I personally found it hard to provide my services remotely , so I had to go back to the drawing board again .
Today , I carry out Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule ( ADOS ) assessments as an associate for companies who have taken on the massive waiting lists across the UK , hoping that this diagnosis will provide peace of mind , knowledge and understanding to the person and families , and that it will help the person in their journey of life .
I also have a very small clinic in Notting Hill , where I work with the most lovely , funny and brilliant kids , to develop functional and independent skills to allow them to be the best , most empowered and happy people they should and can be .
My journey has taken me all over and landed me in London , but my gumption , passion , zest , humour and survival skills are all Guyanese , without which I could not be the occupational therapist I am today .
My journey has taken me all over and landed me in London , but my gumption , passion , zest , humour and survival skills are all Guyanese , without which I could not be the occupational therapist I am today .”
Self-reflection as a guest lecturer
In January 2023 , Sarah Selina Macmillean was invited by Leeds Beckett University to guest lecture to the BSc Occupational Therapy first year students , on music , song writing and poetry as meaningful occupations . The students were given the task to write a piece of poetry to share their lived experiences of trauma and how
Sarah Selina Macmillean they may have overcome any traumatic experiences and triggers throughout their lives .
In a full online article , as part of this year ’ s Black History Month celebrations , Sarah shares how this was a thought provoking and reflective task that left her feeling very emotional and empathetic for the students , evoking traumatic memories based on her lived experiences with trauma and mental health . She talks about being a guest lecturer , while reflecting on the personal stories her fellow guest lecturers shared with the students , before thinking about how , over the years , she has witnessed people being discriminated against , because of their mental health conditions , which made her feel ashamed to reveal that part of her own experiences .
Explaining how her colleagues ‘ evoked a fire ’ in her , imparting a sense of strength to reveal her truth , once it was time to present to the class , Sarah shares the same personal story she shared with the students about her childhood , being raised in the foster care system , and her parents ’ struggle with mental health and addiction .
She goes on to explore how she overcame the odds , beat the statistics of children raised in care and their outcomes , gained an MSc and became a qualified occupational therapist . And how music , singing , song writing and performance has been the consistent thread throughout her life . Visit rcot . co . uk / bhm-2023 .
Words EMMA DA SILVA , Specialist Occupational Therapist : Autism Diagnostic Process
Words SARAH SELINA MACMILLEAN
October 2023 OTnews 21