Student Blog

First day at Fieldwork ⟩
September 21, 2012, by Alisa

Fieldwork

This week I started my level I fieldwork in mental health. I am placed at Project 180, a forensic treatment agency, in downtown Los Angeles. Clients have a mental illness as well as a substance abuse issue. Programs include the re-entry program, where clients join Project 180 after serving their time in jail or the diversion program, where clients join Project 180 instead of going to jail. The 12-18 month programs are structured in phases, culminating with a graduation ceremony at the end. There have been instances where Project 180 staffs have worked directly with clients in jail. I was able to observe three group sessions: mental health, job skills, and thinking errors. It was eye-opening to be able to hear a lot of members share their stories openly. To actually be able to hear someone who has had first-hand experiences of what it’s like living with a mental illness was a very humbling experience. It made me realize to be thankful for what I have in my life and the support system and to have an attitude of gratitude wherever I go. I appreciate how committed the staffs at Project 180 are to their clients and to each other. I look forward to more group sessions with the clients and individual sessions, too. I learn a lot from just listening to them. So far, it’s been a wonderful experience, and I’ve also made a canine companion at fieldwork, too! Meet Indiana Jones.

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People Change! ⟩
September 20, 2012, by Ricky

Classes What are OS/OT?

You ever sit around with your girlfriends and talk about that guy who keeps letting you down, and your girls are like, “leave that dud.” But you remain hopeful and say, “he might change, though.” And they all respond in unison, “people don’t change . . . you’re being naïve to think that you can change somebody.” Well, I’ve always believed in giving people the benefit of the doubt . . . and that’s probably contributed to my decision to become an OT, I’m sure. Recently, in my class, Health Promotion and Wellness (OT 504), we’ve been talking a lot about change, and let me tell ya, OTs love them some change. As a matter of fact they’re banking on it. My training in OT (and please note that I am not done being trained) has introduced me to concepts like life-span developmental psychology, where it is argued that biological, cognitive, and psychosocial changes continue throughout the course of life. Much of our work in physical rehabilitation relies on the principle of neuroplasticity, which refers to changes in the brain and nervous system that result from changes in behavior, the environment, and neural processes. So, in conclusion, ladies, don’t be so hard on us guys . . . haha, just being silly. No but really, people change, and I am so excited to be in a program that is providing me with the tools to help support others as they change for the better. Go OT!

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Self-care ⟩
September 19, 2012, by Kendra

Life Hacks School/Life Balance

As with many beginnings of a semester you start out fresh and excited, by week four you’re tired and looking for the finish line. I think that’s just the natural progression of being a student. We forget in the excitement to learn new things and see friends how much work goes in to making the grade. I’m in the mental health immersion right now and while the content is fascinating and inspiring, it’s also draining. By the end of each Thursday I have found myself mentally and physically exhausted. Because of the nature of the content our professor encourages us to perform some ‘self-care occupations’ to help us cope. It can be anything from working out, to visiting with your loved ones, or reading a good book, whatever it is that works for you. Lately my totally un-satisfying self-care routine has been to veg-out in front of the TV until bedtime.

So after feeling run down for two weeks I’ve decided to make a change. I am re-introducing some favorite occupations back into my life!

Let’s backtrack. Another thing that happens when you go into student mode is some/all of the things you had time for before get pushed aside for studying, napping, and studying some more. Sometimes when I come out of the fog of reading journal articles I try to remember what I used to do on a weeknight. I used to go to the movies, read plays, and cook. I love to cook. But lately the most cooking I’ve done is to turn on the oven in order to defrost a Trader Joe’s dinner. Where’s the self-care in that?

This week, instead of sitting home alone watching endless hours of television just to not think for awhile, I’ve given myself the assignment to cook at least three dinners from scratch. I’m two down, and both have not only left me feeling full with leftovers to spare, but the weight of the day is lifted when I busy myself with chopping onions, simmering a tomato sauce, or trying out a new recipe. I am so much more satisfied engaging in fulfilling, meaningful occupations than I am when I sit and watch 5 episodes of House Hunters International.

It’s hard to remember when we are busy and stressed to take care of ourselves, but giving yourself something to look forward to helps the stress melt away at the end of a long day and makes you better prepared for what tomorrow brings.

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Happiest Place On Earth ⟩
September 17, 2012, by Paula

School/Life Balance

As you may have heard, the second year Master’s students have suddenly been made aware of a lack of balance in our day-to-day experiences after an exercise in our Health Promotion and Wellness class. I’m sure you all are quite familiar with that feeling of readjustment to a routine and the effort involved in finding the healthy balance between work, rest and play. The stresses of life as a student, a worker, a family member, a friend, etc. can begin to feel heavy but it is so important to remember that each of these components does have a positive effect on your wellness and your person, it just may need a bit of tweaking to get the mix that works for you.

I was feeling as though I was completely out of balance after last week. What else to do but to go to Disneyland?

Two of my close friends were visiting for a birthday so we took advantage of the 105 degree heat and went to add some happiness to our lives. We had all previously been stressed over deadlines, projects and papers but a 14 hour day of theatrics and roller coasters was just the thing we all needed to take a step back and relax a bit (or at least put our stress on hold for the day). Sometime in the day when we were seeking out some shade for a rest, I realized that my perspective has changed since I began the program here at USC. I was intrigued by my heightened awareness of accessibility (or in this case, a lack of) to attractions and shops. I found myself noting whether the environment was restrictive to any individual and if so, how it could be changed.

Maybe Disneyland needs to hire a staff of OTs to implement Universal Design. :]

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Life Rolls On ⟩
September 17, 2012, by Amber

Diversity Getting Involved What are OS/OT?

This weekend I volunteered for a wonderful organization called Life Rolls On. This foundation is near and dear to the heart of my classmate Marisa, and she regularly recruits students from the occupational therapy program to volunteer their time. According to their website, Life Rolls On is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for young people affected by spinal cord injury and utilizes action sports as a platform to demonstrate the infinite possibilities beyond paralysis. More than 1.2 million people in the United States have sustained spinal cord injury and approximately 6 million Americans live with a form of paralysis. A subsidiary of the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation, the organization was founded by Jesse Billauer, a professional surfer and motivational speaker who established Life Rolls On after he sustained a spinal cord injury while surfing.

The event this weekend was called They Will Surf Again and took place in La Jolla, just north of San Diego. Approximately 50 individuals of all ages (3-63) with spinal cord injuries became surfers for the day. A team of hundreds of volunteers mobilized to organize the surfers, help them into wetsuits, and take them into the water. The surfboards were adapted with short rails and the surfers lay on their stomachs. A team of volunteers took them dozens of feet offshore and pushed them into perfect waves. It was a sunny day and the conditions were beautiful, so many surfers enjoyed very long rides. It was inspirational to see their accomplishment and a joy to see their faces beaming with excitement.

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