|
Welcome to November everyone! As always, I hope life is treating you well, and your path in developing executive function awareness is thriving! Today I am going to take a moment to really discuss intervention. EF Intervention methods is a topic that I hear about often from those of you that email me or have taken my courses. So many of you have reached out and asked to see more interventions so that you can become more proficient at EF intervention. Because of this, last newsletter I chose to introduce the Fitted Intervention, which is an evidence based EF intervention created by a fellow OT. I wanted to give you all some of what you were asking for. After releasing the newsletter and rereading it I asked myself, "Is this what I would have wanted?". It wasn't. So today, I am digging a little deeper. I am laying things out as I see them, because honestly, I don't think many of you give yourselves the credit you are due when it comes to delivering EF intervention.
As therapists, we go through our work days seeing client after client. Measured by caseloads, CPT codes and reimbursable sessions, we grind through the day trying to make a difference in our clients' lives, sometimes having only limited time to think about what we are going to do for therapy that day. While our intentions are there to bring in and utilize new and exciting intervention methods, it is often not in the cards for a number of reasons. So at the end of our day we shame ourselves inside or make excuses for why we just isolated a simple skill rather than performing mind bending executive function intervention. For what it's worth.....I don't agree with that kind of self reflection. I think we all need to remember executive function intervention is. The purpose of executive function intervention is to assist in developing the coordinated cognitive actions required to achieve a functional activity. It's not just working on improving memorization or how to set up a schedule. Our brain conducts multiple constructs simultaneously in order to coordinate specific behaviors that get us from point A to point B. This can be seen in a 5 minute academic activity, a 20 minute ADL activity, or working long term to achieve something in the future for vocational or community living purposes. So whether it is focusing on a clients isolated skill or construct deficit, or helping them task analyze and execute a task that they had already started when you arrived, you are providing executive function intervention if you are promoting the growth and development of achieving that specific functional activity.
Sometimes we have to take a step back from our professional expectations, and remember what it is that we do, and why. So take a breath, identify your role as the OT, and then take a look at your client and recognize their role as the facilitator of their life. Recognize their passion or motivation on that day, and pair it with your knowledge, skill, and expertise to help promote their ability to achieve. Start the session focused on THEM, not with what YOU expect to accomplish. Our clients rely on us to see their whole self, not just their goals and objectives as written on their treatment plan. I guarantee you that if you do this, you will be executing executive function intervention at its finest because you will be devoted to helping them achieve their goals.
To summarize, while evidence based research is necessary and important, and I encourage all therapists to stay up to date on the latest research and intervention methods, it is quite easy to get lost in all of it. But know this....that shiny new intervention isn't always what will work. So remember that executive function intervention is the development of the clients ability to plan, execute, and achieve successful goal directed functions as pertaining to their individual lives. And guess what.....as occupational therapists, that is the professional definition of what we were meant to do. So don't get overwhelmed trying to find the best intervention, but instead utilize your knowledge of human development, neurodevelopment, task analysis, and adaptation and modification to be the best damn executive function interventionist you can be.
I can tell you all that personally, this newsletter has definitely pushed me forward as a therapist because I want to be able to grow and share with all of you in order to help create a path for you to follow. identify some changes I may try in the upcoming issues. But I need all of your input! The first change that I am thinking about is creating a video based newsletter rather than just a black and white version to read. Any thoughts on that?
I want you to not only read the words that are written on the page, but to interact WITh me, as it is you that I am here for. As I state weekly, I believe that all of the readers here have this great opportunity, whether you are an OT, a parent, an educator or just an interested party.....you have an opportunity to learn and grow through developing a real understanding of executive functioning. And as a positive return, I get to engage with the people and learn from those who are looking for answers. So if you do have an opinion, please feel free to click below and complete the poll. I value your opinion. Plus, it'll only take a sec....
|
