A few weeks ago on the blog, Dr. Newland had been asked to speak to a group of OTs, and she asked for your input on the contents of her speech! Here is an update on her request below, thank you subscribers!
"Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness." – Desmond Tutu, South African human rights activist.
Based on your feedback, part of my presentation to other occupational therapists yesterday was about the necessity of providing hope in stroke recovery. Thank you again to everyone who responded!
Hope is a powerful tool. It can be more substantial than many rehab tools we currently have at our disposal. Do you know why?
When someone has hope, they believe they can make progress. I've worked with people who have had a lot of hope and some who have had none. And you know what, I don't blame someone for not having hope.
I've said it before, but having a stroke is both physical and emotional trauma.
Living through and processing grief, especially around identity, can feel excruciating. Yet, part of our job as clinicians is to help build hope in the people we work with.
When someone has hope, they usually make more progress. Hope helps us feel more confident in our abilities and be more optimistic about our lives.
One way to build hope in your life is to stop and enjoy happy moments. Of course, they can be fleeting, but when we take the time to appreciate them, we realize there might be more happy moments than we realize.
Take care,
Elyse
Medical Disclaimer: All content is for informational purposes only. It is not intended to serve as a substitute for medical advice or treatment from a qualified healthcare provider."