Confronting your own emotions

Question 1

What should a health professional confront in themselves in order to confront a person/s effectively

Answer 1

Health professionals must confront their own attitudes and beliefs before confronting others. This improves self awareness and increases their ability to understand the needs of others.

Question 2

What is my own reaction when dealing with confrontation and why do I respond in this manner?

Question 3

Who controls and is responsible for your actions during conflict?

Answer 3

You

Question 4

What are the factors that you should be aware of when actively self reflecting during confrontation?

Answer 4

Personal biases
Uninformed judgement
Own lack of knowledge
The other persons perspective and circumstances

Question 5

What is reflexive practice?

Answer 5

“Reflection provides connection with, awareness of and clarity about unconscious emotional processing (Pritchard 2013, Taylor 2010, Tregoning 2015, Wilkins 2014)” (Page 49)

Question 6

What does reflection encourage when considering future events within interactions

Answer 6

“Reflection occurs when individuals examine their attitudes and reactions to an interactive experience. It reveals causes of negative emotional responses, which facilitates understanding of these reactions. It allows resolution of these causes and, ultimately, changes in thought and thus behaviour in preparation for more positive responses in similar future interactions. The process of reflection usually clarifies some parts of the interaction, potentially allowing the fading or removal of other parts” (O’Tool 2016) (Page 49)

Question 7

State three reasons why everyone uses barriers or particular responses to negative emotions.

Answer 7

1. Not wanting to feel/process the emotions.
2. Not wanting to consider the possibility that they might be in the wrong themselves.
3. Requires time and the ability to look objectively at themselves and their actions.

Question 8

What is the purpose of the model of reflection?

Answer 8

Achieving self awareness

Question 9

What five actions are beneficial when reflecting regardless of the particular model of reflection? (Page 56)

Answer 9

1. Consideration of events occurring/factors affecting the interaction.
2. Actions
3. Words
4. NVC’s
5. Environmental factors

Question 10

Together, define ‘health’. Does your health profession value health? How does your health profession demonstrate this value?

Answer 10

“Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.” (World Health organisation)
Occupational therapy does value health by engaging with clients in a holistic manner. Looking at not only their physical health but also their mental/spiritual health as multiple factors interconnect and must be nurtured in order to be “healthy”.

Question 11

Now define ‘quality of life’. Does your health profession value quality of life? How does your health profession demonstrate this value

Answer 11

WHO defines Quality of Life as an individual’s perception of their position in life in the context of the culture and value systems in which they live and in relation to their goals, expectations, standards and concerns.
Occupational therapy aims to get people back to what they love doing in life. This might mean setting up ways to help people communicate or providing ways to help people physically overcome a task. This helps people to achieve their goals and expectations and therefor improves their quality of life.