Editor's note

Reji Mathew, PhD, is a psychotherapist/clinical instructor at New York University providing direct short-term psychotherapy, clinical supervision and cognitive behavioral skills treatment groups. She has worked in health care for over 18 years in direct practice counseling, case management, outreach and community education in agencies and hospital settings. Dr. Mathew will contribute to ADVANCE monthly; her articles will focus on addressing the psychosocial needs of rehabilitation patients. Her first article debuts in this issue on page 40.

This month, I begin a mental health-focused article series with two goals. First, I would like to provide user-friendly psycho-educational information to practitioners on the psychological dynamics of rehabilitation and recovery. Second, I aim to share practical techniques on coping, stress management and cognitive behavioral interventions to apply with patients in sessions.

Throughout the United States, health care professionals are providing care to patients with complex problems in shorter time frames. Often, health care training is compartmentalized. Each profession requires mastery of such an enormous knowledge base, that it is not always feasible to learn the dynamics of neglected dimensions such as mental health. Integrative knowledge will be essential in the future, as health care settings are increasingly challenged to meet the long term care needs of various populations.

This project has personal meaning for me. I'm not only a health care professional, but also a patient who struggles with a chronic disability. I have post-polio syndrome. A year ago, my functional status deteriorated. Overnight, I had to transition to living with multiple assistive devices and had to face a different future than I had envisioned for myself. I have medically stabilized, but the challenges of managing a chronic, progressive disability are ongoing.

As a result, I've decided to devote my clinical efforts to the cause of improving access to intermittent rehabilitative care for the chronically disabled. To learn more about my advocacy work, please see my essay, "Keeping America Sick," which is posted on Post-Polio Health International (www.post-polio.org/adv/iss-hlthcareadv.html) in the Fall 2007 issue.

I view the OT profession as a rich source of possibilities. When I transitioned to living with devices, I also had to contend with several secondary functional problems. Daily activities such as cooking, self-care and typing were suddenly compromised. I was fortunate to work with a skillful OT professional who helped me rethink my daily activities and offered adaptive solutions to work around my new mobility limitations. I realized then that OT is a profession of hope. I am comforted to know that, as future challenges develop regarding my functional status, there are solutions to help me remain a vital person.

It is my privilege to contribute my skills to a professional community I know I can rely on for my own journey of health and wellness.