This is a story not just about one patient, but a culture of which I was priviledged to encounter as an OT. While stationed in Iraq for 12 months, I served as a combat stress behavioral health provider to all the American Armed Services in my immediate location and a few small outlying bases in which I was transported by air. My mission, put simply, was combat stress control. This was accomplished by leading life skills groups such as stress management, anger control and effective communication skills. I also facilitated critical incident debriefs after a tragic incident. Many soldiers had homefront issues that were mainly related to personal relationships. I adapted the book The Five Love Langauges to fit the needs of my clients. I even contacted the author, Gary Chapman, to share with him the success I was having and he sent me a box of books to give out. There are too many stories of individuals to share, so I will say that this opportunity was my greatest success in my 12 years of practice. I feel I was able to take the vast skills that an OT learns (orthopedics, pediatrics, mental health/behavior modification, etc) and maximize my effectiveness with this greatly unique population.
Michaelle Selcke, BS, OTR/L
US Army Reserve
Thornton, CO
submitted 8/4/2008
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ADVANCE Online is seeking stories about the best part of OT--a challenging diagnosis, a tough decision, or that moment where you realize you've truly touched a patient's life. We want to showcase your talents and experiences. We'll choose the best stories to appear in our web edition. And if we choose your submission, you'll also receive $25!
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