I came across this article a few months ago in a graduate class I was taking and it really resonated with me. Although it is an article written by an occupational therapist for other occupational therapists, I shared it with Kell who is a speech pathologist, and she had the same response to the article that I did. This article is applicable to any professional who works in what most of us would refer to as a “caring or helping profession.”
Article reviewed: Wood, W. (2004). The heart, mind, and soul of professionalism in occupational therapy. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 58(3), 249-257.
Purpose:
The purpose of this article was for the author to dig into the meaning of professional and how professional can impact how we continue with what we do without getting burnt out. Wood (2004) emphasizes the key roles that heart, mind, and soul play in the process of professionalism. She discusses how these three characteristics must play an equal role in our professions in order for us to grow as professionals over time and to avoid what she referred to as “decapitation.”
Implications:
We all got into caring professions because of our passion for doing good word and helping others. If we all are driven by this passion, why do we become “heartsick” and get burnt out? Why do people in these caring professionals get burnt out? All of our hearts are big (or we wouldn’t have got into this profession). However, our hearts are also tender. When we get into positions where we feel as though we do not have a choice but to subordinate to external factors such as high caseloads, high productivity, and repetitive treatment interventions, our hearts hurt. When our hearts hurt, we get burnt out.
I can think of an example of this in my professional career years ago. I was working a job where I didn’t feel challenged, I was doing this same thing over and over again. I felt like anybody could do my job I felt bound by the rule of the big organization and had no room for my creativity. I think I could have done the Peabody Developmental Motor Assessment in my sleep. I actually met with an advisor and considered applying for medical school (thank goodness that didn’t work out). Luckily, around this time, I met Kelli, my business partner and we decided to go out on our own. We were able to support each other’s growth and challenge each other. I have never looked back and regretted this decision.
I tell you this story to demonstrate the power of the “mind”, just as Wood (2004) describes it. She states that the heart, mind, and soul must all by equal parts in professionalism. People get burnt out, or become “decapitated” when they are not thinking about what they are doing, when they are duplicating the practices of more experienced practitioners, when they are not staying current with contemporary practices, and when they are not placed in situations that challenge them to use their true skilled services.
Until reading this article, I took for granted the opportunities I have had in my current career. I have opportunities to connect with scholars at various universities, therapists throughout our state, and hundreds of people in the caring professions. Over the last several years, Kelli and I have made it a priority to support our team to attend conferences and to get training in their areas of passion. I didn’t realize how important this piece was to professionalism and to motivating ourselves and our team.
What can be done:
- If you are in a management position, find opportunities to challenge your therapists
- Create a focus group where your team reviews different articles each month.
- Create contests and challenges that promote creativity and contemporary practice.
- Find opportunities where your team can attend group continuing education.
- If you are an individual therapist and maybe feel isolated, find ways to connect with other therapists, read new articles, attend a conference (I know they are expensive, but it can be worth saving your career).
- If you are feeling burnt out, what are your options? Before considering a complete change in your career (like applying to medical school), think about other options. Is this place a good fit for your mind, heart, and soul? Do you need to reach out to your owner/manager about your concerns? Can you connect with others?
In summary, thanks for taking the time to read this article summary. I hope that you will find this as stimulating as I did. Take care of your mind, it highly influences your profession and we need all of you!
– Tara Warwick, MS, OTR/L
