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Peer-Reviewed Journal Article Reflection


Article Title: Wellness works: community service health promotion groups led by occupationaltherapy students.

Brief Summary: During a Groups Process course, occupational therapy students learned health promotion skills through working on personal wellness goals and leading community based health promotion groups. The groups targeted topics such as smoking cessation, improving diet, reducing stress through yoga, meditation, tai chi chuan, ROM (Range of Motion) Dance, aerobics, and a variety of other activities. Students monitored their own change process on both their personal health lifestyle goals and their group leadership skills while developing a richer appreciation of the dynamics of working for change with clients in community and traditional settings. This experience was said to have provided most students with a positive initial experience with group leadership as they began to explore roles as agents for lifestyle and health change. Suggestions for expanding health promotion roles in practice in the changing health care environment are also examined

Critical reflection: Where as this doesn’t highlight specifics about the group process in the sense of terminology or theory, it does highlight a very valid and important part of the group process; that we must be able to embody the lived experience of the individuals in the group sessions that we lead. Now of course we wont always be able to “walk in their shoes” however developing empathy and understanding can be just as beneficial. We must put ourselves in the group as a member when preparing to lead.

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