From the category archives:
As a physical therapist, you have a variety of work environments from which to choose. If you want a traditional office setting, that is certainly one possibility, as about 60 percent of all physical therapist jobs are located in either the offices of a health practitioner or within a hospital. However, if you would rather work with a specific demographic or if you want to work outside of the box, that is also possible. [continue reading…]
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A certified occupational therapy assistant, more easily referred to as a COTA, plays an essential role in the field of occupational therapy. The COTA works directly with an occupational therapist in any number of settings including hospitals, clinics, schools, and treatment centers. Usually the COTA helps provide rehabilitation for patients who are suffering from a variety of medical problems. These problems may be physical, emotional, mental, or developmental depending on the type of facility the COTA is serving.
To become an occupational therapist assistant, you must receive and associate degree or certification from a special training program. While this is helpful and necessary, most training will occur on the job, as techniques and preferences vary depending on the occupational therapist the COTA will be working with. [continue reading…]
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I am affectionately referred to by my friends and family as “coordination deficient.” My mom has even joked that my middle name should be “Grace,” just to be ironic. I have broken a finger, several toes, a wrist, and an ankle. Between car accidents, falls, and a variety of most improbable accidents, I have sprained just about everything that can be sprained. Because of this, I have come to know and love, or loathe, depending on how they are treating me, a variety of physical therapists. I think it is interesting that there are so many places this profession can thrive. I suppose I never really thought about where I was sent for my physical therapy until the time I was sent to a nursing home. Which brings me to five of the places a physical therapist can find a home.
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I am what some might call slightly-to-moderately accident prone. Okay, I admit it. I have had to go through numerous bouts of physical therapy for various accidents. It is not like I’m reckless, far from it actually. I am safety girl. I wear my seatbelt, look both ways when I cross the street… heck, I don’t even speed. But I swear I’m an accident magnet.
Which brings me back to physical therapy. I’ve never been to the same clinic twice, but I have noticed there are always physical therapy assistants floating around – often helping me, because I obviously need the help. At first I was a bit miffed that I wasn’t always getting the top dog physical therapist, but I eventually realized that a physical therapy assistant was pretty darn useful, too. So, what does a physical therapy assistant do? [continue reading…]
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While there are literally hundreds of phobias that one may encounter while working in the field of therapy, there are some that are more common than others. A phobia is an intense, even disabling fear of something. Some of the symptoms of phobias include shortness of breath, dizziness, numbness, hot or cold flashes, sweating, nausea, trembling, and chest pain.
Fortunately, almost all people suffering from a phobia are able to find help with cognitive-behavioral therapy. The following phobias are some of the most common that I have seen, however, the ranking is not absolute. [continue reading…]
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While working in the mental health field, I’ve met many people who suffered with some form of anxiety disorder. There are several types of anxiety disorders, and severity can range from mild to debilitating. Typically, by the time a person seeks help, the anxiety disorder is seriously affecting some portion of their life.
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Working in the mental health industry, I have seen a variety of mental health disorders. For each disorder or condition there is usually one patient that epitomizes the condition for me. The person that best exemplifies narcissistic personality disorder is Violet. [continue reading…]
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