Journaling in OT: A Reflective Practice to Address Anxiety and Sensory Regulation

Course overview

Occupational therapy practice in mental health has gained significant momentum in the past few years. However, research suggests that many practitioners struggle to find simple, effective ways to implement intervention strategies. Mental health issues like anxiety and emotional regulation are always important factors to consider in any intervention. When left untreated, they can gravely impact client outcomes and overall participation. In this 2-hour, view-on-demand, recorded webinar, the presenter explores and combines 2 evidence-based strategies: the art of Journaling and the science of Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT). This strategy is rooted in the principles of behavioral psychology to address negative thoughts, overthinking, and emotional dysregulation, which often leads to anxiety and can be debilitating. In this hands-on course, practitioners practice these strategies by creating their own journal entries using downloadable worksheets specifically designed to help with these areas: organizing emotions, using coping strategies, and mindfulness practice. Practitioners learn research-based coping strategies to use in their practice the very next day and discover the profoundly therapeutic impact of journaling as being a highly effective, versatile, and low-cost strategy to add to their toolboxes. At the end of this course, you will be able to (1) summarize the research on the efficacy of OT interventions in emotional regulation and mental health, (2) point out the myths and benefits of journaling for mental health, (3) describe the evolution of negativity bias and its impact on the mind, (4) differentiate the principles of Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT) used to address emotional regulation, (5) identify the problems with avoidance of negative thoughts in ACT, and (6) state the steps and benefits of using the Standard Celeration Chart to determine the effectiveness of journaling intervention. This distance-learning, independent format is offered at 0.2 CEUs, Intermediate Level, OT Service Delivery, and targeted to intermediate- to advanced-level OTs, COTAs, and other pediatric professionals. Dr. Mehra is currently the Director of Fit Learning Labs in the Chicagoland area and continues to practice OT in both schools and private teletherapy services. She is passionate about Interpersonal Education and strives to foster multidisciplinary collaboration among OTs and other allied health professionals. She provides continuing education presentations for various allied health groups in her community and is an avid blogger for Pyschology Today. For more information on our live courses, visit our website: https://www.sensationalbrain.com/product-cagtegory/ceu/on-demand-webinars. To stay abreast of our latest live and view-on-demand course offerings, sales, and FREEBIES, consider subscribing to our newsletter: bit.ly/3tkOSAX. Send questions to celeste@sensationalbrain.com.