Launching Occupational Therapy in Higashi Kurume, Tokyo

There are so many things I could blog on today. Hard to choose...but I just have to tell you about the most exciting thing that is happening for me. I'm slowly, but surely getting back into the profession of my youth.

Today I took possession of these:

Brochures telling people about my volunteer service as an Occupational Therapist in our school.

Today I also spent a good portion of my children-at-school hours preparing a form for assessment. I have a 'referral' on hand and am preparing to see my first client late next week.

It does occur to me that there might be easier ways to get back into it. Setting up a new service with few resources or professional supports after more than 10 years out of the profession is not an easy job. I am grateful for the year I spent in Australia, brushing up on my knowledge and skills and collecting resources.

That time of preparation has given me a bit of a professional dilemma too. While I've been 'away', new methods of treatment have been developed and the research is showing them to be more effective than the way I was trained and worked. My observation is that most practising OTs in Australia haven't yet changed their ways much. It is all too new. However, as that is the way the research is pointing, I feel obliged to not just cling to what is familiar, especially as I am setting up something new here, I have the freedom to go in a different direction.

So, to add another variable to the pile that included a lack of resources, precedent in service provision and professional support; I have a change in methodology. Add to that the fact that I am a volunteer who is not intending to develop a time-intensive treatment-delivery service, I'm taking a journey into unknown territory (for me).

That is all probably nonsense to you. Can I try an analogy?

Let's see. You used to be a chef. But then you took a decade off to teach English in another country.  While you were away from the profession there were many changes. Changes in recipes, changes in technology, changes in what was seen as healthy eating etc. When you came back, you did so in another country. Your work and all your training before was in restaurants. Your new position is as a mobile caterer. Actually you are starting up a new business as a consultant.

Can you see some challenges? I'm seeing quite a pile

On the positive side. I have a supportive school staff, several of whom I know personally. My first client family are friends who don't mind that they are a little bit like guinea pigs. I don't have a boss breathing down my neck. I don't have a salary that obliges me to produce results in certain time frames. I am free to make most of my own decisions.

I'm excited.

Disclaimer: I am not employed by CAJ, I am volunteering my professional skills, seeing CAJ and CAJ-related children. CAJ is, however, kindly allowing me to use their facilities.