Very 'social' course

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So I'm doing Occupational therapy at uni. For many of the modules, the work involves A LOT of group discussions, discussions between the lecturer and others during the lecture etc. which I'm really struggling with. It's overwhelming and very difficult to follow which leaves me completely exhausted and still trying to go over the events and conversations in my head long after the lectures over. I can't stop it, it's like it's too much to take in at the time so my brain has to 'do over-time' to process everything.

At the break today, I emailed my tutor requesting a brief summary of the morning's lecture and of the afternoon's, so that I would know what to expect and be able to follow things more easily. She did this but also asked me what could be done or what I could do to deal with the social aspect of the course, like the group work and discussions, especially as it's a big component of the course. I said I didn't know but basically I just do my best to get through the lecture/seminar and rely on my recording of the lecture and independent work outside of lectures etc.

I just wondered if anyone else had any thoughts/ideas on it? I want to be able to develop strategies that mean I don't end up either just not being able to engage with the course at all but also not end up pushing myself too far and pushing myself into a meltdown and on the road to making myself ill again.

In any kind of "helping profession," such as Occupational Therapy, you are usually part of a "treatment team" consisting of doctors, nurses, physical therapists, occupational therapists, social workers, etc. This means you have to be at least superficially social, as well as at least superficially cooperative. You have to get along with the other team members.

If one person veers from the course of treatment for any patient (without consulting the others), many bad things could happen. When a negative situation happens (which might or might not be your fault), you have to have the support of your team members, in addition to keeping a written account of what happened during the negative situation. If you don't get along with certain people, they might try to get slick with you, and try to put the blame on you.

Basically, what I would do is to "go with the flow." I'm not the most social being around--but I pushed myself to do okay in my speech-pathology practicum. I did well enough to get a B, rather than fail.

It was very tough for me to attempt to be a "therapist" during my practicum, but it's tough for me to put myself in another person's shoes, and to accommodated my "treatment" style to that person, rather than to myself.

All in all, no matter how academically proficient you are, or how great an Occupational Therapist you are, if you don't get along with your colleagues, it will be tough for you.

Do you enjoy your interactions with clients?

To be honest, I don't think 'getting along with people' is the problem. Of course I have social difficulties but I think I'm generally a nice person and I always to do my best for people.

I don't go on placement until the new year but I have done some volunteering with Age UK at a group for people with dementia and enjoyed that. It was very difficult but I coped through observation of the other staff, obviously making sure I was very polite, as I always try to be and because I care very much about looking after and respecting our elderly, so I was pleased to be able to show that.

At the moment, I feel working with older people is the area I'd most like to work in when I qualify for one of the above reasons and also because I find I just seem to get along easier with them than younger people.

I have three placements over three years, one of which is with older people. Obviously the other two are likely with other age groups in different settings but hopefully I can use these experiences, to learn from them too.

The difficulty I was mainly referring to in my OP was in fairly large group/lecture settings. I think I've concluded that one factor at the moment is the teaching style of the lecturer. It's just very difficult for me to follow. After emailing her in the last week, she has since emailed me the complete powerpoint to next weeks lecture but noted that 'now I have all the answers'. That may be so, but at least when I'm overloaded, having trouble following what's going on and it's all a bit too overwhelming, I don't need to get even more stressed, because I can easily refer to the slides in front of me to keep or get me back on track with everyone else. It's better than being overloaded, not being able to mentally catch up with the lecture and feeling like I may as well not turned up.

Other than that, after getting myself in a state about it, I think I've just realised there isn't really a lot more else I can do. I just need to make sure I'm as prepared as I can be, that I try to keep up with my reading (structure and function - yes please , foundations of occupation (this module I'm having more trouble with) - what a headache!!), take a break to get some air when I need to in the lecture and do my best to look after myself generally.

Good Luck.

I think you'll do well.

I'm in a school psychology program and it's very social so I can relate. It's difficult to keep a balance between fulfilling expectations at school and maintaining your own wellbeing, but it's necessary. We need more self-care than others because of how stressful the world can be for us. I keep reminding myself school is going to be hard, but it will get better once I graduate and get a job suited to me. We will find our niches; it's just going to take some time and struggles to get there.

LOL...you would have made a great hippie in the 1960s!

Beautiful Volkswagen Van!

How is everything going?

Thanks I wish I had one for real. Sadly I have to make to with 3 1:12 scale models and a remote control toy version for now, although they are cool

I'm starting to get a bit overwhelmed again atm. I think it has something to do with my mum going away for the week tomorrow and Christmas fast approaching. Plus I'm trying to get on top of some uni work and have a couple of non-routine days coming up which is making me a bit anxious. It doesn't help that there doesn't seem to be any peace on the horizon either as straight after Christmas/New Year I have an exam, an essay deadline and then I go on my first placement
Also, last week everyone turned up for a lecture only to be told at the last minute, there was no lecture, just self-directed work. I had a bit of a wobble before deciding to take myself off home to try and get some work done. A small group I'm in for a different module decided that rather than complete the task on the agreed day of this coming tuesday, they'd just get on with it there and then. It was not going to happen! So I just said leave my name off of it (it's a short video/powerpoint on a particular OT model) and I'll have to explain why I'm not on there. I seem to be producing posters as a method of learning anyway, so I just thought at least I wasn't getting myself in more of a state, unable to contribute to the group, plus I'll have a better understanding and be able to prove it, through my work of doing the poster.

Sorry I've gone on a bit but you did ask!