Reflection
After reading the article “The taking of tea: A common phenomenon” for a second time I felt that I could make links to many more of the sayings within it. When I first read this article my exact thinking was summarised with this line from the article “I had thought that being quite prepared to have a glass of water instead would make things easier if anything, so what could all the fuss be about?” (pp.10). Since my first reading of this article I have experienced many times in practice where a cup of tea has been offered or has been a part of assessment. As I read through the article for the second time these experiences and the clients whom gave me these experiences were now memories in which this article highlighted. Below are some of these experiences and the line within the article in which highlighted these experiences which I have learnt from.
On page seven of the article it talks about the different methods of making tea, this paragraph reminded me how a lady and man in an assessment taught me the importance of the method in which they prepare their cup of tea and the memories of family that these are associated with, and also to be aware of my own values, beliefs and culture around a cup of tea to ensure that I am not to interpret observations based on my own culture.
A man taught me the value of accepting a cup of tea when entering a home, as this simple accepting of tea also held an emerging new role for this client and also held the potential to build rapport and strengthen the client-therapist relationship this memory was linked to the sentence “If I was the host, it could be even worse. Since I was not sharing the contents of the teapot, or even teabag, any advantage to be gained in proffering a warming cup of welcome was lost.” (pp.11)
This learning has enabled me to reflect on past learning experiences and how these will impact my future practice as an occupational therapist. In my future practice If appropriate I will take the time to spend on sharing a cup of tea with clients as I now understand the importance this activity has for not only the client but also for myself as the therapist and the client-therapist relationship that we will build. I will also ensure that I will be aware of the different cultural methods of preparing a cup of tea and also continue to self-reflect on my own culture to ensure that I do not interpret observations I have made incorrectly.
Opinion
In my opinion occupational therapists should also take the time to review their own culture, values and beliefs around sharing a cup of tea, as I have done through my experiences as a student and also throughout this blog. I feel that self-reflection has enabled me to improve my practice as an occupational therapist and assist me in ensuring that my practice is culturally safe; I believe that the technique of self-reflection will not only assist students in improving their practice but also occupational therapists that are currently practicing. As stated by Stedman & Thomas (2011) Practice modifications to ensure culturally safe practice requires a client-centered approach; self-awareness on behalf of the therapist, facilitated through self-reflection.
I also believe that occupational therapists should take the time to reflect about the impact that declining the offer of a cup of tea may have on the relationship that they are building with their clients. Caulton (1995) stated within her article how she remembers saying no thank you to a cup of tea and how lately she had become aware of the distress that this answer could cause.
I want to thank you for taking the time to engage in my blag and hope that through my experiences and through the topics discussed that you will be able to reflect on what a cup of tea means for you!
Now relax, enjoy this song and have a cup of tea!
Caulton, R. (1995, December). The taking of tea: a common phenomenon. Occupation, 3(2), 6-22.
Stedman, A., & Thomas, Y. (2011, February). Reflecting on our effectiveness: Occupational therapy interventions with Indigenous clients. Australian Occupational Therapy Journal, 58(1), 43-49.
Friday, December 16, 2011
A cup of tea and Culture!
As stated in assessment section occupational therapists need to be aware and mindful that each client, whether young or old, and people of all cultures prepare a cup of tea in a unique way. The culture and drinking of tea seems to be not a strong as it once use to be, however a lot of people have held on to the traditions passed on from the previous generations of tea drinkers. Research completed by Hannam (1997) states that social gatherings with neighbours and extended families around cups of tea were marked by customs seen as polite and necessary at the time. However I have observed that nowadays tea seems to be usually drunk alone or with a friend or family member. These less frequent cups of tea occasions are still influenced by the “memories of the past that held the criteria for correct, proper behaviour even though these rituals were becoming anachronisms.” (Hannam, 1997, pp.73) The offering of a cup of tea when welcoming another person appears to be universal over many different cultures meaning that an occupational therapist can use this welcoming custom within a lot of their practice. Occupational therapists can also observe the cultural differences in the way each client prepares and offers a cup of tea as this can give the therapist an inside view of the importance and meaning for each individual.
Click here to read a brief essay by George-Orwell to give a different perspective on the culture of tea drinking.
Reflection
I was on my final placement on an assessment, treatment and rehabilitation ward. I was completing some education and practice with a client based on preparing a cup of tea. This client searched for a tea pot ten minutes. I asked her what she was searching for and she stated that “her tea would not be the same without using a tea pot”. After a prompt to find it she gathered the pot and completed the preparation of her tea. Whilst completing her preparation of tea she explained the way in which she had to warm the teapot before putting her tea inside and how her mother had taught her the method of preparing tea. As she spoke about her tea making she appeared very happy to be sharing this knowledge that her mother passed on to her. When she had transported her tea to the table, I observed her offering to share her pot of tea to the other client sitting with her. The client accepted offer and initiated a discussion about how much they appreciated using a tea pot to prepare their tea, as the stated that “It always tastes better coming from a tea pot.”
Prior to this experience I had thought the use of a tea pot was to save on tea, I had not thought about the values that some people have behind the tea pot, the memories of loved ones that people hold onto through the unique ways of making tea and the significance of sharing the same pot of tea with another. This experience highlighted the importance of her link to the cup of tea through her family memories and also the importance to herself in sharing the pot of tea with another. During this experience I remember that it reminded me of my nana, when she used to offer a cup of tea to everyone who came into her home. She also used to ensure that I did the same when I was in her home. I feel that through this experience with my nana that I now hold some of the same values around the sharing of tea and also the importance of offering tea in a welcome to a new place. My experiences in fieldwork placements and also in my own personal life have highlighted to me the generational differences around the values and beliefs of offering tea. During my community placements I experienced being offered a cup of tea by older adults, some adults, and never by young adults.
These experiences about the change in generational culture in relation to sharing a cup of tea has influenced my practice in guiding me to be more aware and respectful of the general values and beliefs within each generation culture. Each time I am offered a cup of tea I try and be aware of the impact my answer could have on the client’s values and beliefs. This reflection has also highlighted to me the recognition of my own values about offering and accepting of a cup of tea. This new learning will enable me to be aware of and also reflect further on the impact that these values may have for me as a therapist.
Hannam, D. (1997, August). More than just a Cup of Tea: Meaning Construction in an Everyday Occupation. Journal of Occupational Science Australia, 4(2), 69-74.
Click here to read a brief essay by George-Orwell to give a different perspective on the culture of tea drinking.
Reflection
I was on my final placement on an assessment, treatment and rehabilitation ward. I was completing some education and practice with a client based on preparing a cup of tea. This client searched for a tea pot ten minutes. I asked her what she was searching for and she stated that “her tea would not be the same without using a tea pot”. After a prompt to find it she gathered the pot and completed the preparation of her tea. Whilst completing her preparation of tea she explained the way in which she had to warm the teapot before putting her tea inside and how her mother had taught her the method of preparing tea. As she spoke about her tea making she appeared very happy to be sharing this knowledge that her mother passed on to her. When she had transported her tea to the table, I observed her offering to share her pot of tea to the other client sitting with her. The client accepted offer and initiated a discussion about how much they appreciated using a tea pot to prepare their tea, as the stated that “It always tastes better coming from a tea pot.”
Prior to this experience I had thought the use of a tea pot was to save on tea, I had not thought about the values that some people have behind the tea pot, the memories of loved ones that people hold onto through the unique ways of making tea and the significance of sharing the same pot of tea with another. This experience highlighted the importance of her link to the cup of tea through her family memories and also the importance to herself in sharing the pot of tea with another. During this experience I remember that it reminded me of my nana, when she used to offer a cup of tea to everyone who came into her home. She also used to ensure that I did the same when I was in her home. I feel that through this experience with my nana that I now hold some of the same values around the sharing of tea and also the importance of offering tea in a welcome to a new place. My experiences in fieldwork placements and also in my own personal life have highlighted to me the generational differences around the values and beliefs of offering tea. During my community placements I experienced being offered a cup of tea by older adults, some adults, and never by young adults.
These experiences about the change in generational culture in relation to sharing a cup of tea has influenced my practice in guiding me to be more aware and respectful of the general values and beliefs within each generation culture. Each time I am offered a cup of tea I try and be aware of the impact my answer could have on the client’s values and beliefs. This reflection has also highlighted to me the recognition of my own values about offering and accepting of a cup of tea. This new learning will enable me to be aware of and also reflect further on the impact that these values may have for me as a therapist.
Hannam, D. (1997, August). More than just a Cup of Tea: Meaning Construction in an Everyday Occupation. Journal of Occupational Science Australia, 4(2), 69-74.
Using a cup of tea in interviews!
The technique of participating and sharing of a cup of tea not only can be used to assist the therapist in building rapport with a client but can also be used by occupational therapists to reduce anxiety of clients during interviews. A cup of tea can give the time to feel more comfortable with the interviewer which allows the client to feel more comfortable in sharing information to the therapist. As stated by Prior & Duncan (2009) participating in such as an activity as sharing a cup of tea can make sharing information for some clients much easier. Often a practitioner is able to elicit more information from a client whilst participating in such an activity as a cup of tea than they would ever manage to gain if they had formally sat in a room together with the specific aim of talking.
Reflection
For my first field work placement I was in a paediatric setting. One day I observed my therapist interview a client within the client’s home. When we first entered the mother appeared very nervous, she welcomed us in and offered us a cup of tea. My supervisor declined the offer very politely and carried on with explaining her role. During the whole interview the mother appeared nervous and worried.
In comparison during my community mental health placement I observed my supervisor interviewing a client in the occupational therapy setting. Again the client appeared very nervous and her voice was very soft and quiet. This time my therapist offered the client a cup of tea. The client accepted the offer of the cup of tea, and within the conversation of how she liked her cup of tea; the client appeared to become less anxious. During the interview I also observed that this client did not drink her cup of tea but instead used it as something to focus her gaze on and fiddle with when talking when sharing personal experiences.
During the first example I remember feeling sorry for them as they were so worried that their child was experiencing a delay in their development; and even with the rapport building skills of my therapist I felt that the client remained nervous throughout the interview. I wondered how she must have felt following the interview, and wondered if she was anxious about her next appointment. I do not know why my supervisor declined the offer of a cup of tea with this client. This supervisor was pregnant at the time I was with her so this may have been a possible reason for not accepting the offer of a cup of tea. In comparison with the second experience when the client appeared just as nervous as the first, the offering of tea was performed and accepted. I remember feeling amazed at the initial effects in decreasing the anxiety of this client with the simple offer of a cup of tea. During the interview I remember thinking that it must have been so hard to tell people the experiences that she shared with us. When I observed her fiddling and looking at her cup of tea while she was talking I remember wondering why she was not drinking it but instead appeared to be playing with it. On reflection of this question I remember trying to put myself in her shoes telling people in an interview personal experiences; I felt that I would have done the same and felt the cup of tea would have been more of a comfort than a drink. I feel that if I was her looking at the cup of tea would’ve made me feel more comfortable to tell them. I wonder if this client felt this way and felt more at ease to explain her experiences with the comfort of a cup of tea.
From these experiences I have learnt that the cup of tea can be used as a means to reduce anxiety within clients therefore making the client feeling more comfortable to share information to the therapist. In my future practice I will try and be aware of how my client is feeling before and interview and if they are if it is an appropriate time to offer or accept a cup of tea. I believe that the offering of a cup of tea can be used by the client as a comfort and a support, even if it is not drunk.
Opinion
Martin (2007) researched cultural competence in occupational therapy from the client’s point of view. She stated how participants of her study reflected on their anxiety being reduced by the welcoming they had received (including a cup of tea) and the relationship and trust that they built with their therapist. A simple cup of tea can assist the therapist to achieve both a welcoming to the service and also to start the process of building rapport. The use of a cup of tea to decrease stress and anxiety during an interview can increase the success of obtaining required information from the client. I believe that if my first supervisor had used the technique of sharing a cup of tea she would of assisted her client in decreasing her anxiety and may have experienced her client elicit more information. This simple task of offering a cup of tea could also lay down the path for the client to feel less anxious about future occupational therapy sessions.
Martin, P. M. (2007). Cultural competence in occupational therapy: The client experience (Doctoral dissertation, ProQuest Information and Learning Company). Retrieved December 16, 2011.
Prior, S., & Duncan, E. A. S. (2009). Assessment skills for practice. In E. A. S. Duncan (Ed.), Skills for Practice in Occupational Therapy (p. 84). N.p.: Churchill Livingstone Elsevier.
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Using a cup of tea in functional assessments!
The functional assessment of making a cup of tea is common practice for many rehabilitation wards. As stated by Hannam (1997) Occupational Therapists assess an individual’s ability to make a cup of tea as a tool for evaluating readiness for safe discharge or capability for independent living. This short basic functional kitchen assessment allows the occupational therapist to assess both motor and process skills. The occupational therapist completes an activity analysis of the task and takes into account all motor and process skills the the task entails. They then observe the client making the tea and interpret the observations the made. The cup of tea is a great start point for an occupational therapist to assess a client in the kitchen due to it being (as stated above) short and basic. Even though it is basic it still has many different aspects of the task which the occupational therapist can assess.
Examples of these are:
Motor Skills
Stand at the bench safely
Mobilise around the kitchen safely
Can they reach and lift kettle, milk, containers holding tea bags and sugar.
Process Skills
Initiate and terminate the task
Search and locate items
Sequences the task appropriately
Take some time to watch this video of making a cup of tea. Pay attention to all of the steps within the video and see if you can complete your own activity analysis by breaking down this activity even more than already completed within this video.
To gain some more understanding on why occupational therapists assess clients making a cup of tea click here and visit a blog called Healing Occupational Therapy. They have posted interesting information about an occupational therapy perspective on making a cup of tea.
One thing that occupational Therapists need to be aware of is that the above video is not the only correct way to prepare a cup of tea, there are various methods of preparing a cup of tea. It can depend on people culture, beliefs, values, generation and more. This can create a challenge for all occupational therapists, as they need to ensure that they can provide the necessary equipment and demands of the alternative ways that each client prepares their tea. The most accurate functional assessments of a client are when they are within their own environment; mimicking the home environment as much as possible within the hospital setting is essential to ensure functional assessments are as correct as possible. Fair & Barnitt (1999) carried out a study to draw attention to the importance of considering cultural in the functional assessment of making a cup of tea. They concluded that differences in the methods of making a cup of tea varied between various cultures, generations of the same culture, generations of various cultures and also varied with the same person depending on who they were making the tea for. I believe that these findings are a basis that all occupational therapists need to understand; without the knowledge of why or understanding the underlying meaning for the client the Occupational therapist may interpret their observations of the client preparing tea incorrectly.
Reflection
I was on my final placement of my degree; it was in an assessment, treatment and rehabilitation ward. This was my first experience of using the preparation of a cup of tea as an assessment. While on this placement I experienced many different people participate in the assessment of preparing a cup of tea, but one in particular stands out. It was a man on my case load; I wanted to complete a ‘cup of tea’ functional assessment with him as his son had said he was more confused than usual. He agreed to participate and I assisted him to the kitchen, he was confident that he was able to complete the task. I orientated him to everything in the kitchen and then allowed him to complete the task. He searched located and gathered all items required for the task without any trouble. He then used water from the unboiled kettle to pour into the mug he had gathered, searched and located the microwave in which he attempted to place his mug into. He required prompts on how to open and start the microwave as he was unable to problems solve this. He stated this was due to an unfamiliar microwave I questioned what his microwave was like at home and he was unable to explain it, he was only able to tell me that it had buttons. Once he had heated the water he added the tea bag, squeezed the teabag in his mug, placed the tea bag on the sink, located and gathered and added the milk to the tea.
I had never seen anyone prepare a cup of tea in this way. I felt unsure whether this was a deficit in his process skills or just another way to prepare tea, as it was very different to anything I had seen before and very different to the way I personally would have completed the task. I completed the assessment a couple of times and observed difficulties in problem solving each time; but attempting to use the microwave each time remained the same. I decided to liaise with his son as I wanted to ensure that he would be able to complete this task at home unassisted. His son explained his father had always used the microwave to heat his water.
From reflecting on this experience I realised that initially I was making a personal bias to the way a person should prepare a cup of tea, I am glad that I double checked that the interpretation that I was making from my observations were correct. This reflection highlighted to me the importance of being aware of my own personal assumptions and bias. This experience and also many others while on this placement taught me many different ways to preparing a cup of tea. I experienced people using tea pots, heating teapots before using them, using a cup and saucer, using just a mug, the sequence of the task also changed between each person. These variations of how to prepare tea became a challenge for me, as it became difficult at times to distinguish processing skills or methods of preparing a cup of tea. I learnt during this placement that sometimes it required two or three assessments to assess the process skills of the client as you cannot assess the first time due to new environments and different appliances.
Opinion
Hersch, Lamport & Coffey (1995) states that occupational therapists should grade or adapt activities for an individual to promote successful performance. Agreeing with the statement above I believe that occupational therapists should use short basic tasks (graded activity) for the first assessment in the kitchen environment. This is to give the client the best chance to be successful within the kitchen.
Bilodeau, et al.(2011) published a research article stating that success has a positive correlation with participation in intervention. The cup of tea assessment as stated above allows occupational therapists to provide clients with an activity that is short and basic therefore giving the client the best chance of success. This success as stated by Bilodeau, et al. (2011) will increase the motivation of the client to participate in future occupational therapy intervention.
Bilodeau, A., Sampson, L., Daher, P., Bélanger, J., Gagnon, F., & Lussier, N. (2011, March). A participatory evaluation confirms the social relevance of a community intervention model in school success: consequences of the participation for the intervention. Global Health Promotion, 18(1), 106-109.
Fair, A., & Barnitt, R. (1999, May). Making a Cup of Tea as Part of a Culturally Sensitive Service. British Journal of Occupational Therapy, 62(5), 199-205.
Hannam, D. (1997, August). More than just a Cup of Tea: Meaning Construction in an Everyday Occupation. Journal of Occupational Science Australia, 4(2), 69-74.
Hersch, G. I., Lamport, N. K., & Coffey, M. S. (2005). Activity gradation and adaption. In Activity Analysis: Application to Occupation (5th ed., pp. 63-67). N.p.: SLACK Incorporated.
Examples of these are:
Motor Skills
Stand at the bench safely
Mobilise around the kitchen safely
Can they reach and lift kettle, milk, containers holding tea bags and sugar.
Process Skills
Initiate and terminate the task
Search and locate items
Sequences the task appropriately
Take some time to watch this video of making a cup of tea. Pay attention to all of the steps within the video and see if you can complete your own activity analysis by breaking down this activity even more than already completed within this video.
To gain some more understanding on why occupational therapists assess clients making a cup of tea click here and visit a blog called Healing Occupational Therapy. They have posted interesting information about an occupational therapy perspective on making a cup of tea.
One thing that occupational Therapists need to be aware of is that the above video is not the only correct way to prepare a cup of tea, there are various methods of preparing a cup of tea. It can depend on people culture, beliefs, values, generation and more. This can create a challenge for all occupational therapists, as they need to ensure that they can provide the necessary equipment and demands of the alternative ways that each client prepares their tea. The most accurate functional assessments of a client are when they are within their own environment; mimicking the home environment as much as possible within the hospital setting is essential to ensure functional assessments are as correct as possible. Fair & Barnitt (1999) carried out a study to draw attention to the importance of considering cultural in the functional assessment of making a cup of tea. They concluded that differences in the methods of making a cup of tea varied between various cultures, generations of the same culture, generations of various cultures and also varied with the same person depending on who they were making the tea for. I believe that these findings are a basis that all occupational therapists need to understand; without the knowledge of why or understanding the underlying meaning for the client the Occupational therapist may interpret their observations of the client preparing tea incorrectly.
Reflection
I was on my final placement of my degree; it was in an assessment, treatment and rehabilitation ward. This was my first experience of using the preparation of a cup of tea as an assessment. While on this placement I experienced many different people participate in the assessment of preparing a cup of tea, but one in particular stands out. It was a man on my case load; I wanted to complete a ‘cup of tea’ functional assessment with him as his son had said he was more confused than usual. He agreed to participate and I assisted him to the kitchen, he was confident that he was able to complete the task. I orientated him to everything in the kitchen and then allowed him to complete the task. He searched located and gathered all items required for the task without any trouble. He then used water from the unboiled kettle to pour into the mug he had gathered, searched and located the microwave in which he attempted to place his mug into. He required prompts on how to open and start the microwave as he was unable to problems solve this. He stated this was due to an unfamiliar microwave I questioned what his microwave was like at home and he was unable to explain it, he was only able to tell me that it had buttons. Once he had heated the water he added the tea bag, squeezed the teabag in his mug, placed the tea bag on the sink, located and gathered and added the milk to the tea.
I had never seen anyone prepare a cup of tea in this way. I felt unsure whether this was a deficit in his process skills or just another way to prepare tea, as it was very different to anything I had seen before and very different to the way I personally would have completed the task. I completed the assessment a couple of times and observed difficulties in problem solving each time; but attempting to use the microwave each time remained the same. I decided to liaise with his son as I wanted to ensure that he would be able to complete this task at home unassisted. His son explained his father had always used the microwave to heat his water.
From reflecting on this experience I realised that initially I was making a personal bias to the way a person should prepare a cup of tea, I am glad that I double checked that the interpretation that I was making from my observations were correct. This reflection highlighted to me the importance of being aware of my own personal assumptions and bias. This experience and also many others while on this placement taught me many different ways to preparing a cup of tea. I experienced people using tea pots, heating teapots before using them, using a cup and saucer, using just a mug, the sequence of the task also changed between each person. These variations of how to prepare tea became a challenge for me, as it became difficult at times to distinguish processing skills or methods of preparing a cup of tea. I learnt during this placement that sometimes it required two or three assessments to assess the process skills of the client as you cannot assess the first time due to new environments and different appliances.
Opinion
Hersch, Lamport & Coffey (1995) states that occupational therapists should grade or adapt activities for an individual to promote successful performance. Agreeing with the statement above I believe that occupational therapists should use short basic tasks (graded activity) for the first assessment in the kitchen environment. This is to give the client the best chance to be successful within the kitchen.
Bilodeau, et al.(2011) published a research article stating that success has a positive correlation with participation in intervention. The cup of tea assessment as stated above allows occupational therapists to provide clients with an activity that is short and basic therefore giving the client the best chance of success. This success as stated by Bilodeau, et al. (2011) will increase the motivation of the client to participate in future occupational therapy intervention.
Bilodeau, A., Sampson, L., Daher, P., Bélanger, J., Gagnon, F., & Lussier, N. (2011, March). A participatory evaluation confirms the social relevance of a community intervention model in school success: consequences of the participation for the intervention. Global Health Promotion, 18(1), 106-109.
Fair, A., & Barnitt, R. (1999, May). Making a Cup of Tea as Part of a Culturally Sensitive Service. British Journal of Occupational Therapy, 62(5), 199-205.
Hannam, D. (1997, August). More than just a Cup of Tea: Meaning Construction in an Everyday Occupation. Journal of Occupational Science Australia, 4(2), 69-74.
Hersch, G. I., Lamport, N. K., & Coffey, M. S. (2005). Activity gradation and adaption. In Activity Analysis: Application to Occupation (5th ed., pp. 63-67). N.p.: SLACK Incorporated.
Using a cup of tea when building rapport!
Harris, Nagy and Vardaxis (2006) defined rapport as “a sense of mutuality and understanding, harmony, accord, confidence, and respect underlying a relationship between two persons” (pp.1470) Rapport building is an essential aspect of occupational therapy practice as the level of rapport can potentially affect the success of intervention and impact on the level of motivation that the client has to participate in intervention.
Clients often view the therapist to hold more power within the client-therapist relationship. Taylor (2008) stated that this is due to the client viewing the therapist as having knowledge, information, and resources that could influence the client’s functioning or quality of life in some way. I believe that the simple offering and sharing of a cup of tea can assist the client-therapist relationship by challenging the roles within the building relationship. These role changes shift the level of power between the participants in such a way to create more equality between the two. Robertson & Hale (2011) shared this belief when they stated that the “Gifting of time, to accept the offer of a cup of tea for example, marks a role change from interviewer to guest, from interviewee to hostess, ensuring an equality between the two and possibly increased trust and willingness to share.” (pp. 6) This notion of role changes during the offer of a cup of tea provides the host with the power. This moment of feeling in control and having the power also means that the guest is then left without therefore challenging the belief that the therapist holds the power. This challenge on the power imbalance in the client–therapist relationship works towards creating a more equal relationship between the therapist and client and enables the client to have control in making changes with the knowledge and guidance of the occupational therapist. Clients whom have input into their intervention are said to be more motivated during intervention. Having an equal relationship with a client and having the client actively participate in the direction of intervention also assists the occupational therapist in ensuring that the intervention they are providing is client centered.
Reflection
I was on my mental health placement in my second year of my degree. My supervisor and I were going to visit a client at his home. When we arrived at the door I could see that the client appeared nervous and had sweat beads on his forehead. He welcomed us both in and while in discussion with my supervisor showed us around the house. When we reached the kitchen he offered us both a cup of tea. My supervisor accepted so I followed her lead and also accepted. The client prepared us both a cup of tea with milk and no sugar. Once he had prepared the drinks we sat down and my supervisor and the client talked about the client’s interests. I sat at the table observing my supervisor talk with the client. I started to drink my tea and realised that I did not like the task as I like sweet tea. I chose just to drink the tea even though I did not enjoy it. When myself and my supervisor returned to the car my supervisor told me that this was the first time this client had ever allowed her into his home, prior to this day he had talked to her outside on the lawn or at the gate.
During this experience I remember feeling unsure and uncertain about whether it was appropriate to accept the offer of a cup of tea. If I had not been with my supervisor I believe that I would’ve declined the offer as at the time of this experience I didn’t not understand the importance of this cup of tea. I chose to wait and follow my supervisor’s response. She accepted the offer of the tea so I felt that I may have appeared rude if I had declined the offer, so I accepted. I had not realised that the tea had no sugar until I took my first sip. I hated the taste of it, as at this time I had only just started drinking tea and liked at least too sugars in it to make it drinkable. At this time I thought to myself whether I should ask for sugar or not. I chose not to ask as I thought he may not have offered because he has not got sugar or it may have just been because he was nervous that he forgot. I decided not to ask because I felt this could potentially embarrass the client if he did not have any. I also decided that I would drink all of my tea as my personal values include that I show that I appreciate the offering of food or drink by finishing the amount given to me. When my supervisor told me that it was the first time she had been invited into his home I felt privileged that he had welcomed me in as well. The anxiety and nervousness that I observed had now made sense as my supervisor explained that no one had been into his house for a long time. At this point I was glad that I had accepted the cup of tea and drunk it no matter how it tasted, as I believe that if I had declined the offer or not drunk the tea it could have potentially impacted on the rapport I had with the client and potentially have left the client feeling unsuccessful in his emerging role as a host.
From this experience and reflection I learnt to consider the impact declining a cup of tea could potentially have on the person offering, and also the rapport that I am trying to build with a client. I learnt not to take the welcome into someone’s home and to be offered a cup of tea for granted as this welcome may not be as easy for the host. This has changed my previous thinking as prior to this experience I didn’t think that welcoming a health professional into you r home could be difficult. In my future practice I will use this reflection to ensure that I respect my client’s cultural needs and ensure that I take the time to engage in and to respect the welcome that they provide me with. I will also ensure that I consider the impact my reply may have on the rapport that I may have with my client and also the impact it may have on the client themselves.
Opinion
Research completed by Van Kuyk-Minis & Madill (1997) showed results that enabling one or two therapists at a time to devote substantial amounts of time to a special task is much more effective than trying to split time among many people. I believe that this same notion applies when building rapport. If a therapist is to take the time and have a cup of tea with a client to ensure that the relationship between them has a solid base I feel that this will increase the effectiveness of the treatment given with this client.
In my opinion I think that if there is adequate time and the situation is appropriate then all therapists should take the time to have a cup of tea if offered as I believe that this will make the client feel more worth the therapist's time therefore increase the rapport within the client-therapist relationship and also as stated above will even out the power balance that is in most client-therapist relationships, increasing the chance for successful intervention.
Harris, P., Nagy, S., & Vardaxis, N. (2006). Mosby’s dictionary of medicine, nursing and health professionals. Marrickville: Elsevier Mosby.
Robertson, L., & Hale, B. (2011, July). Interviewing Older People; Relationships in Qualitative Research. The Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice, 9(3), 1-8. Retrieved December 12, 2011, from http://ijahsp.nova.edu/articles/Vol9Num3/pdf/Robertson.pdf
Taylor, R. (2008). Challenges to Client-Therapist Relationships: The Inevitable Interpersonal Events of Therapy. In The Intentional Relationship: Occupational Therapy and Use of Self (pp. 117-127). Philadelphia, United States of America: F. A. Davis Company.
Van Kuyk-Minis, M. H., & Madill, H. M. (1997). Workload management in occupational therapy: the approach taken at University Hospital Nijmegen, St Radboud. Occupational Therapy International, 4(2), 151-159. Retrieved December 16, 2011, from CINAHL with Full Text (0966-7903).
Clients often view the therapist to hold more power within the client-therapist relationship. Taylor (2008) stated that this is due to the client viewing the therapist as having knowledge, information, and resources that could influence the client’s functioning or quality of life in some way. I believe that the simple offering and sharing of a cup of tea can assist the client-therapist relationship by challenging the roles within the building relationship. These role changes shift the level of power between the participants in such a way to create more equality between the two. Robertson & Hale (2011) shared this belief when they stated that the “Gifting of time, to accept the offer of a cup of tea for example, marks a role change from interviewer to guest, from interviewee to hostess, ensuring an equality between the two and possibly increased trust and willingness to share.” (pp. 6) This notion of role changes during the offer of a cup of tea provides the host with the power. This moment of feeling in control and having the power also means that the guest is then left without therefore challenging the belief that the therapist holds the power. This challenge on the power imbalance in the client–therapist relationship works towards creating a more equal relationship between the therapist and client and enables the client to have control in making changes with the knowledge and guidance of the occupational therapist. Clients whom have input into their intervention are said to be more motivated during intervention. Having an equal relationship with a client and having the client actively participate in the direction of intervention also assists the occupational therapist in ensuring that the intervention they are providing is client centered.
Reflection
I was on my mental health placement in my second year of my degree. My supervisor and I were going to visit a client at his home. When we arrived at the door I could see that the client appeared nervous and had sweat beads on his forehead. He welcomed us both in and while in discussion with my supervisor showed us around the house. When we reached the kitchen he offered us both a cup of tea. My supervisor accepted so I followed her lead and also accepted. The client prepared us both a cup of tea with milk and no sugar. Once he had prepared the drinks we sat down and my supervisor and the client talked about the client’s interests. I sat at the table observing my supervisor talk with the client. I started to drink my tea and realised that I did not like the task as I like sweet tea. I chose just to drink the tea even though I did not enjoy it. When myself and my supervisor returned to the car my supervisor told me that this was the first time this client had ever allowed her into his home, prior to this day he had talked to her outside on the lawn or at the gate.
During this experience I remember feeling unsure and uncertain about whether it was appropriate to accept the offer of a cup of tea. If I had not been with my supervisor I believe that I would’ve declined the offer as at the time of this experience I didn’t not understand the importance of this cup of tea. I chose to wait and follow my supervisor’s response. She accepted the offer of the tea so I felt that I may have appeared rude if I had declined the offer, so I accepted. I had not realised that the tea had no sugar until I took my first sip. I hated the taste of it, as at this time I had only just started drinking tea and liked at least too sugars in it to make it drinkable. At this time I thought to myself whether I should ask for sugar or not. I chose not to ask as I thought he may not have offered because he has not got sugar or it may have just been because he was nervous that he forgot. I decided not to ask because I felt this could potentially embarrass the client if he did not have any. I also decided that I would drink all of my tea as my personal values include that I show that I appreciate the offering of food or drink by finishing the amount given to me. When my supervisor told me that it was the first time she had been invited into his home I felt privileged that he had welcomed me in as well. The anxiety and nervousness that I observed had now made sense as my supervisor explained that no one had been into his house for a long time. At this point I was glad that I had accepted the cup of tea and drunk it no matter how it tasted, as I believe that if I had declined the offer or not drunk the tea it could have potentially impacted on the rapport I had with the client and potentially have left the client feeling unsuccessful in his emerging role as a host.
From this experience and reflection I learnt to consider the impact declining a cup of tea could potentially have on the person offering, and also the rapport that I am trying to build with a client. I learnt not to take the welcome into someone’s home and to be offered a cup of tea for granted as this welcome may not be as easy for the host. This has changed my previous thinking as prior to this experience I didn’t think that welcoming a health professional into you r home could be difficult. In my future practice I will use this reflection to ensure that I respect my client’s cultural needs and ensure that I take the time to engage in and to respect the welcome that they provide me with. I will also ensure that I consider the impact my reply may have on the rapport that I may have with my client and also the impact it may have on the client themselves.
Opinion
Research completed by Van Kuyk-Minis & Madill (1997) showed results that enabling one or two therapists at a time to devote substantial amounts of time to a special task is much more effective than trying to split time among many people. I believe that this same notion applies when building rapport. If a therapist is to take the time and have a cup of tea with a client to ensure that the relationship between them has a solid base I feel that this will increase the effectiveness of the treatment given with this client.
In my opinion I think that if there is adequate time and the situation is appropriate then all therapists should take the time to have a cup of tea if offered as I believe that this will make the client feel more worth the therapist's time therefore increase the rapport within the client-therapist relationship and also as stated above will even out the power balance that is in most client-therapist relationships, increasing the chance for successful intervention.
Harris, P., Nagy, S., & Vardaxis, N. (2006). Mosby’s dictionary of medicine, nursing and health professionals. Marrickville: Elsevier Mosby.
Robertson, L., & Hale, B. (2011, July). Interviewing Older People; Relationships in Qualitative Research. The Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice, 9(3), 1-8. Retrieved December 12, 2011, from http://ijahsp.nova.edu/articles/Vol9Num3/pdf/Robertson.pdf
Taylor, R. (2008). Challenges to Client-Therapist Relationships: The Inevitable Interpersonal Events of Therapy. In The Intentional Relationship: Occupational Therapy and Use of Self (pp. 117-127). Philadelphia, United States of America: F. A. Davis Company.
Van Kuyk-Minis, M. H., & Madill, H. M. (1997). Workload management in occupational therapy: the approach taken at University Hospital Nijmegen, St Radboud. Occupational Therapy International, 4(2), 151-159. Retrieved December 16, 2011, from CINAHL with Full Text (0966-7903).
My first introduction to a cup of tea
In first year all students participated in a paper called participation in occupation one. I was in class one day when I was introduced to the idea that a cup of tea was not just a hot drink. The class was asked to read an article written by Rosemary Caulton (1995), it was titled ‘The taking of tea: a common phenomenon’. In this reading Caulton talks about the importance and meaning behind sharing a cup of tea. She illustrates how drinking tea together is so commonplace and prominent amongst our society and all about the satisfaction and comfort that it can bring. A quote that was in the article which summed up its context is “…this cup, this loving, ordinary, commonplace, familiar cup affords both security and solace. Whether we like it, or drink it, or not, tea has become an archetypal image of humankind’s need-and ability-to provide itself in an instant, with warmth, order, meaning and comfort” (pp. 45).
This experience was the first time I had ever been challenged to think about a cup of tea as something more than just a hot drink. At the time I remember feeling very confused and unsure. I also remember questioning why we would be learning about a cup of tea. At this stage I believed that the whole concept was a bit ‘airy fairy’ and that it didn’t hold much relevance to occupational therapy. At the time I feel I had nothing to link the cup of tea subject to occupational therapy and this was why I thought that it was not relevant.
I recently read the article again and experienced a very different reaction than I had previously experienced in 1st year. At the end of this blog I will reflect on this new reaction. For now please read my following posts which are my journey of experiences which will lead me to my final reflection.
Caulton, R. (1995, December). The taking of tea: a common phenomenon. Occupation, 3(2), 6-22.
This experience was the first time I had ever been challenged to think about a cup of tea as something more than just a hot drink. At the time I remember feeling very confused and unsure. I also remember questioning why we would be learning about a cup of tea. At this stage I believed that the whole concept was a bit ‘airy fairy’ and that it didn’t hold much relevance to occupational therapy. At the time I feel I had nothing to link the cup of tea subject to occupational therapy and this was why I thought that it was not relevant.
I recently read the article again and experienced a very different reaction than I had previously experienced in 1st year. At the end of this blog I will reflect on this new reaction. For now please read my following posts which are my journey of experiences which will lead me to my final reflection.
Caulton, R. (1995, December). The taking of tea: a common phenomenon. Occupation, 3(2), 6-22.
At the beginning!
Before I started my degree I saw a cup of tea as a hot drink that most adults enjoyed, I was taught by my parents that it was always polite to offer a cup of tea to guests and that I use to dread it when they replied yes as it meant that I had to prepare more. At the time I did not know what meaning this cup of tea had lying behind it. Read on to follow my journey learning about the importance of a cup of tea in relation to culture, rapport building and using it within assessments.
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