The Perception of Occupational Therapists and Their Use of Therapeutic Use of Self When Interacting with Clients and Fieldwork Students

The therapeutic use of self is an essential instrument in every occupational therapists' toolbox. Fieldwork is vital to a student’s transition to clinician and the student and fieldwork educator relationship is a critical component of the fieldwork experience. The researchers employed a phenomenological design to explore perceptions of 12 fieldwork educators regarding the similarities and differences in the way they use the therapeutic use of self with clients and students. How one develops their therapeutic use of self begins and evolves throughout fieldwork, impacting a clinician’s practice long-term. Results indicated that while the therapeutic use of self is readily used to meet individual client and student needs, the occupational therapist's responsibility to the client sometimes overrides student needs. Fieldwork educators’ expectations of students are far greater than those of clients, thus impacting how the therapeutic use of self is applied. Results indicated that occupational therapists are often unprepared to manage students with negative behaviors related to professionalism, work ethic, communication, and more. Study conclusions highlight the need to develop continuing education specific to fieldwork supervision and the management of challenging students. Providing fieldwork educators with resources to manage complicated student relationships may reduce fieldwork educator stress and improve the student’s fieldwork experience.