Introduction: Deficits in self-awareness can be difficult for clients, caregivers, and therapists and some treatments can create a cycle of frustration, despair, and discharge from occupational therapy services. With a compassionate, occupation-based approach to treatment, however, therapists can create an environment that reduces these negative experiences and improves the client’s self-awareness and ability to participate in daily occupations.
Objective: This presentation will provide participants with a framework for understanding self-awareness based on the latest theories from neurology and offer a detailed guideline for evaluating and treating self-awareness deficits.
Methods: The designs used in the studies on which this guideline is based include randomized controlled trial quantitative, critical incidents qualitative, and longitudinal convergent mixed methods.
Results: The results of these studies identify self-awareness as a key component for the successful adoption of compensatory strategies; reveal the importance of therapeutic alliance, compassion, and participation in familiar occupations to improve self-awareness; make apparent the perspectives of clients, caregivers, and therapists; and provide guidance for compassionate occupational therapy that addresses the needs of each of these groups.
Conclusion: This research culminated in a guideline for practice, based on theory and evidence, that details evaluations and interventions for self-awareness. Occupational therapists who participate in the course will learn how to integrate compassion into the therapeutic process throughout assessment and treatment. Specific guidelines will be provided for building a therapeutic alliance, enhancing clients’ understanding of brain functions, increasing growth perspectives, and teaching compensatory strategies; all of which contribute to the development of self-awareness.