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Dear Editor,
RE: Behind the Smile
I am writing in response to the article entitled “Behind the smile”, published on June 8, 2016. My first exposure to participation in occupational therapy was as a nursing student in an acute care mental health setting. The stigma of mental illness lends itself to the belief that persons diagnosed with mental illness have no hope of recovery and therefore have no positive contributions to make to society. It was a heart filling moment to see the various talents of those patients being displayed and their obvious pride in their work, dispelling the notion of their inability to contribute meaningfully.
I had that same reaction to the above captioned article highlighting Mr. Brown’s art exhibition. The artist has utilized his artwork to bring to the fore a topical subject that needs more attention while his work is also therapy for him. After all occupational therapy has its foundation in mental health and was established on the principle that active participation in meaningful activity is crucial to the mental health of persons diagnosed with mental illness (Castenada, Olson & Cargill Radley, 2013; Patterson, 2008).
My only regret is that I can only support Mr. Brown from a distance as I will not be able to see his exhibition. It is my sincere wish that his message will not be missed, that despite their smiles, the struggle with mental illness is very real.
2016 June 13
Sheryl Garriques-Lloyd sheryl.garriqueslloyd@uwimona.edu.jm
Nurse Educator
UWI School of Nursing
University of the West Indies, Mona
Kingston, Jamaica
References
Castaneda, R., Olson, L. M., & Cargill Radley, L. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.aota.org/about-occupational-therapy/professionals/mh/communit...
Patterson C (2008). A short history of occupational therapy in psychiatry. In: Creek J, Lougher L (Eds) Occupational Therapy and Mental Health. Churchill Livingstone, Elsevier, Edinburgh: 3–16
Re: Behind the Smile
Dear Editor,
RE: Behind the Smile
I am writing in response to the article entitled “Behind the smile”, published on June 8, 2016. My first exposure to participation in occupational therapy was as a nursing student in an acute care mental health setting. The stigma of mental illness lends itself to the belief that persons diagnosed with mental illness have no hope of recovery and therefore have no positive contributions to make to society. It was a heart filling moment to see the various talents of those patients being displayed and their obvious pride in their work, dispelling the notion of their inability to contribute meaningfully.
I had that same reaction to the above captioned article highlighting Mr. Brown’s art exhibition. The artist has utilized his artwork to bring to the fore a topical subject that needs more attention while his work is also therapy for him. After all occupational therapy has its foundation in mental health and was established on the principle that active participation in meaningful activity is crucial to the mental health of persons diagnosed with mental illness (Castenada, Olson & Cargill Radley, 2013; Patterson, 2008).
My only regret is that I can only support Mr. Brown from a distance as I will not be able to see his exhibition. It is my sincere wish that his message will not be missed, that despite their smiles, the struggle with mental illness is very real.
2016 June 13
Sheryl Garriques-Lloyd
sheryl.garriqueslloyd@uwimona.edu.jm
Nurse Educator
UWI School of Nursing
University of the West Indies, Mona
Kingston, Jamaica
References
Castaneda, R., Olson, L. M., & Cargill Radley, L. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.aota.org/about-occupational-therapy/professionals/mh/communit...
Patterson C (2008). A short history of occupational therapy in psychiatry. In: Creek J, Lougher L (Eds) Occupational Therapy and Mental Health. Churchill Livingstone, Elsevier, Edinburgh: 3–16
Competing interests: No competing interests