Road Map To Holland Analysis

Road Map to Holland Book Reflection
Through reading Road map to Holland, this occupational therapy student (OTS) experienced an intimate setting and gained insight into a family atmosphere that consisted of a mother to three young sons, one of whom has Down syndrome. While reading this text, the audience is on a journey through Groneberg’s life. When reading Road map to Holland, there were common themes throughout the text that stood out: professionalism, psychosocial presentation, and education. Each theme holds prominence to this OTS, due to the future career path of occupational therapy (OT).
Professionalism
Professionalism includes “being mindful of the needs of patients/clients, their families, and society” (Falk-Kessler,

2014, p. 452). “Professionalism reflects the person as well as one’s profession” (Falk-Kessler, 2014, p. 452). As a future OT, professionalism is an aspect that is invaluable to possess. Each person Mrs. Groneberg encountered was subject to evaluation. Mrs. Groneberg described each person’s physical appearance briefly. The aspect of the assessment that this OTS found influential was the assessment of language use and actions. Mrs. Groneberg was essentially evaluating level of professionalism.
Mrs. Groneberg expressed positive and negative evaluations of professionalism. An example of poor professionalism was Mrs. Groneberg’s contact with the audiologist. Mrs. Groneberg wrote, “She’s cross with us, with me. I’d wanted her to like me-for us to be allies, two players on the same team, team Avery” (2008, p. 118). During this experience, the audiologist lacked professionalism, which includes lack of empathy and therapeutic use of self. The audiologist made herself appear cold and potentially placed a negative connotation on her profession as a whole.
Professionalism if lacking can place a negative connotation, as the previous example portrayed. However, professionalism can habilitate a strong relationship if used effectively. Mrs. Groneberg describes a positive use of professionalism when she presents Brittney to the audience. Brittney is a young woman sent from the Child Development Center (CDC) with the occupation title of Family Support Specialist (Groneberg, 2008). The relationship between Mrs. Groneberg and Brittney develops because Mrs. Groneberg feels comfortable and respects Brittney. Brittney exhibits many aspects of what professionalism entails. In a specific example, Brittney constructed a coffee can activity for Avery to help develop his pincer grip (Groneberg, 2008). Mrs. Groneberg wrote, “Brittney can’t give me a cure, or even know all the answers. What she can give me is her concern, her attention” (2008, p. 191). These characteristics demonstrate the importance of exhibiting professionalism.
By having read Road map to Holland, this OTS can begin to understand the impact that professionalism has on a client/therapist relationship. Prior to reading this text, this OTS was aware that professionalism is an important aspect of becoming an OT. However, this OTS learned that people can quickly evaluate this characteristic in a professional setting. Through reading Road map to Holland, this OTS will be mindful when providing OT services. This OTS will focus on presenting skills that will demonstrate good professionalism when evaluating and treating a client. The use of the developed skills will also extend to the clients family and caregiver. As an individual, this OTS gained awareness of the impact one encounter can have on a person’s perception of the professional and the profession. This OTS wants to provide the best possible care to clients and believes that in order to be successful needs to be able to demonstrate confidence, therapeutic use of self, and communicate effectively, all of which can contribute to professionalism (AOTA, 2014).
Psychosocial Presentation
Throughout Road map to Holland, Mrs.

Groneberg describes many instances where she evaluates herself through internal reflection. These instances can be both positive and negative based on her psychological processing and her social setting. Mrs. Groneberg shares how she is adjusting to being a mother to three boys, “The piles of laundry, the stacks of dishes, the shopping, the feedings, the changings are never-ending. I need a maid, a wet nurse, a nanny, a tutor” (2008, p. 82). Mrs. Groneberg exhibits feelings of overload, which leads to being overwhelmed. She manages the feelings by reaching out to her friends, which provides a supportive community (2008). Mrs. Groneberg also has excellent support from her in-laws (2008).
Recall the example of poor professionalism when the audiologist exhibited lack of empathy, this caused psychosocial stress on Mrs. Groneberg. After their encounter Mrs. Groneberg displayed her response to self by thinking, “I hate myself for letting her do it. What kind of mother am I? I feel like a fool; worse, like a failure. I’ve let Avery down” (2008, p. 119). When reading Mrs. Groneberg reflect on her interaction with a supposed professional it made this OTS reflect on the impact one can have on psychosocial health of future

clients.
By having read Road map to Holland, this OTS believes it is appropriate to treat clients in a positive way by providing encouraging words and offering support. When interacting with clients, their family, or caregivers it is imperative that the OT be sensitive. Often it is difficult to know what the client or the caregiver maybe facing outside the therapy setting. As a future health care professional self-awareness is a vital component of being an OT, especially when interacting with clients, their family, and/or caregivers. Typically, if an individual is seeking OT services or has a referral to OT, they are in need. The need is not limited to physical rehabilitation. As a future OT, it is imperative that a holistic approach be incorporated when going through the OT process. Feelings are present even when the client, caregiver, or family does not speak of them.
Education
When Mrs. Groneberg discovered that Avery had Down syndrome, she focused on learning everything she could about Down syndrome (2008). Reading was an interest that she possessed prior to having Avery and a task that helped her cope throughout the first two years of raising Avery (2008). From reading Road map to Holland, this OTS increased awareness to the vast resources that are available for education on Down syndrome. This OTS also discovered that not all resources are appropriate for every individual. When Mrs. Groneberg would read some resources she felt a since of distain, while others offered excellent insight and content (2008).
Another type of education established in Road map to Holland, consisted of teaching Mrs. Groneberg how to perform Avery’s exercises when not in a therapy setting. “Wendy is Avery’s pediatric physical therapist” (Groneberg, 2008, p. 179). Mrs. Groneberg goes on to write, “Wendy teaches me as she’s teaching Avery” (2008, p. 180). Wendy focused on the client and on educating Mrs. Groneberg in all aspects of the treatment plan. This form of education is vitally important because it allows the client to go home and continue to work on reaching pre-established goals. Continuation of therapy treatments, if completed correctly, will ultimately benefit the client.
As a future OT, education will be a vital treatment approach and will aid the client, caregiver and family of the client. Typically OT, find their selves as the teacher, they want to educate the client, caregiver, and family so they can help in treatment or become aware of a given situation (Gillen, 2014). Through reading Road map to Holland, this OTS gained insight on what education can include. Education is not limited to simply providing tips and cues on how to complete certain exercises but also being able to provide further resources that may provide ease of mind or insight into the specific situation.
Conclusion
Through reading Road map to Holland, this OTS had the opportunity to gain insight into home life that included a child with Down syndrome. This OTS attended school with a boy who was a triplet, him being the only boy and having Down syndrome. By having read about the life of Mrs. Groneberg, this OTS wonders if the two mothers share similar experiences and thoughts. Did they both encounter instances where poor or excellent professionalism was demonstrated? Where there similarities in their psychosocial health, did they experience similar struggles and triumphs. Did each mother receive adequate levels of education? This OTS has not pondered these questions before. However, this OTS is aware that these are issues that need to be considered moving forward into the health care professional setting as an OT.