Occupational Therapy: A Reflection on Interview Techniques and Skills

This reflection essay delves into the experience of an occupational therapist conducting an interview with a client. The essay highlights the importance of body language, communication skills, and empathy in creating a comfortable and professional environment. The author reflects on their strengths, such as effective listening, patience, and the ability to build rapport with the client. The essay also identifies areas for improvement, including time management and physical stamina. The author analyzes their ability to ask relevant questions, show empathy, and provide motivational support to the client. The reflection concludes with a plan to enhance time management skills through better task scheduling and to improve physical strength through exercise, ultimately aiming to enhance their professional practice as an occupational therapist. The essay references several academic sources that support the practices and theories discussed in the reflection.

REFLECTION ESSAY

Table of Contents
REFLECTION-................................................................................................................................3
REFERENCES ...............................................................................................................................7

REFLECTION-
As occupational therapist I am taking interview of my client, that is female student the
interview procedure is conducted in my office. Interview is taken at early in the morning, my
staff member and other people working outside of my cabin where I am taking interview of my
client. My client is giving some information about themselves to me, I asked to get ready for
interview. After their conformation I was being able to do my job as interviewer. My client take
some time to make themselves ready for further procedure. While taking interview I feel that my
body language is quite good, I set on my couch very calmly that make my customer comfortable.
It allows me to send a consistent message, at the time of taking interview I encourage my client
to feel comfortable and friendly. I had shared some personal history of my life with my
consumers, it is just a part of action. With body language and good posture I can bring up my
level of self-confidence. My body language is good and according to professional, it influences
on how my consumers feel about interacting with me. I did good job during interview session, as
I was able to listen what my client want to tell me and try to explain about job role and their
personal history. Patience is the key ability of my job role, I keep calm my self while interview,
because it is very essential to my daily life. Having patience means to me being able to wait
calmly in face of adversity (Babatunde, MacDermid and MacIntyre, 2017). It is one of the most
vital attribute in my self that I have to be in this profession. Sometimes, I had to faced impatient,
depressed, rude and impatient patients, but I can handle the situation effectively by keeping
patience.
At current interview, my client is not depressed and frustrated, so I do not need to make
extra efforts to make them more comfortable. My clients asked some questions to me and I like
to answer their question without avoiding it, I am able to response within effective manner.
Communication skills is required while taking face to face interview, I had good communication
skill as occupational therapist. At the time of taking interview, I need to explain and listen
patients carefully, that shows my focus and concern towards them. Good communication is very
essential element of my job role as it assure my patient satisfaction, positive health results and
adherence to interview (Swan, Carr and Fisher, 2019). While interview, I was able to interact
with my consumer, that is female student. I am capable to utilize questioning abilities in initial
stage of interview to understand customer home environment and condition. With smiling face I

am able to communicate with my client, there are not requirement of written communication
style the whole process is conducted orally.
While taking interview I feel that I have high confidence level and can take good
interview, asked relevant questions in ethical manner. During this event I feel that how to create
positive environment for my client in which they can feel confident and comfy, without making
hesitation it is very important for me.
I also asked certain question to my client regarding their personal life, and they respond
simply. I would like to take break and freshen up my mind for further interview process, it is
important for me as well as my client. Before asking any questions I asked to start interview that
is under professional activity. Without taking permission of other people I am unable to run
further activity. To make my patient more comfortable, I like to asked more information about
patient family, their friends and pet.
I was able to show empathy, it is one of the ability that I am using to understand feeling
of my client and share information as well. I have the capacity to comprehension what my client
is experiencing with their family and when they separated. Empathy is my another attribute that I
can use at the time to interview.
Along with this, I feel that I had lack of physical strength, I cannot be able to stand for
longer I be always seated on couch. Physical strength is major requisite for my job role, it helps
to serve clients throughout day and stand by side of my patients irrespective of duration and time
(Rodger and Dancza, 2018). I had excellent communication, empathy and patience skills which
is quite beneficial for me as occupational therapist. But due to lack of physical strength would
not be able to act professionally. At the time when I am taking interview I feel that some place or
point I cannot be able to speak, there are some hesitation among my self that make my work out
of professional practices. I think that my client is very happy and feel good at the interview
process, when I asked personal question to them, they feel sad and take time to give response.
Because individual have difficulty talking and sharing about their feeling, it helps that I have to
encourage by asking these questions, so I did.
To overcome depression of my client I gave some sympathy to them, I told them that it is
not their fault, there are so many thinks happen in life. I also try to motivate my customer by
sharing some personal information about my self, it works better. After analysing the situation I
can say that I have good motivational skills that help me a lot, to enhance motivational level of

my patient. Along with this, while taking interview I feel that I cannot be able to manage my
time due to lack of time management ability, I asked so many questions to my client which is not
required to asked, but I did. It takes a lot of time that I can use to treat another patients who are
suffering from depression.
Interview is the great chance for me to demonstrate how well I communicate with
customers, and I finally realize that I had communication skill.
After completing the whole interview process, I came back into my cabin and realize that
I cannot be able to manage my time and stand at any movement, which affect my further work.
In simple words, during interview my body language is good, I am able to listen to customers
and show empathy, but do not manage time which is not suitable for my job role. As I had to do
so many things, which is also important for me. Self confidence is one of the key component that
helps me to do my duty with effective manner. With high self-confidence level, I was able
conduct interview and take it at the end with positive results, as it effectively motivate my client
and encourage their moral. With the help of this ability I am capable to complete interview, I am
confident that I can do my work efficiently and professionally without any mistake.
From interview I had learned so many things for example who to communicate with
people, what comes out of mouth & what I communicate through my body language. In addition,
I also identity what is going wrong with interview, and that is time management and physical
strength (Pomey and et.al., 2018). I need to improve these two different things which is
significance for my career and further job role in this profession.
From above analysis, it has been summarized that I had to learn who to manage time and
improve physical strength. I would like to understand the importance of time management,
because it is the best way to save time in unnecessary things.
For further improvement I had to take appropriate decision and chose the best method for
developing time management skills and increase physical strength.
As occupational therapist I had to manage my time and understand way to achieve my
goal. Scheduling tasks and preparing list of question regarding topic before taking interview is
the best way that I can use to develop time management ability. I must set up deadlines and stick
to it, I need to set realistic time framework few days before interview so that I can do all those
work that may get in way. While interview most of the time, I am going out of cabin check my
phone which is not good. To gain positive results, I have to avoid multitasking that save my time

and efforts as well, I should stay focus on interview process, not asked unnecessary question just
need to asked simple and easy things.
Furthermore, I also want to improve my physical strength, with the help of walking for
longer distance and puling my self to run faster as I can, is good way to strengthen physical
stamina.

REFERENCES
Book and Journals
Babatunde, F., MacDermid, J. and MacIntyre, N., 2017. Correction to: Characteristics of
therapeutic alliance in musculoskeletal physiotherapy and occupational therapy
practice: a scoping review of the literature. BMC health services research. 17(1). p.820.
Lecours, A. and Therriault, P.Y., 2018. Development of preventive behavior at work:
Description of occupational therapists’ practice. Work. 61(3). pp.477-488.
Pomey, M.P and et.al., 2018. The Partnership Co-Design Lab: Co-constructing a Patient Advisor
Programme to increase adherence to rehabilitation after upper extremity
replantation. The Journal of Health Design. 3(1).
Rodger, S. and Dancza, K., 2018. Occupational therapy theories and the occupational therapy
process. In Implementing Occupation-centred Practice (pp. 29-46). Routledge.
Swan, J., Carr, S.E. and Fisher, C., 2019. What are the attributes of excellence in an acute
practice occupational therapist?. Australian occupational therapy journal. 66(1). pp.52-
60.
Torchalla, I and et.al., 2019. Trauma-focused treatment for individuals with posttraumatic stress
disorder: The role of occupational therapy. Occupational Therapy in Mental
Health. 35(4). pp.386-406.