Beers:Blog3
IhavejustsuccessfullycompletedmyninthweekatSupportiveLivingInc.’s
BrainInjuryWellnessCenterinLexington,MA(SLI).Asareminder,SLIisaBoston‐
areacompanythatprovideshousingandprogramsforpeoplewithbraininjury.My
internshiptherethissummerwaswithintheirFitnessProgram,whereindividuals
withbraininjurycomethreetimesaweektoimprovetheirphysicalhealth.The
hopeisthatimprovingtheirfitnesslevelwillamelioratelostneurological
functioning.Additionally,weexpectthatimprovingparticipants’fitnesswillleadto
fewerhealthproblemsinthefuture,thereforesavingtheparticipantsfrom
unnecessaryillnessanditsassociatedcosts.
EventhoughonlyoneofthethreeexpectationsIhadforthisinternship
becameareality,ithasbeenafantasticexperienceforme.Thetwo“busts”were(1)
shadowingnumeroushealthcareprofessionalsand(2)developingdataanalysis
skillsandmyknowledgeofpolicy.SinceIonlyworkedcloselywitharecreation
therapist,thefirstexpectationwasnotmet.Also,whileIlearnedalotaboutpolicy
regardingtheassessmentofpeoplewithbraininjury,Iwasn’texposedtoany
broaderdisabilitypolicies.Ialsowasn’tabletobegindataanalysissincethe
researchandoversightneededpriortoimplementingsuchanassessmentwastoo
expansiveandleftnotimeforactualimplementation.Whilethisisdisappointing,
theworkthatIdidresearchingthebesttoolsforassessmentoftheparticipantsare
suretobevaluabletothepersonwhocontinuesthisproject.
ThisinternshipwasalsovaluablebecauseIlearnedanumberofthingsthat
canbeusedinothersituations,bothprofessionalandpersonal.Firstly,itwasagreat
representationoftheinnerworkingsofarehabilitationfacility.Beingtherethree
daysaweek,Isawfirst‐handhowprogramsaredeveloped,funded,executed,and
assessed.Ialsorealizedthat,regardlessofhoworganizedafacilityis,thereis
alwaysday‐to‐dayreshufflingofpriorities.WorkingwithSLIshowedmehowto
dealwiththesechangesinacomposed,appropriatemanner.Anotherthingthis
internshiptaughtmewastheimportanceofcollaborationandcooperation.In
additiontoknowingwhatIwasdoing,Ialsoneededtoknowwhatotherswere
doingincasetheyneededsupport.And,attimes,Ireliedonthemforsupport.
InterningatSLIprovidedagreatexampleofhowanencouragingvisionandproper
teamworkcanleadtogreatoutcomes.
Thisinternshipalsogreatlyinformedmycareertrajectory.Goingintothis
internship,IthoughtthatIwantedtoworkasanoccupationaltherapist.Whilewhat
Ididduringtheinternshipwasn’texactlythejobofanoccupationaltherapist,itwas
closeenoughthatIwasabletorealizethisisn’twhatIwouldliketopursueinthe
future.WorkingwiththeparticipantswasveryenjoyableandIlikedthechangeI
Beers:Blog3
wasmakingintheirlives,butIrealizedthatIprefermoreindependentworkata
higherlevel.IamsogladthatIdidthisinternshipbecauseithelpedmetogeta
muchstrongerideaofwhatmightnotworkforme,professionallyspeaking.Andit
alsoexposedmetoseveralaspectsofhealthcareadministration,anewpotential
occupationalpursuit.
ForanyotherHSSPstudentlookingforaninternship,Iwouldcertainly
recommendthisone.Ifyouenjoyworkingone‐on‐onewithpeople,andmakinga
differenceinothers’lives,SLIwouldbeanamazingorganizationforyou.Considerit
ifyou’reinterestedinanyoftheaffiliatedrehabilitationfields(e.g.,physicaltherapy,
occupationaltherapy,orspeechlanguagepathology)orinworkingforahealthcare
facilityinamanagerialposition.TheknowledgeIamtakingfromthisinternshiphas
greatlyshapedmeandmyfuture,andIhopeyouconsideritasI’msureitcandothe
sameforyou.
MyinternshipatSLI’sBrainInjuryWellnessCenterwasanexperienceIam
soluckytohavehad.Ittaughtmethatworkingwithpeoplewithbraininjuryisa
dynamicandadaptiveprocess.TheparticipantsthatIworkedwithhadsuchvaried
abilitiesanddisabilities,showingthetruespectrumofbraininjury.Thismeantthe
day‐to‐dayworkwasquitevariableandIreallyneededtobeontheballtobe
effective.AsIworkedwiththeparticipants–BH,CK,andBW(seemypreviousblog)
–Isawtheimpactofmy(well,our)effortsovertime.BHcannowwalkthirtytimes
fartherthanhecouldwhenIfirststartedworkingwithhim.CKhasresumedhispre‐
accidenthobbyofweightlifting,andhegreatlylooksforwardtoimprovinghis
physicalandemotionalhealth.AndBWhasgonebikeridingforthefirsttimeina
decade,andmorethoroughlyenjoystheFitnessProgramforitsphysicalandsocial
benefits.Thesesuccessesareextremelypositive,andarepreciselythepurposeof
theFitnessProgram.Iamveryhappywithmydecisiontotakepartinthis
internshipsinceIwasabletoexperiencesignificantgrowth,bothmyownandthat
oftheparticipants,aswecreatednewpathsforourselves.