MY OCCUPATIONAL IDENTITY

Laura Thomson

FAMILY

MY FAMILY IS IMPORTANT TO ME. I AM A SISTER, GRANDDAUGHTER, COUSIN, DAUGHTER, NIECE AND AUNTY. MY FAMILY SUPPORTS AND GUIDES ME, WHICH I HOPE I CAN DO THE SAME BACK AT TIMES. THEY PROVIDE A SENSE OF BELONGING AND A PLACE WHERE I WILL ALWAYS FEELS COMFORTABLE.

FRIENDS

I HAVE A LOT OF DIFFERENT FRIENDS, FROM PRIMARY SCHOOL, HIGH SCHOOL, COURSE, WORK AND THROUGH MEETING NEW PEOPLE. I VALUE MY ROLE AS A FRIEND AND AM REALLY THANKFUL FOR ALL OF THE FRIENDS I HAVE. WITH MOST OCCUPATIONS THAT I PARTAKE IN, I HAVE MY FRIENDS ALONGSIDE ME, MAKING IT MORE ENJOYABLE. I HOPE THAT I AM ALWAYS THERE AS A GOOD FRIEND, BEING SUPPORTIVE AND ENCOURAGING WHENEVER THEY MAY NEED A BIT OF HELP.

FLATTING

MY FIRST YEAR FLATTING HAS GIVEN ME MORE INDEPENDENCE AND RESPONSIBILITY. MY ROLE AS A FLAT MATE IS TO HELP WITH THE COOKING AND CLEANING.

TRAVELLING

I HAVE BEEN OVERSEAS TO ARGENTINA AND CHILE BUT I REALLY WANT TO EXPLORE OVERSEAS MORE. I ENJOY SEEING AND EXPERIENCING OTHER CULTURES.

EXERCISE

I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN INVOLVED IN SOME SPORT GROWING UP. EXERCISE IS A LEISURE OCCUPATION THAT I REALLY ENJOY, ESPECIALLY SPORTS. IT IS A WAY OF EXPERIENCINGNEW ACTIVITIES AND FINDING OUT WHAT I AM GOOD AT AND NOT SO GOOD AT

SOCIALISING

SOCIALISING IS SOMETHING I FEEL I AM ALWAYS DOING, EVEN IF I AM AT WORK OR IN CLASS. I AM CONSTANTLY AROUND PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY NOW THAT I AM FLATTING AND LIVING WITH MY FRIENDS.

WORK

I HAVE WORKED AT MCGLYNN HOMES FOR NEARLY TWO YEARS, PART TIME, AS A SUPPORT WORKER. RESIDENTS IN MY HOUSE ARE ALL IN WHEELCHAIRS AND HAVE HAD A BRAIN INJURY OR MS. PART OF MY OCCUPATIONAL IDENTITY IS A SUPPORT WORKER AND I TAKE THIS ROLE SERIOUSLY. MY WORK HAS TAUGHT ME TO HAVE A LOT OF PATIENTS AND NEW SKILLS IN RELATION TO COMMUNICATION AND MANUAL HANDLING. I AM LUCKY THAT I CAN TAKE THESE SKILLS AND APPLY THEM TO OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY.

BABYSITTING

THE FOUR CHILDREN I BABYSIT ARE MY NEPHEWS AND ALTHOUGH I DON’T GET PAID, IT IS A CHANCE FOR ME TO SPEND TIME WITH THEM. I ENJOY BEING AN AUNTY AND TEACHING THEM A LOT OF THINGS AND ALSO HAVING FUN WITH THEM. THEY CAN BE A BIG RESPONSIBILITY AND I AM LUCKY BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY I CAN GIVE THEM BACK TO MY BROTHERS.

ART

I HAVE BEEN INTERESTED IN ART SINCE I WAS ABOUT FIVE. IT IS A WAY FOR ME TO RELAX AND ENJOY SOME TIME BY MYSELF.

STUDENT

I AM IN MY SECOND YEAR OF STUDYING TO BE A QUALIFIED OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST. I REALLY HOPE I DO PASS AND I WILL TRY HARD THIS YEAR TO DO SO. BEING A STUDENT AND STUDYING IS MY MAIN OCCUPATION AS IT TAKES UP THE MAJORITY OF MY TIME.

REFERENCE McGlynn (n.d.). McGlynn live life

[Photograph]. Retrieved from http://mcglynn.co.nz/