Therapeutic-Use-of-Self as Relational Pedagogy in Occupational Therapy Education: A Qualitative Description Study.
Katie Lee Bunting, Becky Meyer, Katie Janzen and 3 others
PMID 39497421WHAT IT FOUND
Occupational therapy educators and students described therapeutic-use-of-self as a relational pedagogy that humanizes the classroom and challenges power hierarchies.
They reported that authenticity and vulnerability in teaching helped students feel seen and more invested in their learning.
Key findings
01Participants described therapeutic-use-of-self in education as shifting power dynamics by requiring educators to reveal themselves as real people with anxieties and limitations, rather than infallible authorities.
02Students reported that when educators used therapeutic-use-of-self, they felt grounded, valued, and more personally invested in their learning outcomes.
03The study identified that neoliberal pressures in higher education, such as large class sizes and grading systems, actively undermine the capacity for authentic relational teaching.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
The study used an autoethnographic approach where the researchers were the participants, meaning the findings are based entirely on the subjective experiences of six individuals. Anonymity was limited due to the small group size and the nature of the methodology, which may have influenced the openness of the data. The study was conducted remotely via Zoom due to pandemic restrictions, which may have affected group dynamics and the depth of connection. The findings reflect the specific context of two Canadian entry-to-practice OT programs and may not generalize to other educational settings or disciplines.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest. The study received ethics approval from the University of Toronto and the University of British Columbia.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret this study as evidence that therapeutic-use-of-self improves clinical outcomes or student grades. It is a qualitative description of the subjective experiences of six educators and students, not a test of the intervention's effectiveness.