I am a 2013 graduate of Messiah College who is furthering my education at Drexel University in order to earn my Doctorate in Physical Therapy. My undergraduate background in Psychology led me to intern at Elwyn, a large Human Services organization, as a therapist for adults with severe, chronic mental disorders, primarily schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder. Through work leading individual and group sessions, I saw first- hand the progress that clients had made in understanding and coping with their diagnoses. I also developed a greater understanding of the importance of the interpersonal relationship between therapists and their clients and learned that developing a trusting and open relationship with one's therapist is a key element in a client's success. However, my psychology courses had focused around biology more than counseling, and I was hoping to find a field that would incorporate the interpersonal elements of counseling with the scientific elements of biology.
It was also during this time that I first witnessed the great impact that a Physical Therapist can have in the lives of his or her clients, as I watched a man living in Elwyn progress through therapy to the point where he was able to take his first steps after his amputation. PT seemed to combine the relational aspects of therapy with the medical and scientifically based biology in a way that I had not previously seen in another field. After volunteering in various inpatient and outpatient facilities, seeing varying approaches to the practice, I saw that Physical Therapy truly is a combination of my two interests. I am excited to continue my education in this growing field and to be able to carry my background in counseling and appreciation for the importance of a client- therapist relationship as I pursue my DPT at Drexel University.

Essay: Illness Management Recovery

Illness Management Recovery (IMR) is a form of therapy used in the mental health field that focuses on empowering clients to understand their diagnoses so that they can use this knowledge to be a vital part of their own recovery. I learned of this form of therapy as a counselor at Elwyn, where it was used extensively with residents with schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, bipolar disorder, and other illnesses.
With IMR, clients are encouraged to learn about their illnesses so that they are actively involved in their own recovery. I greatly appreciate IMR's model because it does not place the counselor in a superior position over their client as the "all- knowing" expert. It is the clients who know their symptoms, strengths, and setbacks best. IMR incorporates and empowers clients by allowing clients and counselors to work with one another. IMR allows clients to become educated about their illnesses so that they have a better understanding of their diagnoses. Working with an individual with schizophrenia, a topic I would focus on would be about the typical symptoms of schizophrenia. The client and I would work with one another to determine how he or she was experiencing certain symptoms.
One of the most effective elements of IMR is the focus on client's strengths. Not only does IMR seek to give clients a greater understanding of their diagnoses, but it also works to empower clients to deal with these symptoms by helping them become aware of their strengths. Learning about different personality types and their nuances and giving clients the opportunity to write down what they like about themselves and what they are good at makes therapy not solely about the negatives of life with a mental illness. It makes therapy an experience that clients leave feeling as though they have skills to offer the world despite the difficulties they may be dealing with on a daily basis. IMR also seeks to help clients cope with their specific symptoms using by allowing clients to work with therapists to develop their own recovery plans and to set goals towards recovery that are based off of the client's specific strengths.
As a counselor, I was able to witness the benefits of IMR as I could see clients better able to cope with symptoms such as hallucinations using the information we talked about in therapy sessions. With a better understanding of their diagnoses as well as a better understanding of themselves, clients were able to develop their own recovery plans and become an active part of their own recovery. I saw empowered individuals, using art, writing, music, or calming techniques in place of acting frighteningly upon hallucinations. It is because IMR actively involves clients in their own recovery process by working to develop their own goals using self- identified strengths that I believe it is an extremely effective therapy tool.