Volunteer with PushBack
Mentorship DPT buddies
PushBack
Push Back is an exercise program for people with Parkinson's Disease that focuses on a team approach and creates a supportive, encouraging environment. The program consists of set exercises that two physical therapists, Maggie Holt and Parm Padgett, have created.
I had the chance to volunteer to work for this organization. I worked with the athletes in person and was their partner during each exercise class.
The individual with Parkinson's was considered the athlete, I was the partner and the therapist was the coach. These terms created a more encouraging and upbeat environment. Each session was compromised of four circuits; legs, floor, cardio and wall. During each, I was able to collaborate with the other partners and athletes in creating a sense of togetherness.
Each session I noticed we waited to be directed by the coaches. We often tend to think of the word leader in the same way as we do director, but this way of thinking does not allow for growth and change in the team. Relating this volunteer work to my future career as a clinician, I became more initiative. For me to learn, to help others learn and to guide, it is important that I speak up and help even when it tends to feel out of my comfort zone. By doing this, I not only learned more from the coaches, but I learned from the athletes. They each appreciated the initiative I took in assisting them with their exercise routines that day and in turn I learned from them.
Mentorship DPT Buddies
Being able to take on the role as a mentor for a student one year below me allowed me to learn more about myself. It has challenged me in more ways than one, but it also gave me the opportunity to practice guiding someone.
Naturally, I find myself to always be that person everyone comes to when they have a problem, a question, or just want to be heard and ,in turn I make sure I listen and help in anyway I can, but this was different. We were assigned buddies and those buddies were told this is the person you can reach out to if you need assistance. I never reached out to my buddy when I first started this program, therefore I figured my first year buddy would do the same. However, I found it to be very different.
In this mentoring role, I was able to practice the skill of being an expert consultant. I was able to share my knowledge an expertise both professionally and personally. I reached out to my buddy with open arms and she took me up on that offer. It was only days after when my buddy and multiple other classmates of theirs began to ask for my assistance. Being a buddy allowed me to gain confidence and recognize that I do in face have valuable information to share. My buddy and their friends felt safe talking to me and after realizing that, I made sure it was important for me to create a safe space that allowed open conversations. I have learned in the past that when other leaders have made an effort to make me feel comfortable and judgement free, it allowed me to become a better student.
This has been important for me as a Physical Therapy student and will continue to be important throughout my career in order to learn and grow and be able to continue to provide that support for both my patients, peers and collogues.
" You don't have to have all the answers, you just have to be willing to share what you know".