{"panels":[{"content":{"params":{"text":"

A story about the importance of students in the healthcare field to learn to think critically and consciously about social justice and health equity work, especially among Indigenous and other marginalized communities. <\/p>\n"},"library":"H5P.AdvancedText 1.1","metadata":{"contentType":"Text","license":"U","title":"Untitled Text"},"subContentId":"0ab25598-773c-4524-a4e9-eb278d9a6df2"},"title":"In Their Shoes by Molly Flindall-Hanna"},{"content":{"params":{"text":"

I was immersed in grad school learning about anatomy, mental health, disability, and the science behind rehabilitation therapy. I had amazing placements that often made me reflect on situations and how I would do things differently next time. The people I interacted with and the stories the client\u2019s shared with us as students were one of the most impactful parts of graduate school. Then I was thrown into an experience (both on placement and then one of my first jobs) where I felt like school had really let me down. My wicked problem was learning to walk in the shoes of my clients in the field of \u201ccultural safety\u201d. It was constant ethical dilemmas that made me question why such a focus of school was on \u201cevidence based practice\u201d, research, and quantitative results rather than cultural competency, the lived experience, and learning to advocate for client\u2019s to be their own healers. The topic of \u201cspirituality\u201d (which is highly important for many cultures) was breezed over. I was left learning how to support client\u2019s by the locals and Elders in those communities. I emailed other therapists to understand how they were applying concepts from school to different populations, and how they were doing their work differently to ensure that their client\u2019s were being holistically cared for. Other questions I was confronted with included - What are traditions? What are rituals? What could I be doing as a student with European Settler ancestry that could be harmful? What was I not doing to learn about the ways of other communities and families? Why do I feel like \u201cbeing the expert\u201d could be harmful? How do I feel successful if I am not looking for quantitative outcome measures? One of my preceptors even told us as students presenting on a Western \u201cevidence-informed therapy\u201d that none of the research had been done on people from their COUNTRY let alone community. Another time a colleague of mine reminded me that if I didn\u2019t take the time to learn about the traditions of the Indigenous families I was supporting, how could I ensure that the assessment and intervention process was not furthering a colonial agenda. This wicked problem in school of not learning to think critically and consciously about the social justice and health equity work (especially among marginalized populations) that needs to be done, was a tough lesson. If I\u2019m not serving the people who need the most help, I\u2019m doing an injustice. Working with different cultures and communities I could see the need for inclusivity and diversity. I saw the importance of honouring culture for clients in my one-on-one interactions, as well as the bigger narrative I was contributing to in the healthcare system. Anti-racism work. De-colonizing work. And I saw how politics intersected with work intersected with community activism intersected with global human rights! A favourite Indigenous leader of mine Shayla Stonechild told a story about \u201cwalking in two moccasins\u201d including the moccasin of her traditional ways and culture, and the moccasin of Western society and modern day life. I relate to this in that I felt like I was walking in a shoe from my schooling (solid, shiny, professional looking) and another shoe from the real-life work I was doing (soft, comfortable, worn out, but resilient). I felt like my gait was unbalanced and I needed to learn to walk with two different shoes.<\/p>\n"},"library":"H5P.AdvancedText 1.1","metadata":{"contentType":"Text","license":"U","title":"Untitled Text"},"subContentId":"6d173d7a-52aa-44c2-a197-846527c1386d"},"title":"The Wicked Problem"},{"content":{"params":{"text":"

\n\t
Advocate for diverse subjects in school & placements with different communities. Make cultural safety and Indigenous History a requirement in healthcare programs. You can give this kind of feedback to academic departments.<\/p>\n\t<\/li>\n\t
\n\t
Listen to the lived experience. Whenever you feel \u201cout of place\u201d as a student interacting with a colleague or client with a different experience than yours, listen to their stories. In some cultures, storytelling is viewed as an ancient means of sharing wisdom. Do not doubt this experience. Do not think that you need \u201cscientific proof\u201d to be sure about something. Because your client\u2019s are sure about their own lives.<\/p>\n\t<\/li>\n\t
\n\t
Learn from different teachers. Professors are teachers and many of them are great! But there are many forms of teachers. Grandparents, sport coaches, leaders you follow on social media. <\/p>\n\t<\/li>\n\t
\n\t
Travel. If you go outside of your own comfort zone to travel to new places, you meet new people and experience new ways of life. Travel experience should be on resumes! It should be on applications to grad school. Because those who travel have invaluable teachings that impact their work.<\/p>\n\t<\/li>\n\t
\n\t
Learn about your own ancestry and traditions. This piece of advice from an Elder I worked with helped me greatly. I asked my grandparents questions about our ancestry and events that had happened in their lifetime. I learned where my family was from, in order to understand who I was. And this helped me understand the importance of ancestry for others.<\/p>\n\t<\/li>\n\t
\n\t
Ask questions! All. The. Time. The only way I have learned to \u201cthink outside the box\u201d was by asking all the questions. Even from people who didn\u2019t like being questioned.<\/p>\n\t<\/li>\n\t
\n\t
Be open to new ways. Be the type of student who sits with information. Question things you have learned. Dare to question the people teaching you the things you learn.<\/p>\n\t<\/li>\n\t
\n\t
Diversify your social media! I have learned SO much from following different people on social media (different races, ages, abilities, genders, education backgrounds, and more). Continue to seek the perspective of people who are different from you. That way you can connect with different people more meaningfully. And if you aren't big on social media - READ MORE BOOKS! Especially by authors who are Black, Indigenous, or identify as a Person Of Colour.<\/p>\n\t<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n"},"library":"H5P.AdvancedText 1.1","metadata":{"contentType":"Text","license":"U","title":"Untitled Text"},"subContentId":"886255b3-3282-41fc-8ae7-b9cded4e802f"},"title":"Finding a Solution"},{"content":{"params":{"text":"
One of my favourite quotes is from an Occupational Therapist named Rachel Thibeault. She says \u201cI\u2019m an occupational therapist, an obscure profession if there ever was one. We are few and far between, maybe because we have chosen to serve people with disabilities. All disabilities. Not a glamorous endeavour, nor a lucrative one. And I say serve because we deem that in helping we see weakness, while in serving we see wholeness. We\u2019ve opted for wholeness nearly a century ago and have been at odds with the system ever since. We don\u2019t fit people, you see, we simply try to find a way to meaning, balance, and justice. I chose occupational therapy because it blends science and humanism, intellectual rigour and compassion.\u201d It is leaders like Rachel who make me feel like I am doing the good work. That by asking questions of myself and of SYSTEMS (including academia) I am becoming a better therapist, student, and person. I am acting from the motto \u201cdo no harm\u201d and I realize that NOT learning about cultures and oppressive histories is harmful. So my hope is that academia starts to discuss social justice issues and options for local community development more because we all play a part in making this world a better place. In closing, how can you stand in YOUR shoes with dignity, if you haven\u2019t even tried to be \u201cin THEIR shoes\u201d.<\/p>\n"},"library":"H5P.AdvancedText 1.1","metadata":{"contentType":"Text","license":"U","title":"Untitled Text"},"subContentId":"a3d036cf-38ed-4131-a36d-a44b69c8ab7f"},"title":"Final Thoughts"},{"content":{"params":{"text":"
Flindall-Hanna, M. (2021, October 5). In Their Shoes<\/em>. Liberated Learners. https:\/\/wicked.liberatedlearner.ca\/learner\/in-their-shoes\/<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n"},"library":"H5P.AdvancedText 1.1","subContentId":"39a32f62-d913-43b5-ba5e-2848430118de","metadata":{"contentType":"Text","license":"U","title":"Untitled Text"}},"title":"APA Reference"}],"hTag":"h2"}

In Their Shoes

Liam Peart