Overeaters Anonymous Reflection

Tonight I attended an Overeaters Anonymous (OA) 12 step meeting. I thought this would be very interesting and different from the experience of many of my classmates who attended Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous. Overeaters Anonymous operates from the 12 step model just like AA and NA, because the members really do see food as their drug of choice.
The leader was very directive in assigning roles to the different group members, incorporating activities of her choosing, and facilitating the flow of conversation throughout the meeting.
The group leader encouraged participation by initially stating that she wanted each group member to share after we completed activity. When only two individuals had not yet gone, she said,"Okay, which one of you would like to go first?" She was very respectful and validated what each person had to say. Every person thanked each individual who shared throughout the group session. Because each OA group runs in a fairly formulaic pattern, no individual personalities stood out too much to the point where the group leader would need to intervene. However, she did do a good job of making me feel comfortable as a newcomer and introducing me to the other members.
The group meeting took place in a small meeting room in the basement of the church. Members had to enter a backdoor of the church and walk through a winding hallway to get to the correct meeting space. I think that the fact that this felt so cozy and private made it easier for group members to open up and share throughout the session. As part of the OA model, only OA approved literature is displayed on the table so this element of the environment may have promoted some insights or reflections specific to the way that OA is run if they were familiar with that literature. Positive messages and OA, NA, and AA specific encouragements and steps were displayed all over the room. It was a small group of members, so the small size of the room made it easy to hear everyone and be comfortable.
I believe that this session was therapeutic. Each member shared something that they struggle with and a goal as part of their action plan. Also, there were several recitations that they seem to read aloud at every group meeting that positively reinforces the messages of OA in each group member's mind. I got very excited during the goal-writing portion (which I believe was a bit out of the ordinary from what they usually do). The leader said that she wanted each person's goal to be specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-constrained. I was so glad to see this kind of effective goal writing as part of a 12 step program! Each member shared their goals and many took notes on each other's goals as they were read out loud. At the end of the session, the group leader asked the members to share how long they have been a part of OA and what this group has meant to them. Each person that shared had a unique and deeply personal story that showed the true impact OA has had over decades of their lives. Although I know this was probably for my benefit, it was so inspiring and therapeutic to hear how well this group really works.
I think that this group was directive because the leader selected each activity, assigned the reading passages to different members, and directed the flow of the whole meeting. The leader was very active in encouraging group participation.

Reflection on Journal Article Review of Group Intervention

In the article, "Non-pharmacological, multicomponent group therapy in patients with degenerative dementia: a 12-month randomized control trial," researchers examined the effects of a long-term, non-pharmacological group intervention on cognitive function and ability to carry out activities of daily living versus usual care for people with degenerative dementia. The intervention group was divided into smaller groups of 10 individuals who received motor stimulation, practice in ADLs, and cognitive stimulation as a part of a group therapy intervention. The control group received usual treatment for cognitive function and ability to perform ADLs. This study took place over a span of twelve months. In the end, the researchers discovered that a highly standardized, non-pharmacological, multi-component group intervention in a nursing home was able to significantly postpone a decline in cognitive function in dementia patients and in their ability to carry out activities of daily living. At the end of the twelve months, the group that received usual care had a significant decline in cognitive function and ability to perform ADLs.

I chose this article because I have a personal connection to dementia and have been so frustrated with understanding the role of occupational therapy in treating clients with dementia. I am so desperate to learn how to slow the process of cognitive decline and help clients with dementia be as independent as possible for as long as possible. I find it so encouraging that this article found a significant difference in the population that received group intervention and the population that received usual care.

I think that this article definitely speaks to the power of groups. I know for me personally, I have benefitted so much from building connections, talking out problems, and finding common ground with my group members. By participating in groups, the individuals in these study experience significantly less cognitive decline and inability to perform ADLs. I believe that there is a very real mind-body connection between working out the emotional and psychological problems we face and the ability of your body to function to the best of its ability. In the future, I want to utilize groups as much as possible in my practice in order to provide the biggest benefit possible to my clients.

Graessel, E., Stemmer, R., Eichenseer, B., Pickel, S., Donath, C., Kornhuber, J., & Luttenberger, K. (2011, December 1). Non-pharmacological, multi-component group therapy in patients with degenerative dementia: a 12-month randomized, controlled trial. Retrieved March 7, 2018, from https://bmcmedicine.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1741-7015-9-129