Martin utilized a wide array of strategies to cope with the losses he experienced. One of his key strategies was appraisal-focused (Drench, et al., p. 178). He describes finding comfort in talking to God because God didn’t need proof of Martin’s existence (Pistorius, p. 174). For Martin this was an adaptive strategy. He was able to use the strategy to cope with his lack of social support. Martin describes using a problem-solving strategy (Drench, et al., p. 179) upon gaining the ability to communicate. He describes, “Because I was static for so long, I want to keep moving forward . . . I constantly feel afraid that I might be found out as inexperienced at life, so I work hard to make up for what I believe I lack because I feel like a fraud”
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Once his mother discovered Martin could communicate, she chose to quit her job and spend most of her time helping Martin program his assistive communication device. Martin suspects this strategy was appraisal-focused (Drench, et al., p. 178), possibly as a penance for her past sins (Pistorius, p. 74). If this were the case, this is a largely maladaptive coping strategy as her actions would be guilt-motivated. I feel she likely used this strategy because of the guilt she may have felt for all of the negative feelings she expressed in front of Martin when she thought he was not conscious. As hinted in the “impact” section of the paper, Martin’s mother also utilized a lot of emotional discharge to cope. The text defines emotional discharge as “the release of suppressed feelings and emotions” (Drench, et al., p. 180). This behavior was exhibited when she would shout back and forth with Martin’s dad. For her, this was a maladaptive coping strategy because it created increased tension with her husband and ultimately resorted in her wanting to take her own life. I think she would use this strategy out of helplessness and a need to feel heard. If she had the support of her friends and a better financial situation, I think she may have been able to use more adaptive …show more content…
As a future PT, I found the time spent reading this book to be most worthwhile. I feel Martin’s story highlights the importance of providing intentional and empathetic care. I understand more fully that those who are thought not to have full cognition must be treated as fully human and with a healthy suspicion that these patients understand more than healthcare professionals and family members know. I also have a deeper realization of the need to be acutely aware of my own nonverbal communication and to consistently monitor the nonverbal communication of the patients with whom I am working. I hope as a result of this reading I will be a more compassionate PT as I will be able to be better able to realize how much stress my patients and their families may be going through. I hope the compassion I feel continues to translate into a higher standard of care that is forgiving, sensitive, and
Once his mother discovered Martin could communicate, she chose to quit her job and spend most of her time helping Martin program his assistive communication device. Martin suspects this strategy was appraisal-focused (Drench, et al., p. 178), possibly as a penance for her past sins (Pistorius, p. 74). If this were the case, this is a largely maladaptive coping strategy as her actions would be guilt-motivated. I feel she likely used this strategy because of the guilt she may have felt for all of the negative feelings she expressed in front of Martin when she thought he was not conscious. As hinted in the “impact” section of the paper, Martin’s mother also utilized a lot of emotional discharge to cope. The text defines emotional discharge as “the release of suppressed feelings and emotions” (Drench, et al., p. 180). This behavior was exhibited when she would shout back and forth with Martin’s dad. For her, this was a maladaptive coping strategy because it created increased tension with her husband and ultimately resorted in her wanting to take her own life. I think she would use this strategy out of helplessness and a need to feel heard. If she had the support of her friends and a better financial situation, I think she may have been able to use more adaptive …show more content…
As a future PT, I found the time spent reading this book to be most worthwhile. I feel Martin’s story highlights the importance of providing intentional and empathetic care. I understand more fully that those who are thought not to have full cognition must be treated as fully human and with a healthy suspicion that these patients understand more than healthcare professionals and family members know. I also have a deeper realization of the need to be acutely aware of my own nonverbal communication and to consistently monitor the nonverbal communication of the patients with whom I am working. I hope as a result of this reading I will be a more compassionate PT as I will be able to be better able to realize how much stress my patients and their families may be going through. I hope the compassion I feel continues to translate into a higher standard of care that is forgiving, sensitive, and