A Glyph on Leadership

I don’t currently have physical access to the original drawing we did at the beginning of OT school, so luckily, all of the glyph's we did at the beginning of last year were uploaded for us to reference. There weren't too many differences, but a couple notable ones for sure. One was adding an accessory. Since starting OT school and being in a class FULL of leaders, I have been exposed to different traits and roles myself and others bring when working with each other. Finally, I wrote my name in cursive. I don’t have any concrete titles that I am striving for, but I know that no matter where my profession takes me, I want to serve, influence, and lead others toward positive changes in their lives. This activity was a fun, nostalgic revisit to the beginning of our OT journey!

Locus of Control

Locus of control refers to the source of influence, whether it be internal or external, toward a certain outcome in individuals’ lives. However, it’s not a black and white concept, rather a spectrum. Someone with a greater internal locus of control believes that their own actions are the source of what occurs around them. On the contrary, someone with a greater external locus of control, believes that life’s occurrences are determined by influences outside of one’s control.

As we’ve learned in school, one’s ability to adapt is a valuable trait as an OT. This means understanding the situation, accepting what is in and out of our control, and adjusting to the best of our ability. Situations created by our external environment will present themselves frequently, and it’s with the extent of our internal locus of control that we are able to approach the situation. 

Just like ourselves, it is just as if not more important for our clients to acknowledge and understand their own locus of control. As therapists, understanding our clients’ locus of control can help us approach our client and guide our treatment. It is our job to educate our clients, and sometimes that is accompanied by helping them discern what is in and out of their control. If it’s out of someone’s control, maybe the therapist and client can collaborate to approach it in a way that improves the client’s perspective on the situation.