Tai Chi for Therapists

Ep. 02: Tai Chi In A Mental Health Service

In this podcast we interview Charlotte Rondel, an Occupational Therapist based in Jersey. Charlotte implements tai chi and qigong movements into her clinical practice with patients in a primary care mental health service.
Guest Profile
Charlotte Rondel qualified as an Occupational Therapist in 2006 from Southampton University. Also a qualified fitness instructor, she finds meaningful ways to support people to be more physically active and confident in how they move in everyday activity. Charlotte has worked in a range of settings including reablement, general medical and orthopaedic inpatients, community mental health and primary care mental health.
 
Interview Summary
1. Integration of Tai Chi in Mental Health Services:
Charlotte, an occupational therapist, incorporates Tai Chi into her practice in a primary care mental health team in Jersey.She uses Tai Chi across various settings, including primary care, secondary mental health services, and inpatient wards.
2. Benefits for Patients:
Tai Chi is used to address anxiety, mood difficulties, and depression.Patients report improved mood, increased body awareness, and better relaxation.It's particularly beneficial for older adults, potentially helping with fall prevention.
3. Alignment with Occupational Therapy:
Tai Chi's holistic approach aligns well with occupational therapy principles.It emphasizes prevention and considers the interconnection of mind and body.
4. Practical Implementation:
Charlotte introduced Tai Chi gradually, starting with staff wellbeing sessions.She incorporates it into one-on-one sessions and home visits.Group sessions are conducted in various settings, including day centers and inpatient wards.
5. Outcome Measures:
A simple 1-10 mood scale is used before and after sessions to track improvements.There's flexibility in choosing appropriate outcome measures.
6. Eight Active Ingredients:
Charlotte references the "Eight Active Ingredients" model from Peter Wayne's book, The Harvard Medical School Guide to Tai Chi.She focuses on elements like embodied spirituality, active relaxation, and intention in her sessions.
7. Challenges and Adaptations:
Dealing with varying patient speeds and interpretations of instructions.Adapting language to be trauma-informed and accessible to different patient groups.
8. Professional Development:
Importance of regular personal practice to improve confidence and skill in teaching.Continuous learning through ongoing engagement with training resources.
9. Patient-Centered Approach:
Recognizing that patients may benefit even if they don't perform movements "perfectly".Adapting to individual needs and interpretations of instructions.
10. Versatility of Tai Chi:
Can be used as both a rehabilitation tool and a wellness practice.Applicable across different age groups and mental health conditions.
In Summary:
Tai Chi can be effectively integrated into mental health services, offering a holistic approach that aligns well with occupational therapy and other health professions. It emphasizes the practical aspects of implementation, potential benefits for patients, and the importance of adaptability in clinical practice.
 
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Are you a rehabilitation professional? Then you may like to join our class leading CPD course, Tai Chi for Therapists.
Created for all registered allied health professionals, clinicians, and other rehabilitation professionals who would like to learn how to implement evidence-based tai chi and qigong movements into their clinical practice.
If you’re a physiotherapist, physical therapist, occupational therapist, occupational or physiotherapy assistant, or other allied health professional do get in touch, we’re here to help.
Visit our course page to find out more: https://www.discovertaichi.uk/courses
Thank you for visiting, all the best,
Phil & Helen
Website: https://www.discovertaichi.uk/
 

Tai Chi In A Primary Care Service

In this podcast we interview Occupational Therapists, Vicky Jones and Liz Smith based in Leek and Biddulph Primary Care Network Occupational Therapy Service.
In 2023 they, along with their colleague, Beth Jackson-Dale, developed an early intervention service focusing on disease prevention and supporting the management of newly-diagnosed long-term mental and physical health conditions. 
They utilised both acupuncture along with tailored tai chi and qigong movements for the patient groups.
The February 2024 edition of OT News features an article about the project.
Guest Profiles
Vicky Jones qualified 2012 from Brunel University. She has worked in a range of settings including acute mental health, community dementia services, emergency medicine, community rehab, Autism services and is now working in Primary Care Occupational Therapy alongside Liz Smith.
Email: vicky.jones@staffs.nhs.uk
Liz Smith, qualified from The University of Derby in 2004.  She has worked in both acute and community settings, working in both physical and mental health areas before joining Primary Care Occupational Therapy in 2021. 
Email: elizabeth.smith@staffs.nhs.uk
 
Interview Summary
Setting up a Tai Chi service in primary care:
Occupational therapists Vicky Jones and Liz Smith established a Tai Chi project in a primary care setting in 2021.
They focused on early intervention and proactive approaches for new conditions or existing health conditions.
The project aimed to support both mental wellbeing and physical health.
Evidence-based approach:
The team gathered evidence on Tai Chi as a health intervention for various conditions, including mental health, chronic pain, and falls prevention.
They used this evidence to support their training request and protocol development.
Implementation:
Developed inclusion/exclusion criteria for participants.
Created risk assessments for the environments used.
Initially ran a 10-week project, later adjusted based on outcomes.
Provided participants with personal copies of movements for self-directed learning.
Outcome measures:
Used the MYMOP (Measure Yourself Medical Outcome Profile) to assess baseline symptoms and functioning, repeating at the end of the project.
https://www.meaningfulmeasures.co.uk/mymop
Collected additional feedback through surveys and verbal responses.
Patient benefits:
Improvements in pain management, balance, mental wellbeing, and overall confidence.
Reduced medication use, particularly for pain management.
Enhanced social interactions and community engagement.
Case study:
A 61-year-old man with chronic pain after significant polytrauma showed significant improvements self-reported symptoms (+ 50%), wellbeing (+ 75%), and daily activities (+ 50%) after completing the project.
Unexpected outcomes:
Participants formed social connections, continuing to meet outside of the project.
Some patients challenged their own perceptions of their capabilities such as increased sense of autonomy and self-efficacy.
Tips for implementation:
Prepare visual aids (photos, videos) of movements before starting the project.
Liaise with other practitioners using Tai Chi in their practice.
Explore various training options.
Set clear boundaries and criteria for project access.
Future developments:
Planning to create video resources for patients unable to attend in-person sessions.
Presenting at conferences to share their experiences and outcomes.
Considering publishing research on their findings.
In brief:
This project demonstrates the potential for integrating holistic, evidence-based practices into primary care settings, offering an alternative or complement to traditional medical approaches for managing chronic conditions and promoting overall wellbeing.
 
References
1. Kong, L. J. et al. Tai Chi for Chronic Pain Conditions: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Sci. Rep. 6, 25325; doi: 10.1038/srep25325 (2016).
2. Juan Pablo Castro, Marie Kierkegaard, Manuel Zeitelhofer. A Call to Use the Multicomponent Exercise Tai Chi to Improve Recovery From COVID-19 and Long COVID, 2022 Feb 28;10:827645. Collection 2022.
3. Ryan Abbott, MD, JD, MTOMa and Helen Lavretsky, MD, MSb,* Tai Chi and Qigong for the Treatment and Prevention of Mental Disorders, Southwestern Law School, 3050 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles, California Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, Psychiatr Clin North Am. 2013 March ; 36(1): 109–119.
4. Chenchen Wang, Jean Paul Collet, Joseph Lau. 2004 Mar 8;164(5):493-501.The effect of Tai Chi on health outcomes in patients with chronic conditions: a systematic review, Arch Intern Med, 2004.
 
Links And More
MYMOP - Measure Yourself Medical Outcomes Profile
Leek and Biddulph Primary Care Facebook Page
http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/fitness/Pages/taichi
http://www.sdhct.nhs.uk/aboutus/services/painservice/improvinghealthandfitness/4_taichi
 
Listen, rate, and subscribe!
If you’re a rehabilitation professional you may like to join our class leading course, Tai Chi for Therapists.
Tai Chi for Therapists is designed for all registered allied health professionals, clinicians, and other rehabilitation professionals who would like to learn how to implement evidence-based tai chi and qigong movements into their practice.
If you’re a physiotherapist, physical therapist, occupational therapist, occupational or physiotherapy assistant, or other allied health professional get in touch, we’re here to help.
Visit our course page to find out more: https://www.discovertaichi.uk/courses
Thank you for visiting, all the best,
Phil & Helen
Website: https://www.discovertaichi.uk/