Capstone Process & Reflections
This page provides the personal reflections and narratives that detail the process of implementing my capstone project.
Topic Selection
While brainstorming ideas for my capstone project within the scope of occupational therapy, I was curious about inpatient adult care and community mental health care. I chose to focus on community mental health, and specifically people experiencing homelessness, because I was able to see the gap in services and the needs of the population. I have volunteered and worked alongside people experiencing homelessness, and there is such a large prevalence of occupational deprivation affecting quality of life. This inspired me to focus my capstone on individualized care, addressing life skills and housing needs using client-centered care for adults in the community.
Focus Area Selection
After identifying my passion for supporting vulnerable populations, I knew I wanted to focus on helping adults with mental illness and individuals experiencing homelessness gain essential life skills and housing stability. This led me to concentrate on creating programs that integrate life skills training with housing support as my key area of focus.
Additionally, my top two strengths from the StrengthsFinder assessment, Developer and Empathy, guided me in pursuing this project. My strength of Developer allows me to recognize and cultivate the potential in individuals, which motivates me to design tailored life skills programs that foster growth and self-sufficiency. Meanwhile, my Empathy strength enables me to connect deeply with individuals facing complex challenges, ensuring that I approach their needs with compassion, respect, and a commitment to understanding their unique circumstances. These strengths will help me build trusting relationships and create effective interventions that promote lasting change, empowering individuals to secure housing and build the skills necessary to thrive
Capstone Update 2023
I am currently looking for a potential site for my capstone project. I have identified two potential shelters in the Cincinnati area that have accepted capstone students in the past. I am looking for a facility that provides client-centered care to each resident and values the skills and experience of each resident.
Capstone Update Dec. 2024
During the fall semester of 2024, I made significant strides toward completing my capstone project. I had my initial meeting with a potential capstone site and chose to partner with Queen City Clubhouse, a community-based program in Cincinnati that provides support and services to adults living with mental illness. I was excited to partner with Queen City Clubhouse because their mission aligns with my passion for helping individuals with mental health challenges gain independence and improve their quality of life. My site mentor and I shared a common goal of empowering adults with mental illness by providing the tools and support needed to enhance their daily living skills and secure stable housing.
After our initial discussions, my site mentor and I agreed that the overall goal of my capstone project would be to develop a comprehensive program that integrates life skills training with housing support for the members of Queen City Clubhouse. This program would help participants develop essential skills for independent living, including budgeting, job readiness, and interpersonal communication, while also providing resources and guidance to help them maintain stable housing.
Through further meetings and brainstorming, we refined the project’s focus and began exploring various models of life skills training that could be tailored to the unique needs of adults living with mental illness. We outlined the project to include a semi-structured interview using the SHARES Ohio Scales for Adults to determine client needs and 1:1 Life skills intervention groups.
Reflecting on my progress this semester, I feel very accomplished and excited about the next steps in my capstone journey. I’ve gained a lot of confidence in my communication skills and initiative. I reached out to my capstone site mentor regularly and joined the advisory board of the Queen City Clubhouse to learn more from the members. I have increased my independence in completing research and interacting professionally with others. I’m confident these skills will serve me well in my future career as an occupational therapist, particularly if I am involved in developing new programs or services for individuals with mental health challenges