Üsküdar University's Occupational Therapy Department and the Music Therapy Application and Research Center MÜTEM organized the III. Occupational Therapy Student Congress with the theme of “Interdisciplinary Approach in Occupational Therapy,” bringing together students and experts trained in this field. Üsküdar University Founding Rector, Psychiatrist Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, stated that the importance of occupational therapy and sensory integration has increased due to the decrease in social interaction during the pandemic. Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan also added that increasing the quality of education in these fields is among their biggest goals.
At the 3rd Occupational Therapy Student Congress, organized by Üsküdar University's Occupational Therapy Department and the Music Therapy Application and Research Center MÜTEM with the theme "Interdisciplinary Approach in Occupational Therapy," 50 experts in the field came together to evaluate occupational therapy practices from different perspectives.
Prof. Dr. Sevda Asqarova: “I wish you a broadcast full of science”
The opening speech of the congress, held online due to pandemic conditions, was given by Prof. Dr. Sevda Asqarova, Head of Üsküdar University Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Occupational Therapy. Thanking the congress participants, Prof. Dr. Sevda Asqarova said, “We will be together again on another beautiful day. I welcome all my professors and participating friends. I thank you all for your contributions and wish you a broadcast full of science.”
Prof. Dr. Şefik Dursun: “Occupational therapists will have important duties after the pandemic”
Üsküdar University Faculty of Health Sciences Dean Prof. Dr. Şefik Dursun, in his opening speech, thanked the Occupational Therapy department for organizing the congress and said: “Occupational therapy is a field where many disciplines come together to make an effort to prepare people for life and increase their success and productivity. There are many problems brought by the pandemic, and we are experiencing these problems together. I believe occupational therapists will have important duties after the pandemic.”
Stating that he hopes humanity will learn lessons from the pandemic, Prof. Dr. Şefik Dursun said, “Humanity will undergo a restructuring in terms of spiritual and human values, and we will find the opportunity to live in a more beautiful world after the pandemic. As a university, we strive to prepare you for this future. We sow seeds in the soil; if they sprout, something happens, it means something. In other words, your upbringing is extremely important for the realization of the ideals we have stated. Hopefully, we will safely recover from the pandemic and overcome these difficulties with the contributions of occupational therapists. Let's say the Faculty of Health Sciences is the locomotive of Üsküdar University; it really works like a beehive. I wish you all success in this congress.”
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan: “Interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary approach is important in science”
Üsküdar University Founding Rector, Psychiatrist Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, stated in his opening speech that the congress theme being an interdisciplinary approach is very meaningful, saying, “Because currently, the world is moving towards the integrity of sciences. In our assistantship years, each science was like a separate republic on its own. It was claimed that each was the most beneficial science among others. Indeed, if everyone looks at events only from their own perspective, they will be mistaken. That is why interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary disciplines are very important.”
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan: ”Our role in the recognition of occupational therapy is significant”
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan stated that Üsküdar University played an important role in introducing the concept of occupational therapy in our country and explained their work in this area as follows: “What occupational therapy was, was not known. Before this department was opened in our hospital in 2006, we had changed the name of the department we called 'activity therapy,' which was known as 'Work and Occupation Therapy,' to the Occupational Therapy department. There was art therapy with music, art therapy with paintings, and marbling. We had started occupational therapy clinically. This department is within the scope required for Turkey to meet EU standards. The Ministry of Health initiated a serious transformation in healthcare. Every profession now had to be certified. All departments needed to be recognized and taught with structured education. At that time, we had 'Work and Occupation Therapy,' which was known as occupational therapy abroad.
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan: “Occupational therapists needed to be trained”
Germans used occupational therapy very well. We were using it in practice in Turkey, but while researching the need for training occupational therapists, we noticed an initiative by Hacettepe. We applied to YÖK (Council of Higher Education) simultaneously with Hacettepe. We also saw that YÖK had a plan and preparation for meeting EU standards. However, since physiotherapists opened occupational therapy at Hacettepe, they were applying a physiotherapy-heavy occupational therapy there. Their work was only related to motor adaptation of people to social life. They had created a program focused on adaptation for those with physical disabilities. At that point, I also stated that occupational therapy has a social skills component and an emotional skills component. We defined sensory integration therapy as a course.”
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan: “We defined sensory integration therapy as a course”
Pointing out the importance of sensory integration therapy, Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan said, “We defined sensory integration therapy as a course. I explain sensory integration therapy to child psychiatrists. To adapt a child with pervasive developmental disorder to life, merely opening departments for physically disabled people and treating disabled people as disadvantaged is not enough. There are many mentally, socially, and emotionally disabled individuals. These are now scientifically defined. Neuroscience has proven this. We discussed that these should also have a curriculum. The scientific equivalent of this is ‘Sensory integration therapy.’ ”
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan: “Social skill development is possible in social environments”
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, noting that learned autism began to spread during the Covid-19 period, stated that social skill development is learned in social environments, and said:
“What happens with learned autism? Normally, there are the AGTE developmental test and the Denver test. They measure whether a child's development is healthy. They usually look at 4 skills such as fine motor, gross motor, language skills, and mathematical skills. However, social skills remain weak. To what extent can an individual manage human relations in a social environment? Then there are emotional skills. The person will read the emotions of the other party, read their own emotions, and perform emotional transfer. In positive psychology, this is even called enlightenment; that is, clarification. When you open a computer, it automatically adjusts the screen; if it doesn't, the user needs to do it. Enlightenment also means adjustment or alignment. In military service, it is known as close-order drill. A person later learns to do the same thing in social life and family life, in professional functioning, social functioning, and family functioning.”
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan: “Social contact decreased during the pandemic”
Stating that "Enlightenment is not in our genes," Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan said, “Where to get angry and where not to, whether the other party is upset or not, what a person feels or does not feel as emotional awareness, was learned in daily life. However, after the Covid-19 period, social contact decreased, and relationships weakened. Children cannot even go to kindergarten. Yet, through socialization, children learned many things in apartments and kindergartens. Especially in the early age group, which we call 0-6 years old, if family ties, especially with parents, are weak, they will develop without learning.”
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan: “Speech and language are a pillar of occupational therapy”
Emphasizing that speech and language is also one of the interdisciplinary branches of occupational therapy, Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan said, “We were also the first to establish the Speech and Language Therapy (SLT) department. When we first established the SLT department, it only existed in Eskişehir. We wanted to provide certified training, but we received an official letter from Eskişehir stating that only they could do it and that we could not open it. Following this, we submitted an application to YÖK stating our desire to open a speech and language therapy department. Since it also aligned with health policies, after we opened it, we established the department in Turkey with its founder, Prof. Dr. Ahmet Konrot. Speech and language are a pillar of occupational therapy.”
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan: “Our goal in education is to raise quality”
Stating that Neurology Specialist Prof. Dr. Oğuz Tanrıdağ also has important work on aphasia, Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan said, “GATA developed an aphasia test, which is still used in Turkey. Our professor Oğuz Tanrıdağ has given lectures on this topic to young people. He is also one of the important figures in the world regarding aphasia. The person who developed that test was a professor interested in how the speech-related area of the brain is affected and how it can be treated in language skill education. Currently, we have the most departments in the Faculty of Health Sciences. All 13 departments are with us. Our goal in education from now on is to raise quality. Therefore, it is very valuable for our occupational therapy department at Üsküdar University to hold interdisciplinary congresses in line with our goals.”
“Orthopedics, physical therapy, and occupational therapy are like pieces of a puzzle”
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Barış Yılmaz, Chief Physician of Fatih Sultan Mehmet Training and Research Hospital, who chaired the first session of the congress, delivered a presentation titled "Post-Trauma Occupational Therapy." Yılmaz emphasized the importance of post-trauma occupational therapy interventions: “Trauma, as a medical term, can be defined as a local injury that results from an external mechanical impact and alters the structure or form of an organ or tissue. It is mostly perceived as traffic accidents like falling from a height, car accidents, or vehicles overturning, but explosions, electric shocks, firearm injuries, and sports injuries are also traumas. Therefore, all these events that externally affect the body cause damage to the body. Sports injuries are a very serious cause of trauma today, and we also experience traumas in natural disasters like earthquakes. Child accidents and injuries are also important traumas for us. We live a life constantly exposed to trauma. Our body gets damaged in some way. However, trauma does not only create physical harm. As a psychological term, trauma can be defined as an experience that leaves significant and effective signs of injury on the living being, both physically and psychologically. For example, you have a traffic accident. That event enters your dreams, appearing repeatedly. While we try to treat the patient's injured tissues, the person also needs to be psychologically sound to use those limbs as before. This is where we face difficulty. The person enters a state of anxiety, and that anxiety leads to stress, worry, and insecurity. This slows down our treatment speed. At this point, it is useful to remember this saying, ‘An untreated trauma is like a wound that never heals and can start bleeding again at any time.’ Treatment is like a puzzle. If a piece is missing, you cannot achieve success. We treat a physically injured person, but that person has seen their wound, and after that point, we must also treat our patient psychologically. For me, treating a fracture is not very difficult. My team and I carry out the treatment using the appropriate method. The closest unit we orthopedic surgeons have worked with for years is physical therapy. After we finish our treatment, we transfer the patient to our physical therapy department. They, in turn, try to make the tissue we repaired functional again. I think there is a missing piece here. Because the person is psychologically affected by this situation, and in this situation, help from occupational therapy is needed. For example, we treat a sports injury. Our patient's anterior cruciate ligament was torn, and the surgery went very well. Then we directed them to physical therapy. The patient came to me after this process and said, ‘Teacher, after my surgery, my old insecurity is gone. My movements are also good. But I still can't put my foot into the ball, I'm not the same when I enter a struggle.’ This is where I need help, and that help is occupational therapy. When all these components come together, we complete our puzzle and achieve success.”
50 names from many parts of Turkey, including experts from Üsküdar University and NPİSTANBUL Hospital, made presentations.
On the first day of the congress, which featured 50 expert names; ICF Executive and Leadership Coach, MBA, PCC, ACPC Berna Pınar Tunç with her presentation titled “The World of the Child Living in the Adult,” Dr. Lecturer Çiğdem Çekmece from Kocaeli University SBE OT Program with her presentation titled “Interdisciplinary Team Approach in Cerebral Palsy Rehabilitation,” TRT Children's Program Consultant Child Development Specialist Hatice Kübra Baylan with her presentation titled “Cyberbullying,” Occupational Therapist Hazal Pural from Fonist Speech and Language Center and Rota Special Education Rehabilitation Center with her presentation titled “Rehabilitation in Veterans with C6-C7 Spinal Cord Injury: A Case Presentation,” and Occupational Therapist İrem Nur Soylu from the Special Education and Rehabilitation Center with her presentation titled “Effects of Snoezelen Therapy Applications on the Visual System in Individuals Diagnosed with Developmental Disorders” were speakers in the first session.
In the second session, chaired by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Serkan Pekçetin, Head of the Occupational Therapy Department at Ankara University of Health Sciences; Neurology Specialist Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nalan Çapan from the Child Neurology Clinic with her presentation titled “Use of the Goal Attainment Scale,” Lecturer Özlem Oğuz from Üsküdar University Department of Speech and Language Therapy with her presentation titled “Co-treatment: Speech-Language Therapist and Occupational Therapist,” Special Education Specialist Fikriye Tetik from Beykoz Konakları Foundation Güler Keçeli Kindergarten with her presentation titled “Contribution of Parent Communication to Special Education Students,” Occupational Therapist Kadriye Yağmurcu from DİLGEM institutions with her presentation titled “Dance and Movement Therapy in Occupational Therapy,” and Occupational Therapist Gülin Gürsel from MedicalPark hospital with her presentation titled “Occupational Therapy Interventions in Children with Special Needs” were speakers.
Prof. Dr. Şükrü Torun from Anadolu University Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Speech and Language Therapy, who chaired the third session, gave a presentation titled “M.T. in Sensory-Motor, Cognitive, and Psychosocial Rehabilitation.” In the session; Specialist Physiotherapist İmran Erkanat Toylan, founder of Duyu Evi Physiotherapy Services Clinic, with her presentation titled “Animal-Assisted Therapy Approaches in Children,” Occupational Therapist Özgenur Vural from Okan University Hospital with her presentation titled “Occupational Therapy Interventions in Brachial Plexus Injuries,” and Occupational Therapist Hande Çelik from Özel İlk Evre Special Education and Rehabilitation Center with her presentation titled “Occupational Therapy Assessment and Family Therapist Communication in Children with Special Needs” were speakers.
In the fourth session, chaired by Prof. Dr. Hülya Kayıhan, Head of Biruni University's Occupational Therapy Department; Specialist Speech and Language Therapist N. Egemen Nakışçı, founder of LİNUS Speech and Language Center, with her presentation titled “Pre-linguistic Skills and Their Support with DIRFloortime,” Special Education Specialist Ömer Yiğit, Director of Üsküdar Municipality Accessible Life Center, with his presentation titled “Special Education and Rehabilitation Services in Local Governments,” and Psychologist Ayşenur Yarbaş Kök, founder of Psikedem Psychology Center, with her presentation titled “Trauma and Recovery Processes in Play Therapy” took part.
In the last session of the day, chaired by Prof. Dr. Ümit Uğurlu, Head of Bezm-i Alem Vakıf University Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Occupational Therapy; Dr. Vildan Kandemir, Founder of Okyanus Elderly Care Centers and International Elderly Care and Nursing Home Consultant, with her presentation titled “Care Practices for Rehabilitation in Geriatrics,” Specialist Clinical Psychologist and Occupational Therapist Cahit Burak Çebi from NP FENERYOLU clinic with his presentation titled “Positive Parenting,” Art Therapist Sabahat Yazıcı, Trainer at Fatih Municipality Human Resources and Education Directorate, with her presentation titled “The Effect of Art Therapy on Depression Patients: A Case Study,” and Child Development Specialist Sena Topaloğlu with her presentation titled “Nature Deficit Disorder” took part as speakers.
The second day of the congress will continue with presentations
A total of 4 sessions took place on the second day of the congress. The speakers and their topics in these sessions were listed as follows: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Gönül Acar from Marmara University Faculty of Health Sciences, Specialist Dr. Bülent Madi, Founder of Altis Communication and General Consultancy Center and Neurologist, “Discovery of Talents and Brain Development,” Lecturer Yavuz Sultan Selim Kavrık from Health Sciences University Occupational Therapy Department, “The Place of Pain in Occupational Therapy,” Lecturer Elif Konar Özkan from Üsküdar University Child Development Department, “The Therapeutic Aspect of Fairy Tales,” Lecturer Occupational Therapist Shahram Mohseni from Üsküdar University SBF Occupational Therapy Department, “School-Based Occupational Therapy,” Child Development Specialist Sultan Arıkkan from Şişli Municipality Child Development Unit, ”Specific Learning Disability: Dyslexia and Children's Books,” Occupational Therapist Amine Kalkan from Bağcılar Special Education and Rehabilitation Center, “Integration of Different Applications in Occupational Therapy Interventions Applied in Autism Spectrum Disorders,” Psychiatrist and AMATEM (Alcohol and Substance Treatment Center) Deputy Director Assoc. Prof. Dr. Onur Noyan from NPİSTANBUL Hospital, “Addiction as a Brain Disease,” Sensory Integration Specialist Ebru Albayrak Sidar, Founder of Duyusal Akademi Centers and 'Fit and Smart Kids London', “Sensory Integration Perspective in Occupational Therapy Approach,” Occupational Therapist Tayfun Zengin from Mavi Ev Rehabilitation Center, ”Occupational Therapy in Substance Addiction,” Occupational Therapist Esra Alan from Çam and Sakura State Hospital, ”Examination of Borderline Personality Disorder within the ICF Framework,” Clinical Psychologist Zehra Erol from İstanbul Zehra Erol Clinic, “Role Complexity and Boundaries,” Lecturer İsa Kör from Üsküdar University Occupational Therapy Department, “Occupational Therapist's Performance Evaluation in Home Rehabilitation,” Dr. Physiotherapist Aymen Balıkçı, Head of Fenerbahçe University Occupational Therapy Department, ”Occupational Therapy in Infants,” Occupational Therapist Öykü Su Unay from Devoloping Children Center, “Occupational Therapy Interventions in Genetic Syndromes,” Neurology Specialist Assoc. Prof. Dr. Barış Ekici from Child Neurology Clinic, “Autism and Sensory Problems,” Psychologist Specialist Clinical Psychologist Hüma Çolakoğlu Zengin from PsikoMola Individual and Corporate Communication Center, “Why Does Occupational Therapy Emphasize the Principle of Independence?,” Specialist Physiotherapist Onur Aşkar, Founder of Duyu Çocuk Physiotherapy Education and Consultancy Services center, “Bobath Applications in Cerebral Palsy,” Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hülya Yücel, Head of Health Sciences University Occupational Therapy Department, “Interdisciplinary Approach to Aquatic Rehabilitation,” Atıf Tokar, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Turkish Foundation for Dyslexic Children, “Current Data on Dyslexia,” Occupational Therapist Uğur Arslan from Siirt State Hospital, “The Role of the Occupational Therapist in Community Mental Health Centers,” Expert Psychologist Betül Rana Uludoğan from Kaliteli Yaşam Merkezi, “The Healing Effect of Music in Psychosomatic Problems,” Occupational Therapist Berfin Demirci from Duyu Çocuk Physiotherapy Education and Consultancy Services, “Effectiveness of Occupational Therapy Interventions in Dyslexia.”