European Drug Summer School 2018 Informal Report on Lessons Learned

The European Drug Summer School (EDSS) 2018 is a two-week course that aims to prepare professionals and students for the complex policy challenges Europe faces in the field of drugs. The EDSS has been co-organized by the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) and the Lisbon University Institute (Instituto Universitário de Lisboa) (Fig. 1) for 8 years now to provide a multi-disciplinary and inclusive approach in studying the drug problem in Europe and beyond. I am sharing with you my personal thoughts on the EDSS 2018 as a participant through this short report. Feel free to download the pdf version here. If you have any questions, comments, and suggestions, please feel free to message me. Let us collaborate. :)

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Teaching Graduate Students in Gunma University

Lecture

Ice breaker

Small group discussion

Student presentation

Class picture

Souvenir photo

Thank you Gunma University for giving me this opportunity to teach about “Occupational therapy in Asia: Its roots, status, and future challenges” to your master’s students in rehabilitation sciences (OT and PT). Aside from re-establishing our Asian roots in occupational education, practice, and research, we were also able to argue how spirituality is a large part of human health — an element always neglected in health care.

In our case study and outputs, I am very delighted to know about your ideas on:

• Space health and rehabilitation for astronauts;

• Preventive care for Japanese convenient store and construction workers;

• Visiting rehabilitation in the context of the nomadic lifestyle of Mongolians;

• Use of nature, history, and spirituality to facilitate social interaction between Japanese youth and elderly and between urban and rural dwellers.

During the lecture, we also took a moment to think about suicide and occupational therapy using the case of the very untimely death of Kate Spade and Anthony Bourdain. We related this phenomenon to the increasing number of suicide cases in Japan especially among the elderly which led us to reconsider the possibility of tapping spirituality in healthcare and rehabilitation. Spiritual modalities that can be used by OTs are (McColl, 2011):

• Use of arts, music, creativity

• Use of narratives, stories, poems

• Appreciation of nature

• Rituals (performance patterns)

The goal for tapping a person’s spirituality is to establish life’s meaning to a person by activating all elements of health - affective, physical, cognitive, and spiritual well-being - through meaningful occupations.

My heart is filled with joy for I was able to do the things that I love the most — teaching! Until next time, arigatou gozaimasu! 💜 #TatakMHPEd #FeelNaFeelKoMagInstructionalDesign #MastersOTPT #SuicideDiscourse #OTLeadership

Mike Sy Recipient of "International Publication Award 2018" from AUF

What a pleasant surprise!

I was not able to be physically present to receive this, but from the bottom of my heart, thank you very much Angeles University Foundation for this prestigious award. I am looking forward to continuously contribute to the university’s thrust towards excellence in the coming years.

Just a reminder to myself and to other researchers that the ultimate goal of doing research is to serve humanity for a better world and not for ourselves and to contribute to the fountain of knowledge and not for recognition. To my research partners and supporters in AUF: Raphael Enrique Tiongco, Madonna Sudio, Anj Malig, Ree Sumulong, and Dean Annalyn T. Navarro. Maraming salamat po sa tiwala.

To God be the glory, honor, and blessing! "Bless the LORD, O my soul! O LORD my God, You are very great; You are clothed with splendor and majesty." (Psalm 104:1)

Dakal a salamat pu. 🙂

=== To get a copy of these research articles for free, please click here.