Last week, I had the pleasure of interviewing Terhi Haavisto, an Physiotherapist therapist specializing in physiotherapy with children. With over 30 years of experience in the field, Miss Haavisto focuses on developing neuroplasticity and motor connection in younger clients. She works under the ultimate goal of providing the most amount of independence possible to her clients. In her occupation, Haavisto often works with children with neurocognitive disorders, and with that, she allowed me to get the inside scoop on what it is actually like to work with individuals in this category.
When asked to give a rundown of Miss Haavisto’s job schedule, she mentioned working alongside multiple different therapists, such as speech pathologists, occupational therapists, school counselors, etc. This intercommunication highlights a key aspect of thriving within the field of cognitive therapy, highlighting the amount of network needed in therapeutic settings, especially when working with younger kids.
Diving into the aspect of Haavisto’s specialty, she mentioned her expertise in youth development. Working with this population is beneficial because younger individuals have higher neuroplasticity (the brain’s ability to adapt and change). This means there is a higher chance of development and recovering through Haavisto’s therapy techniques. Continuing on her specialization, Haavisto referred to the importance of the critical period, which is the optimal time frame for individuals to learn new skills. With this, she highlighted the importance of therapy intervention as soon as possible to ensure the benefits of mobilization are lasting and effective.
I wanted to explore more on the specifics of working in this career path, so I asked Miss. Haavisto to share some success stories, and here is what she told me—
A couple of years ago, Haavisto got to work with an 8-year-old boy who could not stand or walk on his own. Yet, by noticing his strong determination and passion to develop his skills, Haavisto decided to take an outside-of-the-box approach to help him accomplish his hopes of independence. She implemented the use of ski boots (which provide more support) for the 8-year-old boy, which allowed him to stand up for the first time ever on his own, relating back to her main goal of developing independence and confidence within her patients.
She also shared a more recent story, covering a client who is now 25. With Haavisto’s help, the individual has been able to travel alone, as well as work out independently, aiding in his motor coordination and ability to explore. Haavisto enabling these skills has allowed this young adult to live a more independent life.
Overall, the effort of Haavisto and other individuals in her field have empowered kids to take control of their lives, leading to lasting change in their confidence and independent abilities.
Haavisto’s advice to anyone going into this field was impactful, as she states the following words: “Be open, be active, be brave.” She encourages individuals to get involved and to take risks to challenge oneself, all in an attempt to learn something new.
Her interview left me with this – It is normal to not know everything, but it is important to remember that the only way to explore new pathways is to take them and see where the future leads you.