When passion and psychiatry blend for a powerful mix

A combined passion for perinatal care and psychiatry has resulted in a Doctor Curationis (D Cur) degree in the psychiatric nursing science field conferred unto one of Limpopo’s own.
Upon completion of her thesis on the Facilitation of Mental Health in Young Families the acting Deputy Director for Mental Health in the Capricorn District office of the Department of Health, Reda Jacobs, was recently bestowed the degree by the University of Johannesburg.
The academic work incorporates a practical model for the facilitation of mindfulness in young families based on an eight-week programme focussing on mindfulness that is aimed at implementation by psychiatric nurses, she explains as she expresses the wish to see it implemented in Limpopo in future.
She elaborates on research in a field that has always intrigued her. According to Jacobs her three daughters and grandchildren inspired the study for academic purposes.Having limited the research to her own cultural grouping, she investigated the way in which young families handle parenthood in today’s fast-paced world. For this purpose she posed four questions pertaining to the current status quo of and future dreams for the respective families during two interviews with each of the five targeted units. Trans-generational interviews were also conducted with grandparents involved in the respective family structures. Further the families were requested to create boards in any medium of choice to illustrate their dreams for the future, she remarks. The end result pointed at similarities with regards to spiritual bonds between parents and children, good education, routine, discipline, safety, security (especially where finances were concerned), a healthy lifestyle and a good support structure.
In all families the fathers were involved in raising the children and sharing household chores with the mothers for a role reversal in adjusting to modern times, she mentions. They have all adapted to societal trends, which gave her peace of mind about today’s young people being able to adjust to their environment, Jacobs stresses. Having noticed the changes in the interviewees has contributed to the development and description of the model, she points out. The families and their mindfulness have evidently grown through the method of appreciative enquiry, according to Jacobs. She indicates that the questions posed had a constructive outcome, allowing them to become increasingly aware of their strengths as a family and to appreciate themeselves as role models in their children’s lives.”
Her interest in the field has sparked related training in trauma releasing exercises, for kids and adults having gone through challenging situations, and an involvement in a local Alzheimer’s support group. Other than favouring the books of Paulo Coelho, she finds needlework and knitting calming. And then there is the wish to attempt the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage a second time, with the aim to complete the entire route of 700 km after having finished an estimated 550 km of it within 21 days with one of her daughters in 2009.

Featured Photo: Supplied – Reda Jacobs at the graduation ceremony.

YOLANDE NEL
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