Internship Portfolio – Charlotte Raine

Letter of Gratitude to Soulscience School Goals & Reflection of Goals History of Soulscience School Organizational Chart of Soulscience School Population Serviced Services Provided Soulscience School Funding Case Study Analysis Works Cited Cfosing Interview Narrative & Reflection Appendix Pictures & Journal Entries

I would like to take this time to personally thank you for providing me with such a wonderful and inspirational experience at Soulscience School in Antalya, Turkey, summer of 2015.

The work I completed under your supervision provided me with new knowledge, ideas and personal growth that I could never achieve again or in a different setting. I enjoyed every minute of my work with the clients and the dolphins. Throughout my time with you, I was given exposure to cases and clients that many professionals only see once in a lifetime, and you gave me an opportunity to work with them consistently throughout their stay at Soulscience School.

I also immensely appreciate you welcoming me into your family, and providing me with social support and cultural adjustment needed when living in a foreign country, which is very different to my own. I enjoyed having dinner with your family and getting to know your wife and Zeynep. It was amazing to spend time with you and your family and to get to know everyone outside of a work setting.

Thank you again for offering and providing me with this beautiful experience. Throughout my 11 weeks, I have fallen in love with Turkey and with dolphin therapy. Sincerely,

Charlotte Raine

Name: Charlotte Raine

Term: Summer 2015

Professor: Professor DeCataldo

In the spaces below, please list five learning goals for Internship and discuss how you plan on achieving each goal.

1.     Goal: To learn how to swim with a dolphin and a special needs child safely.

Plan of Action: I plan to achieve this goal by observing the trained instructors in the

water with the child participant. I will make notes of how to hold the child and all safety measures that are taken while in the water; this will ensure the child is receiving therapy in a safe and enjoyable manner.

2.     Goal: To understand how psychotherapy is applied to Dolphin Therapy.

Plan of Action: During my weekly meetings with my supervisor to debrief, I will

report back the things I observe about the therapy, and things that I am curious about. I will also discuss with my supervisor the different therapeutic techniques that I see and techniques being used.

3.     Goal: To create a rapport with the children and parents that I work with.

Plan of Action: I plan to do this by working extensively with the child both in and out of the water. After dolphin therapy the child spends the remainder of the day in the

4.   Goal: To understand the various different components of complimentary therapy

Plan of Action: In order to understand the benefits of complimentary therapy, such as dolphin therapy, I will not only be working in the water with children but will also be taking them out with their families and Soulscience School staff, into the community to experience different things such as horse back riding. When engaging in such activities I will remain diligent in ensure the child is safe at all times, while also ensuring safety for myself and those around me. During these activates, I will utilize skills I have mastered as a behavioral therapist, and as an adaptive yoga teaching assistant. Additionally, I will pull on abilities gained from my own personal experiences relating to the excursion. Moreover, I will apply my observations of the child participating in the alternative therapy, to prior known theories and ideologies in the field of counseling psychology.

5.   Goal: To grow my own understanding of complimentary therapy and psychotherapy.

In the following space please provide what you perceive to be as your strengths in counseling along with your weaknesses. Also, note how you would like to enhance your strengths and improve upon any perceived weaknesses in this Internship experience.

Strengths which I posses in the field of counseling psychology are my broad knowledge pertaining to, and obtained from, the many different principles of therapy I have had exposure to. From this skill-set, I am better able to understand, and grasp the complex nature of many new and different life situations. I am also able to apply and manipulate what I know to various environments to achieve a desired result.

A weakness which I harbor is that at times I can become overly focused on the different techniques of therapy (ie: behavioral therapy), that on occasion I lose focus from the feelings and thoughts that the child is trying to communicate to me during the therapy session. This weakness will diminish by establishing a solid rapport with the client, and their family throughout their two week therapy session in Soulscience School

Reflection: Goals

1.       To learn how to swim with a dolphin and a special needs child safely.

I achieved this goal by following through with my plan of action. To begin with, during my first few weeks I did not enter the water, and stood at the platform and observed the other therapists in the water. After a few weeks of observing I entered the water with an experienced swim trainer and therapist who assisted me with the client and showed me different ways and techniques to interact with the child. I also engaged in conversation with the dolphin trainer who oversees the therapy sessions to ensure that all safety measure are always in place, and we also spoke extensively about how to enforce them. Currently, I swim with almost all clients unless requested otherwise.

2.       To understand how psychotherapy is applied to Dolphin Therapy.

Dolphin Therapy is founded off of the philosophy of Carl G.Jung’s work with archetypes of the conscious and unconscious mind. The dolphin acts as a physical archetype and symbol for the client; when the child in the water the dolphin looks at the client with admiration, and in return the child is able to receive this positive feeling and mirrors the same feeling back to the dolphin. This healing process is achieved through both physical touch and eye contact between the dolphin and client.

While the majority of the clients I work with are non-verbal, for the most part the parents understand English and I am able to converse and ask questions about the child and the family lifestyle. Through conversation I am able to provide support and empathy for the client and their parents regarding the everyday struggles that they encounter, and work to overcome. I also work to provide clients and parents with resources, and different tools to help the child become more independent in their activities of daily living. For example, one client I worked with was seven years old and had never received therapy before, he was extremely aggressive when he wanted to communicate something, and engaged frequently in self- injurious behaviors. For this client I created a flipbook with interchangeable icons so that the child could point to what he wanted. Although the parents were hesitant to utilize this resource I convinced them that while they may have to physically prompt the child to request something, in the long run it would teach the client that his communication book is an appropriate and affective way of communicating.

4.       To understand the various different components of complimentary therapy

In order for a therapy to be considered complementary it needs to provide the client with enhanced results and improvements. Complementary therapies must also be founded off of a theory that already exists and is scientifically accredited in order to be accepted by the scientific community. Dolphin Therapy, like horse therapy is founded off of Carl Jung’s theory of archetypes, while other complimentary therapies such as partial hospitalization programs and group

5.       To grow my own understanding of complimentary therapy and psychotherapy.

I realize now that this fifth goal is more of a reflective wrap up goal, which challenges me to synchronize the information and knowledge I have gained from this experience and goals I have accomplished. I feel that I have best accomplished this goal through internet research, discussion with Dr. Kemaloğlu and by working with clients who have very rare genetic syndromes and mental disabilities. Some of the clientele, which I have had the pleasure to do therapy with, have genetic syndromes where they are one of only 50 in the entire world, or one of 1,200 in the entire world. Clients who have very serious genetic syndromes often bring their own physical therapist, which provides me with new opportunities to observe the therapy that they provide to the child. These guest therapists also continue to work with the child outside of Dolphin Therapy, which creates exposure to different forms and methods of implementing new therapeutic techniques to me. One client who was accompanied by their own therapist came from Hungary, the child was diagnosed with Angelman syndrome and is one of 1,200 in the world. Angelman syndrome is a movement disorder; the child’s physical therapist was an experienced dolphin therapist and also a skilled water therapist. Some of the therapies, which she showed and taught me how to

Reflection

My internship at Soulscience School has provided me with the privilege of working with and exposure to cases that are so rare many professionals have not encountered them. I have gained a wealth of information over the past weeks in Antalya Turkey, and have had many experiences that I will never forget, and have truly shaped my future goals and heightened my level of ambition to achieve them.

There are many valuable things that I have learned throughout my internship, however there are a few which stand above the rest as they relate directly to the field of counseling psychology. The first being, my increased level of understanding the influences that culture and mental illness have upon families, for instance a little girl with atypical autism was receiving Dolphin Therapy, I quickly established a rapport with the client and the family, which allowed us to have detailed conversations about the child, their life and resources. What I learned from these many conversations was the shame that is carried throughout the family when a child is impaired in some way. Many of the clients family had completely disowned the child and refused to acknowledge her presences when she was around, straining all relationships within the family. This initially shocked me, as I had never given thought to a family disowning a child, and not its parents. I had knowledge of honor shaming and such traditions however, these ideologies belong to different cultures and traditions, and this was a relatively modern

Living in a different country that is still in many ways developing, has opened my eyes to the various levels of poverty which people live in. It also has highlighted the level of ignorance, which still exists within cultures regarding topics of sexuality and human rights as well as other topics of discussion. Moreover it is the exposure to this very different and developing world that has challenged my views of homelessness, human rights, government care and other resources, which simply do not exist yet in Turkey, and there seems to be very little pressure from the communities on the government to create these needed laws. It was shocking to hear first hand stories regarding the development of Turkey, particularly from the younger generation, and the struggle so many have in achieving a degree, and learning differing ideologies which push against the Muslim faith, such as women’s rights. Witnessing and hearing these accounts as well as having my own situations where I have had to stand against an oppressive culture widens the way of thinking and deepens the level of understanding in human behavior in developing worlds.

Overall, my internship at Soulscience School not only provided me with exposure to new complimentary therapies and rare cases, but it also opened my eyes to a world that is unseen and unheard of in the news. Living in Turkey has challenged my own beliefs in regards to the treatment of humans and animals, and while I love the culture and the people, my life over the past weeks has given me a new fire to come back and utilize my

History of Soulscience School Soulscience School was founded 25 years ago, in the year 1989 by medical doctor and psychiatrist Dr. Murat Kemaloğlu. Dr. Kemaloğlu founded the school off of the theories established by Carl Jung regarding utilizing archetypes as a method of reaching the conscious and unconscious mind, and releasing tension and pressure from needs that have not been satisfied, or unfinished businesses, which have not been resolved, and weigh heavy on the mind. Dolphin Therapy utilizes dolphins as an archetype to reach these unseen weights, and the population which this is most successful with is children who have severe, and complex impairments.

The School is registered under the Ministry of Business in Turkey, and not as a school. This is because the school makes a profit from its clients who attend the school for therapy. This also allows the school to host interns under a tourist visa and does not require that the school holds a permit pertaining to students. By conducting the school in this manner, it has been able to reach many different populations across the world who otherwise would not have the ability to receive such a unique, and complementary therapy. The school has also made it a part of its mission to reach individuals who do not have access to any therapy in their country, drawing in very rare and complex cases to the school.

Soulscience School is a small, privately owned organization, which has worked diligently to promote its unique therapy as the only medical Dolphin Therapy in the world, and while there may be imitators, Soulscience School offers many unique benefits which accompany its therapy, and has made a name for itself through this approach.

Organizational Chart of Soulscience School

Population Serviced

The Dolphin Therapy provided by Soulscience School primarily reaches children who are impacted heavily with disorders such as Autism, Down syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, and rare genetic disorders and mutations of children including Wolf- Hirschhorn Syndrome. Soulscience School also provides therapy to adults who suffer from such mental illness as listed above, as well as individuals who are, and have suffered from, mental and psychotic breakdowns, phobias, suicide ideation and so on. By reaching out to these various minority populations, individuals of all ages are able to receive intense therapy, and are able to experience the results of increased functioning for up to a year.

Soulscience School offers a revolutionary therapeutic program, and strives to reach populations that otherwise would not have access to such an advanced therapeutic technique. Its results are evidence based, and its patient return ratio is testimony to its effectiveness. The combination of psychotherapy and Dolphin Therapy fosters a developmental and personal growth in the children that is measurable in the home by the family and care givers, as well as in school and the community. While the school’s largest population consists of children who are suffering from Autism, Down syndrome or rare genetic syndromes, the school also works hard to include all family members of the clients into the therapy. An example of this would be allowing the sibling of the child who is seeking therapy to partake in swimming with the dolphins, or parents and other

Dolphin Therapy at Soulscience School also encourages children and adults who have experienced trauma to partake in this complimentary therapy. For this client population, individuals experience inner peace from the therapy and find comfort in sharing their traumatic experience. Recently, in April 2015, the school hosted ten children from Germany who did not have a developmental disorder, but who had all experienced their own personal trauma. For two full weeks these children worked in the pool with the dolphins, and were also taken out into the community to participate in horseback riding, parachuting, hiking and swimming. Throughout all of these activities, Dr. Murat Kemaloğlu, the founder of the school, and two interns accompanied the children and provided supportive therapy.

Soulscience School primarily works with the populations mentioned above, however, Dr. Kemaloğlu also works intensively with individuals who are battling suicide ideation, depression and phobias within the community. It is one of the school’s primary missions to reach out into the community at large, and provide a safe place for people to share their stories and inner struggles, and benefit from this advanced form of psychotherapy.

Services Provided

Soulscience School is an outreach organization that services clientele that are impaired to all degrees of functioning and growth. The main focus of the school is Dolphin Therapy. This revolutionary, and complimentary therapy, when coupled with intensive in-home and school therapy provides exponential measurable growth in areas of arm and leg movement, increased fine gross motor skills, communication abilities, strengthened immune system, increased attention span, and overall improvement across all functions of activities of daily living.

Dolphin Therapy is founded off of the ideology of unconditional love and positive regard, and due to its results and techniques is classified as psychotherapy. When an impaired child is in the water with the dolphin, and is interacting in a therapeutic way, the dolphin projects feelings of admiration for the child, and the child in return mirrors that admiration he or she has for the dolphin. This overall feeling of admiration falls under the category of unconditional love and positive regard, which vastly improves the child’s sense of self-worth, esteem, and confidence. When these three components are filled the child is then able to make leaps and bounds in their hindered developmental process.

An example of the enormous progress and benefits of Dolphin Therapy is a case, which I worked with for two weeks. A three-year-old child was attending Dolphin Therapy for the second time. The child was severally impacted by a diagnosis of

Another therapeutic services that Soulscience School provides is Electromagnetic therapy. This therapy measures the electromagnetic impulses in the child’s body and is able to single out the abnormal impulses which may be the cause of irritation, allergy or even in some cases secondary impairments. After receiving this therapy, caregivers and parents of children are able to alter diets, life styles and medications to improve the child’s overall quality of life. In accompaniment with this therapy, the interns attending the school also provide the child with a therapeutic rapport, and work extensively with the child in the attached water park to the dolphin sanctuary. The interns work with the child in the water, providing Dolphin Therapy, meal time assistance, and behavioral therapy when appropriate.

When all three of these therapeutic practices are combined, children are able to return home with a new level of functioning, and understanding of the world around them. Other reported observed progress is the child’s level of interest in having relationships with other children, brothers and sisters, and family members. However,

Soulscience School Funding Soulscience School is a private organization that was founded by Dr. Murat Kemaloğlu, nearly 25 years ago. As a private organization, Soulscience School is registered as an independent business under the Ministry of Turkey. By registering Soulscience School as a business instead of a school Dr. Kemaloğlu is able to reach out to families, clients and interested interns all over the world, who are then able to attend the school under a tourist visa. Doing this makes Soulscience School resources and therapies accessible to a larger population.

As a private organization, the school’s primary source of funding and income comes from the profit of fees made when people attend the school. Along with incoming funding from clients, Dr. Kemaloğlu also funds the school from his own private account with one-hundred thousand dollar capital supplied from himself, his wife and his mother; overall, providing the school with flexibility when participating in other activities. Along with organic profit being made from the clientele, Soulscience School also has contracts with the dolphin parks used for therapy. This allows clients to attend other activities and events that the parks offer when not participating in therapy, which is just one of the added opportunities that the school offers to its clients.

Case Study: Atypical Autism Summary: This case study examines the life of a four-year-old girl from Romania. The participant has the diagnosis of atypical autism, and attended her second session of Dolphin Therapy for six days the week of June 20^th to the 26^th of the year 2015. The participant was accompanied by her parents who were actively seeking complimentary therapy to increase their daughter’s activity of daily living skills, and overall level of function. This case study will include an in depth look at the child’s background history and family life, signs and symptoms the child experiences currently, a meticulous breakdown of the child’s pre-existing conditions and experienced comorbidity, treatment approach and its outcomes, and lastly recommendations and any limitations the client may be presented with.

Background: The participant in this case study resides in Romania with her mother and father; she is an only child and is four years and seven months old. She was diagnosed with atypical autism at the young age of two. Since her diagnosis, her parents have diligently sought out different modes of therapy for their child. The therapy’s the child regularly receives five days a week is Applied Behavioral Analysis, ABA for short. The child attends a private kindergarten where she functions on regular routine with other children who do not exhibit a diagnosis. At the school the participant is taught English,

To fully understand this case of atypical autism, it is important to understand Autism Spectrum Disorder, often referred to as ASD. In May of 2013 the DSM-V merged all types of autism under one umbrella of the autism spectrum. This means that Autism is exhibited on a sliding scale for all individuals impacted by autism, meaning that no one case is identical to another, and while signs and symptoms may be shared with others on different levels of the spectrum, each case is unique and complex to its individual (DSM- V, Autism Speaks). Recently the CDC published data showing that one in every 68 children in America will be diagnosed with autism, and will fall on the spectrum. Studies also show that boys are four times more likely to be impacted by autism then girls. The reason for this epidemic of autism in boys is unknown, however, research is shedding light on gene mutation and brain development, which is providing new knowledge and understanding for Autism Spectrum Disorder (Insel/NIMH).

Current Signs and Symptoms: The diagnosis of atypical autism is defined by the Special Educational Needs organization in the United Kingdom as, “when the person’s behavior pattern fits most but not all the criteria for typical Autism. Atypical autism usually differs from autism in terms either of age of onset or of failure to fulfill all three sets of autism

In the case of this Romanian child, as reported from the parents, the young girl exhibits interest in other children, however did not interact with them as expected and appropriate for this age group. When interacting with other children, the participant would not play with the other children, but had an intense desire to touch her peers hair, this behavior increases around children and other members of society if they have long blond hair, which she relates back to the Disney story of Rapunzel. Other signs and symptoms included babbling to herself, creating fantasy worlds when not engaging in an activity, and repeating words and phrases she hears in conversation instead of engaging in the conversation. The parents also report that the school she attends provides her with a “shadow” in the class room, who reports high levels of intelligence, finishing her work abnormally fast, and rarely receiving a grade bellow a 90 percent. When the participant completes her work, she quickly becomes distracted, engages in repetitive behavior and touches the other children. To distinguish the difference between atypical autism and typical ASD, children with ASD are often not able to complete given tasks in a timely manner, and secede from engagement with other children.

Treatment Approach Utilized: As stated previously in this report the child receives regular ABA therapy in the home after school, and the parents have brought her to Soulscience School to receive her second session of Dolphin Therapy. For the complimentary therapy received the child arrived at Dolphin Land at 8:45 in the morning,

The received Dolphin Therapy encouraged the child to create a rapport with the dolphin, which through eye contact the dolphin looks at the child with admiration, the child is able to feel that sensation being projected by the dolphin and mirror those positive feelings. From here, the child develops a rapport with the dolphin and receives many positive improvements and growth becomes apparent after the therapy session. These positive forms of growth are not often visible physically, and for the case of this child this is true, as she experienced: a strengthened immune system, increased concentration within the community during activities, and minor increased desire to try different foods. She also developed a strong rapport with the therapist and dolphin trainer, who is present throughout the therapy session. An improved sense of self-confidence and audacity, a heightened interest in the natural world around her, and an increased desire to play with children in an appropriate manner are also observed. While these forms of growth are not measurable with physical evidence, the evidence is gathered through empirical

Recommendations and Limitations: For the case of the Romanian child who received Dolphin Therapy for six days, the next recommended course of action is for the parents continue to encourage their child to eat different foods, and to introduce protein shakes and nutrient drinks into the child’s diet to supplement the nutrients she is not able to receive due to her selective eating habits. Furthermore, it is recommended that the child is encouraged to make appropriate choices independently which reflect her true desires, and this lesson can be incorporated into her ABA therapy. It is recommended her parents set up play dates with her classmates, and for either the mother or father, or both to participate in the play-date to teach their child how to interact with her peers. Other recommendations include the parents requesting two weekly reports from the school about how their child’s day went, what her level of function and affect appear to be in the class room, and to report any events that took place, both positive and negative. By following these recommendations, the parents will be able to grasp a better understanding of how their child functions when she is not being supervised by her parents; and will also be able to increase exposure to new and positive stimulus that will increase the child’s activities of daily living skills. Lastly, it is recommended that once a week in between or before therapy sessions, the child and the mother have a quiet one hour together where they engage in fairy-tale therapy. During fairy-tale therapy the parents have been supplied with a series of videos, which depict a specific fairy-tale, the parent is to explain to the child what is happening, and to ask questions which prompt for an

In Regards to limitations to these recommendations for both the child and the parents, introducing and exposing their child to new stimulus can be a challenging and emotional depleting experience for the child and the parents. The child may refuse to participate in new activates which can increase the likelihood of maladaptive behaviors in the child.

The in home therapists may also be resistant to the new recommended lessons for the child, and this can cause confusion and limitations within the therapy. Furthermore, there will always be perceived limitations in recommendations for the clients, it is the process of overcoming these limitations that promote developmental growth which improves the overall quality of the child’s life.

Conclusion: Dolphin Therapy encourages the child to create a rapport with the dolphin and therapist. This is achieved through guided physical interaction and eye contact with the dolphin. Dolphins are naturally inquisitive mammals and when a child with special needs enters the water, the dolphin projects feelings of admiration for the child, which provides many positive psychological and emotional benefits. Resulting in the child reflexively mirroring the received admiration back to the dolphin. Moreover, the dolphins used for this complementary therapy functions as an archetype for the child to receive conscious and subconscious relief from experienced impairments from their diagnosis. Dolphin Therapy provides a unique form of complimentary therapy that utilizes a therapeutic animal to server individuals in a healing way from swimming with

“Atypical Autism.” Douglas Silas. Special Educational Needs, 2007. Web. 27 June 2015. “Data & Statistics.” Centers for Disease Control andPrevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 26 Feb. 2015. Web. 27 June 2015.

“DSM-5 Diagnostic Criteria.” Autism Speaks. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 June 2015.

Insel, Thomas. “Director’s Blog: The New Genetics of Autism – Why Environment Matters.” NIMHRSS. N.p., 4 Apr. 2012. Web. 27 June 2015.

“About Autism.” The National Autistic Society. N.p., 2015. Web. 17 June 2015. “Angelman Syndrome.” Genetics Home Reference. N.p., May 2015. Web. 13 July 2015. “Atypical Autism.” Douglas Silas. Special Educational Needs, 2007. Web. 27 June 2015. “Data & Statistics.” Centers for Disease Control andPrevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 26 Feb. 2015. Web. 27 June 2015.

“DSM-5 Diagnostic Criteria.” Autism Speaks. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 June 2015.

Insel, Thomas. “Director’s Blog: The New Genetics of Autism – Why Environment Matters.” NIMHRSS. N.p., 4 Apr. 2012. Web. 27 June 2015.

“What Is Autism.” Autism Speaks. N.p., 2015. Web. 17 June 2015.

“Wolf-Hirschhorn Syndrome.” Genetics Home Reference. N.p., Apr. 2012. Web. 20 June 2015.

Atypical Autism: Atypical autism is defined by the Special Educational Needs organization in the United Kingdom as, “when the person’s behavior pattern fits most but not all the criteria for typical Autism. Atypical autism usually differs from autism in terms either of age of onset or of failure to fulfill all three sets of autism diagnostic criteria.” Whereas typical autism is categorized as a complex nature of brain development, where individuals struggle to develop close relationship bonds other than with immediate family members, impaired mental and social development and so on. Children who fall on the spectrum as atypical will only exhibit some of these symptoms

Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome: “Is a condition that affects many parts of the body. The major features of this disorder include a characteristic facial appearance, delayed growth and development, intellectual disability, and seizures.” (Wolf/Genetics). Almost all of the individuals affected by this syndrome have facial characteristics, which include a broad, flat nasal bridge and a high forehead; this combination is described as a “Greek warrior helmet” appearance (Wolf/Genetics). This syndrome is diagnosed at birth and children with Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome have a difficult time feeding and gaining weight. Individuals with this syndrome also experience sever developmental and growth delays, speech impairment, underdeveloped muscles, slow gross and fine moter skills, which include: trouble sitting, standing, and walking. While the developmental physical growth is typical for all individuals impacted with this syndrome, intellectual development and impairment can range from mild to sever, depending on the individual (Wolf/Genetics).

Angelman Syndrome: This syndrome is known to specifically impact the nervous system of the individual. It is characterized as a movement disorder and the symptoms of this syndrome include: developmental delay, intellectual disability, severs speech impairment and extreme problems with balance and body coordination (Genetics). Individuals with this syndrome, as child typically have extremely happy demeanors and are described as “laughing puppets” when in water. As the individual grows older the happy demeanor becomes less extreme. Those affected by this syndrome are described

“Angelman Syndrome.” Genetics Home Reference. N.p., May 2015. Web. 13 July 2015. “About Autism.” The National Autistic Society. N.p., 2015. Web. 17 June 2015.

“Atypical Autism.” Douglas Silas. Special Educational Needs, 2007. Web. 27 June 2015. “Data & Statistics.” Centers for Disease Control andPrevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 26 Feb. 2015. Web. 27 June 2015.

“DSM-5 Diagnostic Criteria.” Autism Speaks. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 June 2015.

“What Is Autism.” Autism Speaks. N.p., 2015. Web. 17 June 2015.

“Wolf-Hirschhorn Syndrome.” Genetics Home Reference. N.p., Apr. 2012. Web. 20 June 2015.

What was your first impression of Charlotte’s skill sets and the approaches she used with the clients? “Charlotte is very enthusiastic about this work, it is obvious her desire to understand what is happening with the child and the family, and is eager to understand the affects the dolphins have on the clients.” Dr. Kemaloğlu

In what ways have you seen Charlotte grow? “Over the past weeks I have watched Charlotte become more sure of herself when working in the water with the dolphin and the client. This is a huge step and achievement, as many therapists often do not achieve this level of comfort in such a short amount of time.” Dr. Kemaloğlu

What areas could she spend more time focusing on? “Charlotte could show more interest in pragmatic techniques and in the societies that have psychotherapeutic results in people. We have recently been working on the Avatar course, which includes simple works for simple people. It can sometimes be hard for her to grasp these concepts without thinking about other techniques.” Dr. Kemaloğlu

What is Charlotte’s greatest strength? “Charlotte is able to enforce ethical and professional boundaries with the clients and families, without stifling the rapport she develops with the child or family. Charlotte also does not to give into the child’s behaviors and fears, and uses her kind nature and behavioral therapeutic techniques to assist the child in accomplishing new tasks in therapy.” Dr. Kemaloğlu

What do you project Charlotte’s future career will look like? “I can easily see Charlotte as psychotherapist working with special education children, as well as those who are suffering from mental illness. I can see Charlotte with a master’s degree in Clinical and Developmental Psychology, as she has shared this goal with me. However, I can also see her with a special education teacher’s masters or PhD, as other postgraduate work. I can see her providing services to special needs children in various settings, as she has high prospects in special education. Finally, I can see Charlotte as a therapist who brings patients to Soulscience School!” Dr. Kemaloğlu

Reflection of Experiences Upon my arrival to Antalya Turkey, I was filled with excitement, ambition and anxiety. I was embarking on an adventure that would define my future career path and personal identity, ultimately shaping my future. After I arrived and settled in, I began working immediately and admired the work of the swim trainers and other interns who had been working at Soulscience School for two months already. The work that I observed was radically different from what I had ever seen before and the techniques I witnessed being used reflected the ideology of unconditional positive regard and love. Great care and energy was taken to ensure that the clients were engaged throughout the entire therapy sessions and it was clear that the energy present between the swim trainers and the clients mirrored a sense of pride in their work and the clients with whom they were working with.

After observing and learning about Dolphin Therapy and the different techniques used, my role quickly became shaped into the main dolphin therapist, and behavioral therapist with almost all of the cases that were attending the school. Prior background knowledge, over a years worth of experience as a behavioral therapist, as well as a comprehensive understanding of the theories and techniques used, coupled with a desire to learn put me in this position residing next to the swim trainers who had both achieved a masters degree in physical education.

The second case which I enjoyed most working with was a client who was severely impacted by his autism and due to living in Iran, the client never had the opportunity to receive therapy before, simply because the resource did not exist. The client was a little boy who was seven years old. He was non-verbal, and extremely low functioning. Due to never receiving therapy before his parents treated him as an infant, and did not know how to encourage any independence for the child. This client also had many aggressive behaviors as a way of communicating and engaged in self-injurious

The final case, which I will remember, was with a boy from Hungry, who was impaired by the genetic syndrome Angelman Syndrome. Angelman Syndrome affects the child’s muscles and ability to move his limbs naturally and freely (Genetics). The eight-year-old child was completely non-verbal and suffered from extreme retardation. This was the child’s third time receiving Dolphin Therapy from Soulscience School, and has made tremendous growths in the years of receiving this therapy including: learning to walk and feed himself independently, make eye contact when someone is engaging with him, kiss and hug, and from this last therapy session has learned how to float in the water. This child worked with his own private physical therapist in the water and from her I was able to observe many different and revolutionary therapeutic techniques applied to impaired children.

Since my internship in Antalya Turkey, I have fallen in love with the culture and atmosphere of everyday Turkish life. After the completion of my bachelor’s degree in counseling psychology I hope to be able to return and possibly work in Turkey as a therapist for children with special needs for a year, before pursuing a masters degree.

Journal Entry 1

Every Monday evening my supervisor holds a support group for those who have (and have not, but wish to support those who have) experienced mental illness, depression, suicide ideation, and psychotic breakdowns; and today I had the pleasure of sitting in and observing. We read an article that was written by a psychologist, which went into enormous detail about how secrets can impact a person’s psyche. To see a room full of people, all with different pasts come together, and support one another in their journey, was truly a marvelous sight and a blessing.

It was also interesting to see a maintenance group therapy session take place. In my group therapy class we did not touch heavily upon what this could potentially look like. For this group session, my supervisor implemented a technique called “Fairy-Tale” therapy. He or other group members would read out loud a fairy tale and then discuss the message and how it related to their life. One question asked to the group was, “ What are some unrealistic things/burdens that you have accepted and become accustomed to in your life?”, and while I did not understand the group members responses, (it was all in Turkish) I thought the question was interesting, and using a fairy tale was a unique way to lead a group, and could easily be a technique utilized in a regular group setting.

Journal Entry 2

Today I witnessed a three year old Romanian boy with cerebral palsy receive electromagnetic therapy. This complementary therapy eradicates electromagnetic signals in his body that cause allergies, irritations and inhibit developmental growth. Electromagnetic therapy also has the ability to read the impulses, which are currently causing allergy and irritations, and provides guidance for improved diet and care that will promote developmental growth. This electromagnetic therapy, coupled with Dolphin Therapy, has allowed this child to learn 35 words, improved chewing and fine motor skills such as: grasping and pushing as well as holding up his head for short periods of time. Bravo!!

Journal Entry 3

Meet Levi (*not clients first name) everyone! This sweet boy is eight years old and has a rare genetic syndrome called Angelman Syndrome; which impacts 1 out of every 12,000 to 20,000 individuals in the world. Levi is such a happy chap and constantly wears a smile on his face. His love for water (while a common characteristic of children with this syndrome) helps him grow tremendously, and allows his cheery personality to shine through. Angelman Syndrome is a movement disorder, which cause many developmental and intellectual delays to occur (Genetics). Levi is accompanied by his own physical therapist, who utilizes physical therapeutic techniques while in the water, providing dolphin therapy. Well done Levi! (“Angelman Syndrome.” Genetics Home Reference. N.p., May 2015. Web. 13 July 2015.)

Journal Entry 4

As a therapist, I am a firm believer that personality matters when bonding and creating a rapport with children who have developmental needs. After having a few days to reflect on my work from the past three weeks, I am able to see the strength in the relationships I

Journal Entry 5

This little boy is moderately impacted by his autism, however due to his location, he has never had the opportunity to receive therapy. This is his third medial Dolphin Therapy session with brilliant swim teacher Kenan. Soulscience School founder Dr. Murat Kemaloglu, openly received this child and his family despite a language barrier and many obstacles, to allow this young boy to have access to the unique experience of medical Dolphin Therapy. Amazing work!

Journal Entry 6

Today was a much better day in the water for this little chap! The first 15 minute were filled with blood curdling screams, and then it was as if a switch got flicked and he became quiet and still. Then he cracked a smile and began interacting with the dolphin and water. Therapy can finally begin! Great strides were made today.

Journal Entry 7

This is Roxana (*not child’s first name), she is a beautiful little girl with Wolf- Hirschhorn syndrome; a rare genetic condition that affects very few in the world today. Roxana is one of 50 children in the world to be impacted by this syndrome.

This is her second session of receiving medical Dolphin Therapy at Soulscience School, and since her first session last year, she has made many leaps and bounds in her development, including learning how to walk independently. Bravo!!

Journal Entry 8

Journal Entry 9

I have been working with this little girl since Sunday. She is 4 and 7months and has atypical autism. She is in love with Reponzel and long blond hair. She is the sweetest thing and a pleasure to work with everyday day. Today we went out into the community after dolphin therapy, and I enjoyed every minute with her!

Journal Entry 10

I have been working with this beautiful Persian boy all week. Here’s a picture of him enjoying some horseback riding as a complementary therapy. The progress he has made in just one week is outstanding. Well done Amerrza (*not child’s first name)!