Success with Sushi

“Backward chaining” and “Just right challenge” are words I hear regularly at the School of Occupational Therapy, where another year of teaching starts shortly. As Occupational Therapists, we use both of these principles all the time as we help people work on physical, emotional and cognitive deficits through purposeful activity.

“Backward chaining” is a concept that all mothers use, even if the term is unfamiliar. It recognizes that most tasks can be subdivided into a series of component parts…putting on a shirt involves orienting the shirt to prepare to put it on, putting first one then the other arm into the sleeves, lifting it up to pop one’s head through the neckhole, and then pulling the fabric down over one’s torso. Generally, the last step of the chain is the easiest, so as one is teaching someone something new, you help them quite actively, and let them finish the last step. So the mom starts teaching self-dressing by backing off once the head pops through and lets the child pull the shirt down. Then she will gradually “chain backwards” allowing the child to complete pulling the her head through the neckhole and so on, until the child is able to complete the whole task.

“Just right challenge” is grading an activity to allow a client to work on developing a new skill of some kind by stretching their abilities while still ensuring success by starting off with simpler tasks and working one’s way up. An example might be thus for learning how to golf:

miniature golfing

indoor driving range

outdoor driving range and putting at a golf course

9 holes on a par 3

working up to 18 holes on a regular course.

I often have clients who come wanting to conquer the world:

Stop smoking

Be emotionally available to their spouse in new ways

Start a new career

Begin a weight loss program and start to exercise regularly

This is NOT a “just right” challenge…this is setting oneself up for failure.

I recently worked on a fun project with some kin that I care about. He announced that he was taking his sweetie out for her birthday. Her request: sushi. This to a man who thinks French fries are vegetables. Who thinks the four food groups consist of meat, potatoes, corn and chocolate. Whose idea of adventurous eating is a corn dog.

But nothing like the opposite sex to provide some significant motivation. He asked for my help.

I took it on as the Occupational Therapist I am. First step…while at the mall shopping, we stop at the food court. He gets his pizza, I get sushi—but with teriyaki chicken. Nothing raw. He tries it…and is pleasantly surprised that it “isn’t as bad” as he thought it would be.

	Step #2: We stop for sushi again. This time…we both eat sushi. We play it conservative: again with chicken and beef, but we throw in one with smoked salmon and cream cheese…a small but achievable challenge. He eats it, and isn’t thrilled, but tries it all—and then has cereal when he gets home because he’s still hungry.Step #3: We talk about how much she’ll love being taken out for sushi. How this shows he cares at multiple levels. Not a lot of talk, just a little.levels.
Step #4: We go to Sushi Train at the Forks—her choice and the destination next week. This is a practice run, right at “Ground Zero”. He does the ordering…with a few suggestions from me. We hear that there is deep fried Mars bars somewhere at the Forks and it is our mission to go find them after the sushi (a little chocolate motivation strategically thrown in—and a reward for teacher and student alike).He selects something that interests him, and orders a couple he know that are her favorites and that he’ll at least have to pretend to like. We get the food, and HE. LOVES. THE. GINGER. BEEF. (I think it must be quite good, but then, I wouldn’t know —I hardly got to taste it). The tempura salmon disappear pretty quick too. And to my jaw dropping surprise, he finds himself not only looking forward to making his girl smile, he’s looking forward to next week’s sushi! There will be no eel or octopus (that’s a ways down the road yet).
	Step #5: Deep fried Mars bar. Heaven. Need I say more? He’s good to go…the “just right challenge” prepared him in a way that surprised us both.

What are you working towards…what kind of backward chaining or graded activities can you set up for yourself to gently, courageously, and persistently accomplish something that is important?!