Ella Keski-Rahkonen first encountered Sooma treatment on a psychiatric ward at Turku University Hospital in Finland. At the time, she was studying to become a registered nurse.
She already had a background in practical nursing. She joined the ward for a clinical placement and stayed on to work as a nurse for more than six months.
Young adults were open to treatment
The patients Ella helped treat with Sooma were young adults, some as young as 18. She remembers how open they were to trying it. They listened to the staff's guidance and were willing to give the treatment a chance.
Ella found patients receptive, even when the treatment was new to them. From her perspective as a nurse, it was also simple to carry out.
Working on the ward meant caring for people in difficult circumstances, whose recovery would take time. Ella's experience of Sooma comes mainly from providing treatment and supporting patients in everyday ward life.
Treatment at home, in familiar surroundings
Ella first encountered Sooma in the hospital, and she particularly values that treatment can also be done at home. Being able to fit treatment into daily life is important to her.
"Sooma treatment is easy to use and fits into everyday life."
For someone who is struggling, familiar surroundings can mean a great deal. As Ella points out, home is where many people feel safest.
"I think it's wonderful that this kind of treatment can be brought into people's homes."
More understanding, less judgment
Ella hopes that people with mental health challenges will be met with understanding and without judgment. She has seen dismissive attitudes both in everyday life and at work. She believes people need to be able to talk more openly about mental illness.
She would like to see the same openness toward different treatment options. In her view, a treatment should not be dismissed simply because it looks unfamiliar or involves a new routine. What counts is whether it can help someone feel better.
"If it helps you feel better, what does it matter if you're wearing a cap?"
