Understanding this approach
Occupational therapy is for people who have trouble performing their daily activities, whether in their personal, social, or professional lives. Occupational therapy in mental health is specifically aimed at anyone whose daily functioning is affected by a psychological condition. This can be due to a variety of mental health conditions such as burnout, anxiety disorders, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder. These mental disorders may or may not have been caused by a specific event, accident, or physical injury.
When does the occupational therapist intervene?
The symptoms of these disorders have a significant impact on these individuals’ ability to function, which can, for some, lead to temporary disability, including time off work.
This is where the mental health occupational therapist can intervene. Their role is to re-engage the patient through activity and concrete objectives.
What to expect with this professional?
The occupational therapist’s intervention begins with an assessment to identify the patient’s problems. They then identify physical, cognitive, or emotional symptoms such as fatigue, difficulty concentrating, sadness, or lack of motivation. Their main concern is how these symptoms impact their patient’s life. Isolation, inactivity, difficulty working, or difficulty sleeping are some of the things that the occupational therapist takes into consideration.
The main aspect of treatment is teaching. The occupational therapist works with their patient on anxiety management strategies and assists them in returning to their normal level of activity. This is the first step.
This is followed by one-on-one, personalized, one-hour meetings, often held once a week, that aim to set weekly goals. These “small goals”, such as taking a walk, cleaning the house, or chatting with a friend, are intended to help the patient gradually resume their routine activities.
In other words, the occupational therapist helps their patient regain full autonomy in their daily activities. Treatment will stop once the patient has reached a good level of autonomy and has resumed their usual activities (usually after 4 to 8 weeks).
Mental health occupational therapists work with psychologists, psychiatrists, and kinesiologists.
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