My Services

I believe in respecting your lived experience and also empowering you with skills and strategies to lead the life you want to live.

What does a mental health occupational therapist do?

Occupational therapy enables people to participate in activities they find meaningful. These activities include taking care of oneself (and others), working, volunteering, and participating in hobbies, interests and social events.

Occupational therapy is a client-centred health profession that involves ongoing assessments to understand what activities you can do (and those you want to do), any current limitations, your goals/motivations and also to offer advice/techniques about how to do something more easily and safely.

Occupational therapists (OT’s) prescribe devices to help you do the activities you want and need to do. They will make sure you can use the device in the best way to meet your needs. This means that you will get a total solution and not just a product.

Photography compliments of M Dawson.

 Examples of services you can access from a mental health occupational therapist

 

Functional assessments to identify how mental health symptoms are impacting your day-to-day activities.

Assisting you to understand your mental health diagnosis.

Exploring leisure and productive interests.

Increasing independence or confidence in self-care, productive or leisure activities through prescription of assistive technology or advice on task simplification or adaptation.

Cognitive assessments and cognitive adaptation or remediation strategies.

Sensory assessments and a sensory report to provide recommendations on helpful strategies and tools.

Developing healthy routines.

Education about habits and tips to improve sleep.

Capacity building (skills for increasing self-esteem, motivation, confidence with communication, managing distress, anxiety, anger, improving problem solving and decision making skills).

Identifying referrals to other services.

Developing a mental health wellness plan.

Further Services Offered

  • Mental health & mental health risk assessments

  • Supported Independent Living (SIL) assessments

  • Creating wellness plans

  • Identifying and prescribing assistive technology

What is Occupational Therapy?

OT’s working in mental health have completed additional training to develop skills to work with people experiencing mental health issues.

Occupational therapy in mental health promotes the recovery model by empowering people with mental illness to increase their active participation in what the person would regard as meaningful activity which could take the form of self-care, leisure, parenting, work or educational activities.

OT’s can provide therapy and education to increase the person’s ability to manage their mental health symptoms. This can help aid in the person’s quality of life and help them truly live their lives to the fullest potential.

Photography compliments of M Dawson

What can I expect in the initial assessment?

A functional capacity assessment is a detailed assessment, that aims to gather information about ;

  • What you are capable of doing in your daily life and what areas you need support in. For example, do you need assistance with cooking, cleaning or taking medications.

  • It also explores who is supporting you,

  • What changes you might need to your home to make this safe for you,

  • and the equipment you might need to be more independent or safe.

This assessment is done in your home unless you request to meet elsewhere.

It can take between 2-4 hours. We can split it into two visits but would cost you more in travel.

Assessments with NDIS participants focuses on your function, NDIS goals and holistic support needs to inform supports in your NDIS plan.

Assessments with clients on a Mental Health Care Plan, would focus on mental health symptoms, strengths, mental health history, risk management and goals to inform ongoing therapy.