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 Williams. I am grateful to my friends for posing in these photos. They are not actual clients.

Photography compliments of M Williams. I am grateful to my friends for posing in these photos. They are not actual clients.

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.

 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 can I expect in the initial assessment?

An initial or functional assessment generally takes around 2 hours to complete. The assessment may take place at your home (to observe your home environment during a functional assessment) or the office.

The assessment usually involves:

  • Asking you questions about your day-to-day activities, your mental health symptoms and your current supports and goals.

  • Gathering information from your support person or carer.

  • Completing standardized assessments (usually in the form of questionnaires).

The assessment can be split in two visits and you can have breaks in between if you have difficulty with tolerating lengthy assessments.

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.

Payment options accepted:

NDIS

MENTAL HEALTH CARE PLAN (co-payment applies)

PRIVATE