Assessment and skills training is offered in the following areas:
- Independent Living - self-care, home management, budgeting, meal preparation, shopping, etc.
- Community access and involvement - public transport training, resource mobilisation, integration, access to support
- Work readiness and return to work programmes
- Leisure role development
- Anxiety management
- Stress management and relaxation training
- Routine development and activity scheduling
- Lifestyle balance, goal-setting and time management
- Problem-solving
- Effective communication
- Social interaction
- Understanding mental illness
- Challenging unhelpful thinking (eg. CBT approach)
- Self-esteem development
- Mood management
- Relapse prevention/maintaining wellness
More about occupational therapy
Occupational Therapy emerged as a mental health profession after the turn of the 20th century, however the history of psychosocial occupational therapy can be seen as a mosaic with various historical pieces having important influences.
The naturalistic philosophy of the Greeks first proposed in the Hippocratic writings in the 6th century BC is an important thread in the history of occupational therapy.
The concept of a healthy mind in a healthy body influenced the Greeks in their approach. Exercise, music and creative activity were recommended by Greek physicians for individuals suffering from mental illness.
Soranus (98-138 A.D.), a Roman physician, believed that patients should be treated in pleasant surroundings with activities that relieve mental anguish. He stressed the importance of the healer working directly with the patient through discussion of the patient’s occupation.
In Occupational Therapy theory, occupation is regarded as everything people do to occupy themselves including self-care, enjoying life, and contributing to the social and economic fabric of their communities.
Health is strongly influenced by having control in everyday occupation, and is associated with spiritual meaning, life satisfaction in occupation, and fairness and opportunity in a social context.
Occupational dysfunction occurs when an individual is unable to meet societal demands and is no longer able to master the environment.
The main goal of Occupational Therapy intervention is to help the client lessen the effects of mental illness and restore function. Occupational therapy addresses lifestyle balance, stress reduction, self-actualisation, spirituality and continuity of life, with a major emphasis on skills-building.
In my day-to-day work with clients, I ask myself four basic questions:
- What are the client’s functional skills?
- What are the strengths, interests and resources of the client?
- What are the internal and external factors that interfere with the client’s ability to achieve his or her goals?
- What interventions or skills-training activities can be used to help the patient fulfil his/her life-style expectations?
Occupational therapy focuses on a person’s ability to be independent, and therefore plays an important part in transitioning from acute care to the community.
Occupational therapists in mental health can also be seen as a “boundary spanner” ie. One who interfaces with others to bridge gaps in service provision.
Clients are perceived as active partners in the occupational therapy process and are encouraged to take risks in the process of treatment.
How to contact us
Written referrals are accepted from:
- General Practitioners
- Treating Psychiatrists
Referrals under the new Medicare Initiative are welcome.
