Significance Of Occupational Therapy In Mental Health

By Edna Booker


Mental health management journey calls for collaborative effort from various people. These include the social workers, therapists, counselors, aides, teachers, nurses, doctors, support providers, caregivers and the patient. This enables everyone to contribute towards a bigger goal which is enhancement of quality of living of the client and enjoyment they get in life. This is through identifying and fulfilling appropriate ways of behaving and skills. Below are tips on conducting occupational therapy in mental health.

Occupational therapy is usually misunderstood in this journey. The occupational therapy American association outlines its primary aim as to offer support and facilitate each person health and input in life by engaging in occupations. By engaging in a meaningful activity, the patient achieves a sense of accomplishment, their self-esteem goes up and overall well-being which is usually affected following the illness or injury.

By occupation, do not imagine only work. This could mean making a painting, taking a course in the community during your free time, socializing with members in the community, preparation of a meal, working on your hygiene and even managing your own finances. They empower people to lead purposeful lives which bring them satisfaction.

The purpose of this kind of therapy can be described as helping people live life to the fullest. These professionals help a client to take into consideration their needs, abilities, strengths and interests too. Their social, cultural and physical environment is to be taken into account too. This enables the therapist gain understanding about the various factors relating to the occupation the patient is engaged in. Also the environment they live in which influences their mental status and their functioning ability too.

The psychotherapists believe in treating all the aspects that make up the person. It does not matter whether the issue relates to the physical or mental domain. They can be found in various places like new born intensive care entity, workplace, community programs, home health, transitional care facilities, nursing facilities, outpatient clinics and hospitals. Those specifically dealing with this matter can be found in residential hospitals, community health programs and private clinics outpatient departments.

The management of patients starts with relevant data collection done by carrying out a number of assessments. Once this is done, occupational profile of the patient is created. This is the tool to be used to come up with goals and a plan of treatment too. The assessments include work, education, leisure, play, motor dispensation skills and social participation level. Activity demands, client factors, interacting and communication skills and also cognitive-mental processing skills are assessed too.

This therapy can be very important in the process of treating this condition at large. The commonly used interventions are interventions to bring balance in life, supported education, cognitive rehabilitation, interpersonal and social skills training and training in life skills. Supported employment and modalities like biofeedback are use in intervening also.

The work of these professional can be intersecting with that of other key players in an interdisciplinary team. However their roles stands out as unique when it comes to clinical and theoretical contributions they make to facilitate the team recovery and also treatment process. In the integrated and all-inclusive program of treatment they are a vital part.




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