About Occupational Therapy
What is Occupational Therapy?
Occupational therapists use a whole-person perspective to work with individuals, groups and communities to achieve optimal health and wellbeing through participation in the occupations of life.
We believe that if you are able to do the things in your life that provide you with meaning, purpose, connection and sense of belonging to you (your occupations) that your health and wellbeing will thrive.
The term ‘occupation’ is used to describe all the everyday things we do in our life roles, but also the things we do to be who we are, the things we do to create a meaningful life and to engage with wider society and culture.
(OTA, 2021)
What does an OT session look like?
OT sessions can be in your home, workplace, in my clinic, or we can meet in nature for a “walk & talk” session (sometimes movement is what’s required to get the brain into change mode - contact me for options of where we do this).
FIRST STEPS… UNDERSTAND & PLAN
In the first session or two, my role is to help you articulate, understand and to hold space for the things that have been difficult for you. The first step is for us to get to know each other, and develop understanding about who you are, what your needs are and what is important to you. I’ll ask you a range of questions to help me put together an ‘occupational profile’. This enables me to understand your ‘story’ in all of it’s aspects to see the many threads that make up the fabric of who you are. Seeing all of these parts of your unique tapestry, allows me to develop a deeper understanding of you and your occupations, how you are managing with these tasks & roles, within the environment, cultural and social context of your life, in particular, as you move through the transitions of stages and ages in your life.
EXPLORE & REDEFINE YOUR STORY…
To prompt you to consider things from different perspectives. We then will move into planning and co-creating how you’d like to adapt, evolve or redefine your story and bring these changes - this might involve the use of a variety of OT interventions. As we spend time exploring and mapping out your current feelings, experience and I’ll help you explore and reset your direction (set goals about where to next).
CONNECT TO YOU & YOUR NEEDS
This is where things can start to move and shake. As OT’s use a whole-person perspective, I have a range of tools, skills, knowledge and experience that I utilise in different ways within a session. Ultimately, I’m helping you to reconnect your body+ mind and spirit, to listen to your needs - getting out of your own way and back into alignment. I draw on a range skills and knowledge allow me to understand, emphasise the value, and support you to facilitate change in ways that are meaningful within your chosen occupations.
REVIEW, REFLECT, RESET
The pace that we move through this process is entirely guided by you, your needs and how your process, digest and interpret the world. At regular intervals, when change is noticed we then review and reflect on how these supports, changes, knowledge and new skill developments are evolving your life, to give you the skills, experience and support to continue with this cycle to live the life you want to live. We may discover there are other areas that you’d like to explore and unravel, and we can continue with this support where you would like.
