Occupational therapy in mental health is for anyone whose daily functioning is affected by a psychological condition, ranging from burnout to depression. The occupational therapist can help you put in place concrete means to overcome your difficulties and regain your quality of life.
Why consult a mental health occupational therapist?
Different mental health disorders can be the source of difficulties in your daily functioning, for example:
- Burnout
- Anxiety disorders
- Depression
- Post-traumatic stress
These mental health conditions may or may not have been caused by a specific event, accident or even physical injury.
Your rehabilitation counselor may refer you to mental health occupational therapy as part of your rehabilitation program.
How a mental health occupational therapy session works
During the initial consultation, the occupational therapist will first ask you questions about your history in connection with the reason for consultation and will seek to understand which symptoms have an impact on your functioning at work, during sleep, in your leisure activities and your social life, etc. These symptoms can express themselves differently:
- Physical symptoms such as fatigue or pain
- Cognitive symptoms such as difficulty concentrating or remembering
- Psychological symptoms such as anxiety
- Emotional symptoms such as mood swings
At the end of the first session, your occupational therapist will be able to understand what your expectations are in order to establish a treatment plan including meaningful goals for you and concrete ways to achieve them.
This first assessment meeting generally lasts 60 to 120 minutes.
The following appointments will serve to guide you towards your goals by identifying potential obstacles and exploring realistic means to put in place as of the next week.
These follow-up meetings generally take place once a week and last 50 minutes. They can take place in a closed office in a clinic or remotely in telerehabilitation. If necessary, the occupational therapist can move around your environment (at work for example) or invite a significant person from your entourage to a meeting.
