Occupational Therapy for mental illness

Mental illness, trauma and other challenging life events can impact on a person’s ability to participate in the activities that they want or need to. Occupational therapists know that engaging in meaningful activities that bring purpose to a person’s life is central to recovery. Recovery is about feeling connected, having hope and a sense of identity, having a meaningful life and being empowered to focus on strengths, with or without ongoing mental illness symptoms.

OTs can support recovery through addressing:

• Cognition and cognitive beliefs that may be impacted by mental illness

• Sensory processing

• Coping and resilience

• Motivation

• Managing emotions

• Communication and social skills

• Time use, habits and routines

• Life skills including home and money management, meal preparation and accessing the community

• Self-awareness including psychoeducation, stress management and wellness planning

Through occupational therapy, people living with mental illness can be supported to engage, or re-engage, in daily activities including self-care, looking after others and their home, social participation and leisure, sleep, education, work and volunteering. OTs used trauma-informed and strengths-based approaches, coaching, advocacy, adaptation and skills development to help people take control of their recovery journey.

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At Believe and Become we offer home, clinic, school, workplace and community based therapy to meet your needs and preferences.