'Every day is different': the role of a Senior Occupational Therapist

To celebrate OT Week Sally Cuthbert, Senior Occupational Therapist explains more about her role working as a community OT in the Rushcliffe Local Mental Health Team (RLMHT).

The role of OT in Adult Community Mental Health

“Occupational Therapists are an integral part of the RLMHT multi-disciplinary team.  We support clients in secondary mental health services, to increase their ability to live independently whilst engaging in activities with meaning and purpose.

I love that my job offers a huge amount of variety – every day is different. My clinical work most often has a practical element. For example, I may carry out a cooking assessment to establish a person’s safety and capabilities in the kitchen. Or another day may involve supporting a client to access a yoga group, playgroup or volunteering session. Core skills of an Occupational Therapist include facilitating groups. I am excited to be setting up a Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy group next year for clients with re-current depression.”

How OTs support mental health? 

“I am passionate about activity and believe that the ‘doing mode’ is fundamental to well-being and positive mental health. We take a 'whole-person approach' to assess a client’s occupational needs. We consider factors including a person’s mental and physical health, their environment, values and motivation to change. We are skilled at modifying or adapting the environment or activity to help restore skills, confidence and promote recovery. My work involves supporting clients to establish daily routine and to create new (or rebuild) roles and responsibilities that are integral to a person keeping well.

I enjoy using activity therapeutically as a way of engaging clients, building rapport and promoting positive mental health and well-being.”

How patients benefit from occupational therapy in mental health?

OTs offer a holistic and practical approach to recovery and patients can benefit in a number of ways.

For example:

• Reducing anxiety to go out independently or to use public transport
• Support to help extend social/leisure activities
• Helping to better structure a weekly routine, promoting a balance of activity
• Issue equipment to enhance physical ability
• Assess and offer sessions to enhance activities of daily life around the home
• Developing confidence and self-esteem
• Increasing levels of independence
• Establishing coping strategies
• Education around health and well-being, such as sleep hygiene or anxiety management

This year OT week (4 – 10 November) focuses on - ‘Small Change, Big Impact’. In the RLMHT we are a small OT team. But regardless of this, our commitment and passion to OT and activity being at the heart of everything we do endeavours to make a HUGE impact on our patients and team alike.