Mental Health and the OT’s Expansive Role Defined broadly, mental health includes a person’s emotional, psychological and social well-being. It affects how individuals think, feel and act as they cope with life. Occupational therapy services promote participation in daily life; therefore, an occupational therapist (OT) can play an invaluable role in the life of a client with a mental illness. For example, OTs work with individuals with polytrauma, developmental disabilities and eating disorders. Recently, occupational therapy was included in the federal Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Agency’s list of suggested staff members in community behavioral health clinics. SHMS faculty member Karen Hebert, PhD, OTR/L, comments on the OT’s role in mental health.
How can an OT help with a mental health condition? Occupational therapists look at how a person’s condition — including psychiatric (e.g. anxiety, bipolar disorder) and developmental (e.g. autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) — impacts his or her daily life. For example, depression can make it hard for someone to participate in the classroom, so OTs work on strategies to engage in school-based activities.
An OT’s approach is distinctive. Tell us more. OTs go into the community with clients. How does one drive across town or problem-solve when grocery shopping, for example? OTs also can help employers modify a professional position for someone with a mental health condition, such as developing a work schedule that gives the employee time to utilize stress-management techniques and coping skills.
How do OTs work with the healthcare team? An OT can advise the physician if a medication could be changing someone’s performance. For example, an OT might say, “Yesterday, the client was more aware and able to participate more in activities.” OTs also can inform a social worker if a client appears ready to live independently and what services he or she will need. As OTs, we have the unique opportunity to see people do activities. Our work goes beyond just talking with them. — Kimberly Olson
In the Limelight Last December, an audience enjoyed a spirited production of The Wizard of Oz. The participants — clients at Mt. Bethel Village, a special needs community in Warren, New Jersey, for adults with autism, developmental disabilities or traumatic brain injuries — were coached by students in the SHMS Master of Science in Occupational Therapy (MSOT) program to rehearse lines, learn staging and make costumes. For their Level II fieldwork, the Seton Hall students (pictured above, bottom photo) incorporated occupational therapy into Mt. Bethel’s intervention program. After conducting a needs assessment, they determined that the adults could develop invaluable skills by producing a play. “Many of the young adults at Mt. Bethel are on the autism spectrum and have challenges presenting in front of a group,” says Karen Hoover, OTD, OTR, an Assistant Professor and prior Director of Clinical Education for the MSOT program. “OT is rooted in the ‘act of doing;’ our students helped the adults contribute meaningfully to the play. Sometimes that meant encouraging them not to hide their faces while on stage, or to feel comfortable sharing ideas about costumes and props.” The students’ work at Mt. Bethel Village demonstrates the breadth and depth of an OT’s role in helping individuals develop skills and strategies needed to lead fulfilling lives. — Kimberly Olson 19