Today’s quote comes in a time where the scope and role of Occupational Therapists in British Columbia is being challenged and, in my opinion, threatened.
Recently I reposted this LinkedIn post whivu was sharing that OT regulation is being challenged to say that OTs don’t work with mental health and are limited to physical and cognitive diagnoses. This quote came up in my search at the perfect timing.
The writer of this quote, Tiffany, shared that although as Occupational therapists we all work in very different settings, we all consider (or should be) mental health.
As an OT that works with kids as some of my clients, I can say that no matter what the goal is that I am presented with, I am ALWAYS thinking of the mental health of my clients. Does your kid struggle with aggression or emotional regulation? Perhaps they are feeling major anxiety and don’t know how to cope. Are they having a hard time with change? This can really relate to anxiety. Are your kids having a hard time with completing homework, learning at school, making friends? There could be a mental health connection here. Even something that seems very physical such as toilet training can be related to mental health as some of my clients in the past have their challenges underlying with past trauma.
When working with even the most physical referral such as needing to fit a person for a wheelchair after an accident, how can you not consider mental health? Someone has gone through a life changing accident, they will not only need that medical equipment but they may need support to start to be open to the new life they are leading, may need to learn different strategies, start new activities and get used to a new life role! All of this is mental health related!
With the lack of mental health resources available throughout Canada, and the major mental health crisis happening (especially in BC), Occupational therapists SHOULD be considered as part of the mental health service providers. We take multiple courses in school, are taught about trauma informed practice, and many of us practice in mental health specific practices. We work to support people with their daily activities of living (occupations) which includes anything from eating, sleeping, bathing, to attending school, getting back to work after some sort of disruption, learning new skills, gaining social skills and connections and so much more! People with mental health challenges often need support in these areas just as much, and perhaps even more than those with physical health challenges!
Many of us are working in areas where there are not enough social workers, psychologists, psychiatrists, and even if we might not be the first person you think of when you think of mental health services (although we should be!) this is where we can at least support a client until they get the further referrals they need.
This quote of the day post turned into a bit more of a rant, but I think it is an important topic to continue the conversation about.
If you have a role in mental health as an occupational therapist (whether it is part of your title or not – ex working on a mental health ward vs “school health”) please comment below!!
Check out this Google survey if you are interested in speaking up for mental health care within OT services đź©· Thank you for reading
Be Your Own Sunshine 