What is Mental Health Occupational Therapy?

The aim of occupational therapy services in mental health is to help all individuals develop and maintain positive mental health, prevent mental ill health, and recover from mental health challenges in order to live full and productive lives”

When interacting with other mental health providers (e.g., psychologists, social workers, counselors, psychiatrists), it is important to articulate the distinct value of our services as the use of evidence-based meaningful activities to promote participation in everyday life. Research from the field of positive psychology has further confirmed that participating in meaningful occupations that result in positive emotions helps build resilience and fuel mental well-being.

“There is no health without mental health.”
—World Health Organization [WHO], 2001

Settings
• Inpatient behavioral mental health
• Community mental health
• Alternative and public schools
• Residential (group homes, nursing homes)
• Home-based services
• Organizational workplaces

Skills Addressed Through Occupational Therapy in Mental Health:

  • Activities of daily living (ADLs): eating, bathing, grooming, getting dressed, toileting/continence, transferring/mobility.

  • Instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs): cooking, cleaning, transportation, laundry, and managing finances (needed for independent living)

  • Social Skills & Healthy Relationships

  • Cognitive skill building

  • Symptom management: through learning coping strategies addressing mental health, self regulation and stress

  • Chronic condition management & Healthy habits (sleep, exercise, nutrition, diabetes, wellness, attending or scheduling appointments)

  • Community integration

  • Sensory Strategies

  • Vocational (work) skill building

  • Addressing skills to resume life roles & leisure activities

Andrew Daubney