Occupational therapists focus on the various activities that you need and want to do in daily life to be able to live as independently as possible in order to maintain your health and well-being.

Occupational therapy staff will assess you and work collaboratively with you to promote your recovery and improve the quality of your life. To aid your recovery it could be that you require help and support in a particular area of daily living, or you may need extra help and support getting started or back into employment.

The Mental Health Occupational Therapy Service

The Mental Health Occupational Therapy Service works with people aged 16 and above in mental health settings across Lanarkshire including:

• Adult and Older Adult Acute inpatient wards within the University Hospitals – Wishaw Hairmyres and Monklands as well as smaller bed  sites at Udston, Coathill and Beckford campuses
• Community Mental Health teams and Integrated Addictions team in 10 localities across Lanarkshire
• Specialist services including:
  • Young Onset Dementia team
  • Eating Disorder Service
  • Forensic Service
  • Rehabilitation and Recovery Service
• Self-Referral Occupational Therapy Community Clinics in 10 locality sites

How to Access Mental Health Occupational Therapy

If you are experiencing issues with your mental health and wellbeing which are affecting your ability to do the day-to-day activities which matter to you, you can access Occupational Therapy in the following ways:

1. Self-refer to an Occupational Therapy Community Clinic. Occupational Therapists can offer you a one off Community appointment by means of a self-referral in a local setting.  You will be able to discuss components of your mental health and wellbeing with a trained mental health professional, who is an Occupational Therapist, who can advise on the value of activity and maintaining balance within valued occupations to promote recovery and mental wellbeing.
2. If you are already using a Mental Health service, ask the health professional that you are in contact with to refer you to Occupational Therapy.
3. Go to your GP and ask for a referral to Occupational Therapy.

How Can Occupational Therapy Help Me?

Occupational Therapy enables people to participate in the tasks or activities that they need or want to do in daily life. Daily life is made up of many activities (or occupations). Occupations may include:

When we are able to participate in the occupations that are important to us, we are more likely to prevent ill health, improve health and wellbeing, and manage long-term health conditions or disabilities.

An Occupational Therapist will assess your situation focussing on the activities and tasks that matter to you.  They will work with you to find practical solutions to difficulties you are experiencing with these activities and tasks, in order to help you to lead a more fulfilling life.

As mental health professionals, Occupational Therapists may also use evidence-based, psychological therapies such as Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) or recovery-focused approaches to help you to manage activities and tasks which have been affected by poor mental health and well-being.

How can an Occupational Therapist help you if you experience mental health difficulties?

There are a range of ways in which an Occupational Therapist may help you if you experience mental health difficulties:

• Working with you in your home to develop a meaningful routine, breakdown everyday tasks into manageable steps or learn techniques which help you to pace your activity so you can do the tasks that are most important to you
• Working with you in your community to help you build confidence in social situations, participate in hobbies or interests that you enjoy or cope with traveling from A to B
• Helping you to manage your health at work or college by identifying the tasks that are challenging; recommending changes to working practices or ‘reasonable adjustments’; communicating with employers, or other key people when needed and discussing strategies that you can use to get a good work-life balance.