Mental Health Occupational Therapy
For individuals who have disabilities that could impact their mental health, occupational therapy can be an invaluable means of support and helping them lead more fulfilling and involved lives. Many participants in the NDIS can receive mental health occupational therapy as part of their plan.
FAQs
What is Mental Health Occupational Therapy, and Who Can Benefit from It?
Mental health occupational therapy looks at employing a range of holistic approaches that aim to improve a person’s emotional, cognitive and physical well-being. All three goals (emotional, cognitive, physical) are imperative to managing one’s mental health, whether they live with a disability or mental health condition that has impacts on their day-to-day life.
The specific strategies and therapies used can differ between clients, reflecting their individual mental health needs. It offers an effective means of supporting individuals who are navigating mental health challenges that could result from a disability, impairment, specific mental health conditions (e.g. anxiety, depression), or contextual life challenges such as stress and burnout.
How Does Occupational Therapy Support Mental Health and Overall Well-Being?
Occupational therapy focuses on helping clients lead purposeful lives by holistically addressing their needs. As such, OT focuses on the emotional, cognitive and physical needs of the client.
To achieve this, several steps and approaches can be employed, including:
Assessment and goal-setting
At the start, an occupational therapist will assess various aspects of the client’s life, routines, emotional needs and personal goals. When assessment and goal-setting are established, the focus then turns to implementing the strategies, activities, and modifications necessary to help the client.
Skill development and coping strategies
Here, the OT will assist the client in developing practical skills to manage their condition. These can include:
Emotional regulation: providing techniques to assist the client in managing things like stress, anxiety, and/or depression.
Time and energy management: assist the client in avoiding issues like burnout by developing structured routines that make it easier for them to maintain productivity.
Social skills training: help the client improve their socialising skills that allow them to enhance communications, their relationships, and overall confidence.
Workplace and academic support: assist the client to help them better adapt to work and/or study environments - this can often be done in collaboration with a client’s employer or education provider.
Self-care and hygiene: work with the client in establishing consistent personal care routines that they find manageable.
Engaging in meaningful and mentally fulfilling activities
Occupational therapists may integrate a range of activities that help improve a client’s mental health recovery, including:
- Creative therapies, such as engaging in art, music, journaling, storytelling, etc.
- Physical activities and movement, which play a critical role in mental health.
- Mindfulness and relaxation techniques, including meditation and sensory grounding exercises (e.g. five senses grounding).
- Social engagement through group activities with local communities or support groups.
Environmental modifications
For some clients, modifications to the environment around them can also help improve the quality of their mental health. This typically involves modifications to their home and any other key areas they frequent, such as a workplace or school. Key examples include:
- Make organised living spaces to reduce stress - e.g. remove clutter, implement gentler lighting, add ramps and other accessibility features if the client lives with a disability that limits their physical movement.
- Create sensory-friendly environments - important for clients with heightened sensory sensitivities.
- Improved accessibility and mental health accommodations at work or school - again, this would involve collaboration with employers or education providers.
What Does a Typical Mental Health Occupational Therapy Session Involve at Conscious Healthcare SA in Adelaide?
It’s important to remember that occupational therapy, whether it’s focused on mental health or helping someone with their physical limitations, is best developed on a case-by-case basis. As such, no one client will receive the same guidance.
What sessions will entail is typically determined after the first appointment when an OT has had time to assess the client and which approaches would best match their recovery needs.
How is Mental Health Occupational Therapy Integrated with Other Therapeutic Interventions at Conscious Healthcare SA?
As occupational therapy focuses on providing holistic solutions, our OTs may also work alongside psychologists to help clients develop the skills and strategies that will best enable them to lead fulfilling lives.
Given the focus on improving mental health, collaboration with psychologists and mental health professionals is a logical therapeutic intervention to assist clients in their journey.
How Frequently Should Sessions Be Attended for Optimal Results in Adelaide?
How many sessions are necessary will depend on the specific client's needs and the mental health guidance they require. This will be assessed during the first occupational therapy session.
If you're the parent or primary caretaker of an individual who requires mental health occupational therapy, you can provide us with further information so we can determine the best treatment approach and duration.
What are the Latest Trends in Mental Health Occupational Therapy in 2025, and How are They Being Implemented at Conscious Healthcare SA?
There are many ways in which the field of mental health OT is evolving, integrating a range of new and emerging technologies to provide even better insights and granular adjustments for clients. Outside of common contemporary practices, such as greater availability of telehealth support, newer tech is also being used.
For some clients, wearable technology can be an effective way of monitoring physical aspects of their health that could influence their mental health, such as their heart rate, stress levels, blood pressure, sleep quality, and more. It can also make it easier for them to stick to exercises and fitness goals that serve to improve their mental well-being.
Emerging technologies, such as augmented and virtual reality (AR and VR, respectively) have been trialled in some OT settings. For example, helping children with socialisation issues develop their skills in a safe virtual setting, such as a replica of a classroom setting where they can practice what they’ve been taught by their OT.
Outside of specific technologies, therapeutic approaches such as sensory integration have grown in popularity to help those with sensory issues feel more comfortable in different environments and sensory-based situations.
At Conscious Healthcare SA, we’re constantly building on our established approaches to mental health occupational therapy. With several qualified OTs bringing their own key areas of knowledge and expertise to the table, we offer OT solutions that are adaptable and account for the benefits and efficiencies that newer technologies and approaches bring to the table.