Engaging with Life through the Model of Human

Occupation
Author : Katie Gape



Aims

To establish more resourceful
use of Occupational Therapy
within a Community Mental
Health Team with a high
volume of patients.

.
Conclusions

People have gone on to implement
changes identified in the workshop,
as well as going on to attend
workshops run by the Recovery
Education Centre.
People have found discussion with
peers beneficial and have gone on
to make plans to meet outside of
the workshops to buddy up to do
activities.
People are observed to benefit
from the holistic approach of
Occupational Therapy intervention,
and this has enabled them to take
a proactive approach to make
constructive changes to their lives.
Feedback from team members has
been positive in respect of benefits
of Occupational Therapy
intervention and multi-disciplinary
working.
Other teams within the Trust have
expressed interest and the
intention is to roll the workshops
out Trust wide.




Christchurch and Southbourne Community Mental Health Team
Contact katie.gape@dhuft.nhs.uk
Acknowledgements: Kerry Pearce Peer Specialist, Phil Morgan Dorset Mental Health Forum
Background

Following team merger and
consequent high volume of
patients, a new way of using the
team Occupational Therapist
was needed. A more economical
way of assessing patient needs
and providing Occupational
Therapy intervention was
required. A series of workshops
looking at Volition, Habituation,
Physical Capacity, the
Environment and dealing with
negative thoughts was created
by the Occupational Therapist
and Peer Specialist.

A Peer Specialist is a person
with lived experience of mental
illness.
Methods

The sessions use a structured
format relating to the theme of each
particular session. The Peer
Specialist speaks about their
experiences relating to that theme
and the Occupational Therapist
delivers the theory using relevant
research findings. Attendees are
invited to contribute their
experiences and discuss the issues
with the aim of identifying barriers
and solutions.

Using the Occupational Self
Assessment and Cognitive
Behavioural Therapy (CBT) based
tools people are supported to learn
basic analysis skills in order to
identify areas and strategies for
change, understanding reasons
behind current level of functioning.
I didnt realise
oLher people
feel Lhe same as
me
This workshop has
glven me a reason
Lo geL ouL each
week
I now have a clear
ldea of whaL l wanL
Lo do and how Lo do
lL
Thanks very
much
8eferences:
College of CccupaLlonal 1heraplsLs 8ecoverlng Crdlnary Llves 2008
klelhofner, C Model of Puman CccupaLlon ln 1heory and racLlce 2002
3
rd
ed. uSA LlpplncoLL Wllllams and Wllklns
8epper, ! eer SupporL Workers: 1heory and racLlce [lnLerneL]
hLLp://www.cenLreformenLalhealLh.org.uk/pdfs/lm8CC_peer_supporL 2013