The Role of an Occupational Therapist
.Occupational Therapists use a client-centered approach to balance an individual’s well-being and the healthy functioning of physical, mental, emotional and spiritual proficiencies of activities of daily living and instrumental activities of daily living. Activities of Daily Living include functional mobility, swallowing and eating, self-care, hygiene, sleeping, and dressing. Instrumental activities of daily living (IADL’s) include shopping, medication management, financial management, caregiving of family and pets, and being in the community. The goal of skilled therapy is to strive towards the highest level of functional living with adaptations and/or modifications to the environment to achieve a level of independence based on an individual’s goals.
The Scope of a Holistic Occupational Therapist
As a Holistic Occupational Therapist, the foundation is to connect with and serve the whole individual; mind-body-spirit, while maintaining a client-centered approach to address needs and reach goals. The framework of Occupational Therapy is combined with complementary and integrative health techniques to facilitate healing on a deeper level. A Holistic OT will utilize therapeutic modalities such as art therapy, aromatherapy, music therapy, healthy diet and nutrition, yoga, body work, craniosacral therapy, reflexology, chiropractic adjustments, Quantum Neuro Reset Therapy, reiki and energy medicine, acupuncture, meditation, breath work, and mindfulness to increase individual physical functioning, mental and emotional well-being, as well as spiritual health. Holistic Occupational Therapists use the body’s natural ability to heal itself by implementing these beneficial modalities and techniques. We emphasize the balance of everyday activities such as work, play, leisure, ADLs, IADLs, education, exercise and social participation.
Providing clients with intervention and care for success across all environments is my intention when designing outcomes. I am able to provide mental, emotional and cognitive services where required. Psychoneuroimmunology is the study of how the mind can influence health or sickness via the nervous system and immune system. Mind-body healing can actually “switch on” or “Switch off” gene activity or gene expression associated with disease.
Delivery of Skilled Services
I embody self-care, therapeutic use of self, mindfulness, presence, spirituality, universal connection, balance, the life journey, love, joy and peace as the catalysts to health and wellness. We are physical bodies having a spiritual experience, and spiritual bodies having a physical experience while living in this world; a delicate symbiotic dance. Trauma and illness is devastating to the psyche, mental, emotional and physical expression of self, as well as a healthy functioning nervous system. While I cannot do your healing journey for you, I will serve as the conduit, provide intervention and modalities, tools and a safe space to benefit you, as well as cultivating the environment for which, will allow for reparation of body, mind and spirit, if you should so choose. It is my passion to assist those who have found their way to me.
Identify Needs & Barriers
I help identify client barriers and blocks to come up with viable solutions to achieve wellness needs and goals. Self-exploration, coupled with introspective questions allows me to help clients achieve optimal outcomes, unearthing sabotaging behaviors, procuring skills and changing mindset. Additionally, I educate people to make healthy choices in all areas of client life: physical, emotional, mental, spiritual, nutrition, environment, career and leisure/play.
Intervention & Education
I provide intervention during sessions, as well as teach clients relaxation skills and emotional regulation activities, which may be able to prevent illness and reverse disease. Arousal modulation is an essential skill required to lower cortisol levels, reduce stress and promote parasympathetic nervous system activation. Additionally, I provide integrative care which can reduce pain, anxiety, stress, depression, PTSD and other symptoms which are contributing to the breakdown of the mind-body and potentially causing disease and other conditions. Education is provided for the individual client as well as family members to assist with carry-over in the home.
Home Programs
Implementing the techniques and strategies, which are taught during sessions. are beneficial for continued progress as an individual strives towards wellness. I prescribe therapeutic activities and exercises for clients to complete at home, to bridge the learning and to create repetition for success. I utilize a variety of techniques and skills, such as therapy balls, the balance board, figure 8 board with eye teeming, yoga and archetype movements, to facilitate concentration, strength, body coordination and awareness.