We’re focusing on neurodiversity and mental health in the March issue of OTnews. It starts with a group of neurodivergent occupational therapists reflecting on how they’ve continued to experience the world around them during the pandemic, since first sharing their stories about their lives with us two years ago.
Mariza Ferreira, a specialist paediatric occupational therapist, talks about her work with children with dual or multiple exceptionality - children with the unique profile of having high learning potential (or ‘gifted’), together with a special educational need or disability (SEND).
She has ‘no doubt’ that occupational therapy is the ‘vital link’ for these children, and wants everyone to learn more about this ‘unique profile’.
Then Izzy Scott explains why local charity Heads2Minds is campaigning for a change in mental health terminology, to help reduce stigma.
The charity is keen to highlight the importance of terminology when discussing ‘the health of the mind’ and Izzy says: ‘Mental health has been used for a long time by the medical profession to describe an individual's mental health. We feel that the term mind health would reduce stigma faced by individuals facing challenges with their mind.’
Finally, Jane Ritchie talks about her new role, which focuses on the development of universal and targeted approaches to children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing.
In the feature ‘Neurological vocational rehab – what is it and how do you do it?’, occupational therapists in a vocational rehab service in Southampton explain how they’re using a ‘three-stream pathway’ approach to help their clients return to work.
Zoë Clark and Katharine Noel explain how the co-design of a new online patient self-management programme is supporting people living with a painful, progressive form of inflammatory arthritis.
In this month’s ‘Focus on’ feature, we tackle a topic never before covered in OTnews. Dr Kate Allatt explains why she’s so passionate about ‘ripping down the barriers that prevent stroke survivors talking about intimacy and sex’. As a young stroke survivor herself, she believes you have a key role to play in supporting this, by proactively communicating and opening up the right conversations.
QUOTES FROM THE ISSUE
‘We need to improve the training and confidence of occupational therapists to discuss sex and intimacy with stroke survivors and their partners. It needs to be of high importance and must not be delivered as a Friday afternoon graveyard shift slot. We need encouragement, better advice, more signposting, skills, knowledge and understanding. Above all we need openness.’
‘It has confirmed my suspicions that occupational therapists are actually the fairy godmothers of this world, and everyone should be assigned one at birth.’
‘I am feeling really inspired and can't wait to embed some of the strategies and the DME-C approach in my practice, to be able to help local families get the support they need…’
‘The good news is that [my child] is more tolerant to and with others and has not had an anger outburst since starting school last September, which I am extremely proud of… he is now conscious of his sensory hypersensitivities, and more importantly accepts them.’
‘In summary, work is an integral component of people’s lives and following life-changing events, inevitably, perspectives on work and productivity are altered and confidence is reduced. Our interventions, self-management strategies and advocacy, combined with peer support, are proving to be a winning solution in enabling clients to return to work.’
OTnews is our monthly membership magazine. As well as the printed copy, you can also view the magazine online. If you would like to share your innovative service developments and reflections on new ways of working in a future issue, contact the editor at editorial@rcot.co.uk.