Saturday, November 29, 2014

How do you know whether your occupational therapy is working?

Unlike other health professions, occupational therapy is a process, not a magic bullet that can be solved in a set number of sessions. 

In my experience, if you're going through occupational therapy, give yourself 3 months. If you actually follow your therapists' recommendations and don't see any changes in 3 months, then only decide that it isn't working for you. Sometimes there are changes, significant changes but not very big. The effects are compounded over time, meaning the incremental changes over time can have a very major effect if you keep at it for long enough.

Gradually as the amount of health-promoting habits a person has increases, the amount of change would also increase. I have had clients who give up on the occupational therapy process too soon, and therefore very sadly could not reap the full benefits of occupational therapy. That's why these days I get my clients to commit to a two month package (but I tell them beforehand to give themselves a minimum of at least 3 months) rather than a pay per session basis.

If you're an occupational therapist and you notice that you come across the same issue as I had, of clients giving up on themselves or their therapy too soon, it helps to set the expectations beforehand at the very first meet itself. My first consultations are always free (to give clients a sneak peek of what to expect from my service) and it's typically the second meet where we would discuss things like therapy boundaries and expectations. Discussing therapy boundaries and expectations is an important part of the occupational therapy process, and it is of utmost importance that our clients understand that occupational therapy is a process, NOT a magic bullet.

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