Occupational Therapy & Mental Health

30/01/201821/07/2024 / Talk Therapy Dublin / 1 Comment

What does an Occupational Therapist (OT) do?

An Occupational Therapy intervention can be invaluable to a person’s well-being but the reality is not enough people in Ireland know what OT’s do or what OT services are available to them, specifically in terms of Mental Health.

What is Mental Health OT?

Mental Health OT can offer support if your mental health interferes with your ability to do the activities necessary for living your life.

For example

If social anxiety prevents you from meeting friends, forming relationships or going to work.
If depression stops you from getting to your exercise class or your GP appointment.
If issues around your physical health are putting a strain on your mental health

A Mental Health OT can intervene to assess what difficulties a client is having with their routine and support them to manage the mental health challenges while living a meaningful life.

OT’s work holistically alongside a person with the perspective that the person, occupation and environment are all interlinked. OT’s will address each of these areas with you to ensure that all the barriers to living a meaningful life are being worked on.

How is OT different from seeing a Counsellor or a psychologist?

An OT can meet you wherever you need to meet e.g. at work, at home, at the local café, in the library and so on. By engaging in occupational therapy in a real life scenario you have the opportunity to actively work on your goals in a safe way. Your goals will drive where and when the meetings happen.
For example, let’s imagine that your goal is to be able to meet a friend for a coffee. Currently your experience of social anxiety prevents you from doing so. Your OT may meet you at home over several sessions to help you to learn about anxiety (what are your triggers, warning signs, management strategies, relaxation approaches etc.) so that you can eventually work towards leaving your home and meeting your OT for walk, then maybe outside the coffee shop, then inside, and eventually supporting you to meet that friend in the local coffee shop.
Like a counsellor, psychotherapist or psychologist, a Mental Health OT can help you to engage in “talk therapy” however this isn’t the main focus of the sessions. Counselling & Psychotherapy are an incredibly valuable process for lots of people, but not for everyone. OT’s work in collaboration with other healthcare professionals so that a person’s entire needs are being met.

Talk Therapy Dublin have linked in with Anchor Therapy to provide a Mental Health OT option for certain clients.

Mental Health OT’s work as part of the Community Mental Health teams in the HSE and in some NGO’s around Ireland. To learn more about OT in Ireland go to www.aoti.ie.

Online Counselling – Who are you talking to??

24/01/201825/05/2026 / Talk Therapy Dublin / 1 Comment

This article from the UK describes how the NHS is struggling to cope with the demand for online counselling services.

In Ireland online counselling & psychotherapy is also on the rise, this demand provides an opportunity for unscrupulous individuals to take advantage particularly using the internet to mislead and confuse vulnerable clients looking for help.

Here at Talk Therapy Dublin we adhere to the IACP ethical guidelines on skype/online counselling.

Anyone thinking of online or phone counselling should research their practitioner and

make sure the practitioner is qualified & has training to work with clients using this technology,
That they are a fully qualified/accredited therapist with one of the main accreditation bodies (ICP, IACP, APCP, PSI)
Are familiar with the pertinent ethical guidelines covering this area of counselling & psychotherapy.

Keeping an eye on our mental health this Christmas

23/12/2017 / Talk Therapy Dublin / 1 Comment

7 straightforward tips to help keep our mental health in check this Christmas.

http://www.thejournal.ie/christmas-mental-health-3733570-Dec2017/

They seem simplistic but are often a lot easier said than done.

Merry Christmas to all!

Lets talk about Postnatal Depression

19/12/201719/05/2026 / Talk Therapy Dublin / 2 Comments

With Ireland having the second highest birthrate in the EU, supporting women affected by post natal depression/anxiety is a very important and often misunderstood issue.

Colleen Hennessy gives some insight into her experience of post natal depression/anxiety in this article from the Irish Times

Counselling & Psychotherapy are recommended treatment options by both the NHS and HSE and Talk Therapy Dublin based in Harold’s Cross, Terenure and Rathmines Dublin 6W is actively providing support in this area.

Coming off medication – can counselling help?

07/11/2017 / Talk Therapy Dublin / Leave a comment

The below article by Ceire Sadlier describes her experience involving both Doctors and Counsellors as she gradually decided to come off medication for anxiety & depression.

She describes something that many clients can feel namely the pressure to “come off” medication which can be unhelpful and in some cases dangerous if not managed correctly.

The article also describes an initial negative (and expensive) experience when looking for counselling support. This is something many clients describe which underlines the need for clients to research their therapists and to look around until they find one which fits and where a therapeutic relationship can develop.

What may work for one client in terms of a therapist may not necessarily work for another. Therapists have been trained in different modalities and also often have specific specialties and post qualification training in specific areas. All questions to ask about when making contact.

https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/health-family/it-is-three-months-since-i-took-the-last-anti-depressant-1.3275077