Occupational Therapists Support Mental Health Recovery and Create Return to Work  Success 

Returning to work after a mental health diagnosis or injury can be difficult. 

Mental health challenges like depression, anxiety, and trauma can have a significant impact on people’s lives. These conditions can disrupt not only personal lives but also relationships, daily activities, and the ability to work.   

In fact, mental illness is a leading cause of disability in Canada. Every week at least 500,000 Canadians miss work due to mental illness and the resulting personal, workplace and economic impacts can be devastating.

For employers in British Columbia, compliance with Bill 41 is now mandatory, requiring them to provide suitable work options for employees dealing with mental health challenges.  

Occupational Therapists have the skills and experience to help individuals with mental health conditions to return to work and enjoy life again.  OTs also collaborate with employers to implement cost-effective workplace accommodations. 

At OT Works!, we have a deep understanding of Mental Health and Return-to-Work

  • Our approach focuses on listening to your needs, empowering you, and working collaboratively with your medical team.  
  • We tailor our strategies to meet you where you are, helping you navigate the path to recovery step by step.  
  • We ensure that you remain at the forefront of your care plan while maintaining your privacy and confidentiality.  
  • Our therapists have comprehensive knowledge and extensive training on mental health and how it affects return-to-work 
  • Our team has helped clients through WorkSafeBC, ICBC, Veterans Affairs, RCMP, private insurers, and employers.  
  • We have experience working with Bill 41, facilitating a gradual return to the workplace, ensuring a safe and successful transition.   

“We know that work is not just about earning a living; it’s about finding purpose, building confidence, and connecting with others. Returning to work after a mental health diagnosis or injury is a crucial step towards recovery, and our experienced therapists have been supporting individuals in this journey for over two decades.  “ 
Pamela Russell, Clinical Director, OT Works! 

Case Study:  Firefighter with PTSD 

OT Works! was requested to assist a firefighter diagnosed with PTSD.  

This worker had experienced multiple traumatic events, and was suffering with nightmares, sleep issues, and avoidance of the location of one of the events.  

Randy McVeigh, an occupational therapist with OT Works! with 10 years of experience, helping clients with mental health diagnoses was assigned to this client 
 
After an initial OT assessment, Randy created an evidence-based treatment plan unique to the client’s needs. 
Randy alternated treatment sessions between in situ exposure therapy and counselling sessions at the client’s home. 
The client was ready to begin attending emotionally charged locations right away, and after demonstrating the ability to do so, Randy allowed the client to identify locations with traumatic significance. Together, Randy and the client drove to each location, parked the car and got out. At the location of the scene, the client described what happened in detail, and how it affected him.  The client found that being able to tell his stories helped him to process them, in a way he is not usually able, as people in his life are often uncomfortable hearing about what happened. 

After recounting the stories, the client and Randy spent some time in mindfulness.  Randy encouraged the client to notice various aspects of the present-day location, especially the sensory experiences (e.g. sounds, feeling of the air on the skin, the grass or pavement beneath the feet), emphasizing, particularly, the aspects which are now different from the original accident (e.g. peaceful, different season).  The purpose of this is to give the client a new and different experience of the location, so that his nervous system can be less firmly attached to the original story. 

Randy also provided education of various aspects of PTSD management, including creating SMART goals. Randy encouraged and provided strategies so the client could experiment with different approaches, including: 

  • Socializing with firefighters 
  • Mindfulness practices 
  • Journalling 
  • Setting up schedules and routines 
  • Identifying values and motivations 
  • Crafting coping plans 

After working with Randy for a few months, the client has met several goals: 

  • Returned to the firehall for the first time since going on leave 
  • Returned to formal and informal social events with firefighters and friends 
  • Socializing with his family, including in locations that were previously triggering to him 
  • Went on to numerous sites of accident scenes, often for the first time since the incidents, and has reversed his pattern of avoiding them 
  • His PTSD symptoms and responses to triggers are milder, and much better managed 

“It made all the difference to have my OT come to my house. I was scared to leave and was hiding under the bed and in the closet. Unlike previous providers, my OT treated me like a human, genuinely cared, and wanted to know more about me and what’s important to me. First responders are wired differently, trained differently, can be stubborn, don’t like change, and have a hard time opening up. But my OT understood that, was positive and patient, gently pulled information out of me, and ultimately helped me get back to work. My OT changed my life and I can’t say enough that’s positive about this OT.”

Client with PTSD, who worked with Randy

Occupational Therapists facilitate meaningful recovery from mental health conditions, empowering individuals to reclaim their lives and get back to work with confidence.   

If you or someone you know need help from an OT, contact us today. 

Email: referrals@ot-works.com
Vancouver: 604.696.1066
Victoria: 250.999.8896