How Occupational Therapy can help with social anxiety
With COVID-19 restrictions being slowly lifted, and people starting to get back to in-person social and work activities , some people are experiencing unexpected feelings of unease and anxiety.
Many people were expecting to be very happy and socially active right now, meeting friends, going to favorite restaurants, or joining that fitness class that they have been missing. But if instead of joy you are feeling afraid, anxious and are avoiding going out, please know that you’re not alone. Many people are feeling the same way.
According to Anxiety Canada, “Social anxiety disorder is one of the most common anxiety disorders, affecting between 7 and 13% of the population”.
How to effectively cope with social anxiety
The good news is that there are effective ways to cope with social anxiety.
Here are some good tips from Healthline:
- Ease back into it
- Visualize situations in your head
- Allow yourself to be scared
- Practice self-care
- Get professional help
Addressing anxiety is one of many things that Occupational Therapists can help with during these uncertain times. Our OTs have training and experience helping people overcome fear, anxiety and help them get back to doing things they love. We know that dealing with social anxiety can be overwhelming, but our Occupational Therapists are ready to help you getting back to the activities that are meaningful to you.
All of our therapists at OT Works! are certified with the College of Occupational Therapists of British Columbia (COTBC) and are skilled in treating clients with anxiety and other mental health concerns.
Our OTs serve the Lower Mainland, Fraser Valley, Sea-to-Sky and Vancouver Island. To learn more about our services, contact us.
Additional Resources
Anxiety Canada: Self-help strategies for social anxiety
Statistics Canada: Social Anxiety disorder: much more than shyness
New York Times: How to deal with quarantine-induced social anxiety
Image reposted from additude.com
OT Works! is hiring!
OT Works! is expanding services in Vancouver, Fraser Valley and Victoria!
We have open positions for Experienced Occupational Therapists in Vancouver and Fraser Valley, and for recent grads in Victoria and Fraser Valley.
If you know someone that would be a great fit for these roles, please share this post!
If you’d like to apply, please check our Careers page for more information.
OT Works! is the organization of choice for occupational therapists who want to make a meaningful difference in the lives of others.
Since 2000 our team has grown due to our commitment to our values and our people. We care about the people we serve and the people work alongside. Our therapists and clients are treated as individuals, not numbers. We are passionate about what we do and foster an environment where you can be inspired and be inspiring.
Apply today!
Run for Water: Providing clean water to communities in Ethiopia
For the fourth consecutive year, OT Works! Team participated in Run for Water, a run, walk and bike challenge with the goal of providing clean water to at-risk communities in Ethiopia.
OT Works! Team members and their families ran, walked and biked on their local communities following the current restrictions and guidelines of BCCDC.
Together, our team completed 111 activities during the month of May, and we covered almost 1,100 kilometers.
Run for Water sponsors provide clean water for life for one person for each completed activity.
In addition to our team’s efforts, OT Works! also donated $2,450 to the event, what made us the number one team in the donation amount for the event!
In total, OT Works! raised funds to provide clean water to 181 people in Haro, Ethiopia.
Our collective results were great, and our team members also had some outstanding individual accomplishments. Here’s some of our team’s highlights:
- Our Coordinator, People & Services, Milena Duarte, was the second place overall in the challenge for bike rides. She completed over 320 kilometers, and did one long ride of 110 kilometers in one day!
- Our associate Stephanie completed 21 runs during the challenge, covering 124 kilometers in total.
- Jaclyn Penner, one of our OTs, ran or biked 81 kilometers, and entered 12 different activities.
- Our OT Julia Pereira ran a total of 79k over 13 runs.
Way to go, OT Works! Team!
OT Works! believes that we have a role to play in making the world a better place. We are committed to building a sustainable society that acknowledges our individual and collective impact on the natural world and environment.
We look forward to participating in 2022 Run for Water event.
OT Works! 2020 Virtual Holiday Party
The world was a different place in 2020, but at OT Works! we still had reasons to celebrate and being connected with our team is something that is very important to us!
To maintain everyone safe and healthy, we decided to host a Virtual Holiday Party in 2020. Although we were physically distant from each other, the connection between our team felt stronger than never!
The party was carefully planned by our Social (and fun) Committee: every person on our team received a Fresh Feast delivered to their door with a delicious dinner provided by a local company.
Our team members and their family were also invited to dress for the occasion: while some people chose fancy gowns, others preferred to wear a festive ugly sweater.
We also had a fun game prepared by our Office Manager, Tammy, where we learned some curious fun facts and life experiences about each other.
Finally, OT Works! also hosted a Secret Santa – Socks edition, where our team members exchanged (by sending the gifts via post) cozy and cool socks to keep everyone warm during winter.
It felt great being connected, sharing a laugh, and spending such a wonderful time virtually with our team.
We are hopeful that in 2021 our Holiday Party will be in-person.
We feel privileged and honored to have worked with amazing clients and team this year. We look forward to meeting and helping others in 2021.
From our families to yours, we hope you have a Safe Holiday Season and a Joyous New Year!
Giving Back to the Community
2020 was a different year for everyone.
More than ever, it is important to give back to our communities and to support initiatives that provide change and promote social justice.
As part of our annual efforts to give back to the community, OT Works! is pleased to support Vancouver-based Project Change Foundation for another year. Change is central to the philosophy of occupational therapy and our therapists facilitate change to promote health and recovery.
Project Change Foundation provides financial and other support to early-stage charities in Canada with significant potential for creating social or environmental change.
In previous years, the Foundation has already provided grants and support to charities such as Chilliwack Restorative Justice and Youth Advocacy Association, The Lipstick Project, Backpack Buddies, and Binners’ Project.
This year, Project Change was able to support two organizations: Inspire Community Outreach and Refugee Women’s Network.
Inspire Community Outreach is an incorporated non-profit social services agency providing evidence and culturally informed, family-centered education and programming, designed to meet the needs of those living with mental health issues and neurological/cognitive differences.
Read more about the Inspire Community Outreach on their website: inspirecommunityoutreach.ca
Refugee Women’s Network empowers refugee and new immigrant women with tools and resources to enhance and develop their skills through education to successfully integrate into Canadian society while still maintaining respective cultural values.
Read more about Refugee Women’s Network on their website: refugeewomensnetwork.org
Learn more about Project Change: projectchangefoundation.com
OT Works! also continues to support other organizations as they empower people in Canada and around the world, such as WWF, Plan Canada and Because I am a Girl.
OT Works! Holiday Hours
OT Works! is open during the holidays and will be accepting new clients throughout the holiday season. We are accepting new clients immediately in Vancouver and Metro Vancouver, and we are scheduling new clients for Victoria and the Comox Valley for January 2021.
Our Holiday Schedule
| Monday, December 21, 2020 | Open |
| Tuesday, December 22, 2020 | Open |
| Wednesday, December 23, 2020 | Open |
| Thursday, December 24, 2020 | Closed |
| Friday, December 25, 2020 | Closed |
| Monday, December 28, 2020 | Open |
| Tuesday, December 29, 2020 | Open |
| Wednesday, December 30, 2020 | Open |
| Thursday, December 31, 2020 | Closed |
| Friday, January 01, 2021 | Closed |
| Monday, January 04, 2021 | Open |
Regular business hours resume on January 04.
We wish you a very Happy Holidays and a Joyous New Year!
Get started with an OT
All of our therapists at OT Works! are certified with the College of Occupational Therapists of British Columbia (COTBC). Our approach is based on current research and evidence-based practice.
If you or someone you know could benefit from occupational therapy, contact us today!
Email: referrals@ot-works.com
Vancouver: 604.696.1066
Victoria: 250.999.8896
OT Works! awarded New Contract from WorkSafeBC
We are happy to announce that OT Works! was awarded a new contract from WorkSafeBC!
OT Works! is dedicated to helping Injured Workers gain, maintain, and improve skills in self-care and productivity. Our goal is to increase Injured Workers independence and help them return to work in a safe and timely manner.
Through a longstanding relationship with WorkSafeBC, OT Works! has established a reputation as a reliable and consistent partner in the WorkSafeBC provider network. OT Works has continuously served both Community Occupational Therapy Services (COT) and Community Brain Injury Services (CBIS) since the beginning of these programs. We are excited to continue helping injured workers through this new contract.
Our approach to addressing the psychosocial barriers to rehabilitation with Injured Workers has translated into proven return-to-work results.
The strength of OT Works! is in our people. We have strong clinical leadership, and we invest in qualified and experienced therapists. All therapists are supported through on-going mentorship and rigorous Quality Assurance processes.
OT Works! has helped hundreds of Injured Workers and their employers. We are proud to be part of the WorkSafeBC provider network and we look forward to continuing this successful partnership with the new contract.
With this new contract, we will be able to serve workers in all of our current locations:
- Metro Vancouver (Vancouver, Burnaby, New Westminster, Surrey, North & West Vancouver, Richmond, Delta, Port Moody, Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam)
- Fraser Valley (Langley, Maple Ridge, Pitt Meadows, Mission, Abbotsford)
- Sea-to-Sky (Squamish, Whistler, Pemberton)
- Vancouver Island: Victoria (Victoria, Esquimalt, Sooke, East Sooke, Saanich, Sydney, Langford, Colwood, Metchosin); Central Island (Campbell River, Courtney, Comox, Cumberland, Fanny Bay, Nanoose Bay, Union Bay)
Contact Us
All of our therapists at OT Works! are certified with the College of Occupational Therapists of British Columbia (COTBC) and have additional training in areas such as mental health, brain injury rehabilitation, home safety and chronic pain.
Contact us and get started with an OT today.
October 27th is World OT Day
October 27th is World Occupational Therapy Day!
OTs make a difference in the lives of many today, here in Canada and around the world.
Occupational Therapists help people improve their function in their daily lives. Occupational therapy is a type of health care that helps to solve the problems that interfere with a person’s ability to do the things that are important to them – everyday things like:
- Self-care – getting dressed, eating, moving around the house,
- Being productive – going to work or school, participating in the community, and
- Leisure activities – sports, gardening, social activities.
Occupational therapy is a regulated profession in Canada. All of our occupational therapists at OT Works! are registered with the College of Occupational Therapists of British Columbia (COTBC)
.
At OT Works, this month we celebrate our team and the difference OTs make to their clients!
World Occupational Therapy Day – October 27th – Reimagine Doing
The theme ‘Reimagine Doing’ celebrates the expertise of occupational therapy for reimagining participation in occupations that provide value and meaning to everyday life
OTs help their clients in a number of different ways including Driving Desensitization, Ergonomic Assessments, Life Skills for Anxiety, Falls Prevention and even Return to Work Planning.
OTs can help you getting back to work, to school, to the sport that you love, and more.
To our OT Works! team and to all OTs we say thank you!
Contact us and get started with an OT today. #worldotday
Find out more:
Pamela Russell featured on The Jeneralist Podcast
We’re proud to announce that our Clinical Lead Pamela Russell was featured on ‘The Jeneralist’ Podcast by Jen Taubensee.
The Jeneralist explores and shares Canadian Occupational Therapists perspectives. On this episode, Pamela and Jen talk about being a leader, connecting as a team and coping and healing through stories.
We’d also like to thank Jen Taubensee for this amazing opportunity!
Listen to this episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or use the link: https://thejeneralist.podbean.com/e/s2-e3-pamela/