OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY
Occupational therapists are health professionals governed by a professional order named L’ordre des ergothérapeutes du Québec. After five years of university, he or she becomes an expert in activity analysis having an equilibrium between environment, action requirements and clients’ capacities. Whether at school, hospital, home or outpatient clinic, the occupational therapist helps people to reach maximal self-reliance through meaningful actions. He or she can also satisfy special client needs by adapting task or environment.
OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY AND MENTAL HEALTH
In mental health, occupational therapist assesses client strengths, difficulties and self-perception regarding life environment, roles and daily activities (leisure, work, personal care, etc.). This client-centered approach considers the person’s own interests, goals and needs to achieve the best functional state possible in the community. To this end, occupational therapist can help client to improve cognitive abilities such as attention, memory, problem solving or a better emotional control and healthier expression of those emotions. Occupational therapist can also facilitate functional capacities restoration (work, school, cleaning tasks, etc.) and improve personal resilience.