Occupational Therapy and Mental Health: How OTAs Make a Difference
Looking for a way to help others and make a difference? A career in occupational therapy might be a good choice for you. Occupational therapy assistants (OTAs) work with patients to develop daily living skills, build confidence, and cope with challenges — making OTAs important influences in both the physical and mental health of their patients.
In this article, we’ll explore the role of occupational therapy in mental health and how OTAs can make a positive impact in people’s lives.
What is Occupational Therapy?
Occupational therapy is a branch of healthcare that helps people develop or maintain the skills they need to do everyday activities. It focuses on improving people’s physical, social, and mental health through therapeutic activities.
Occupational therapy practitioners include both occupational therapists (OTs) and occupational therapy assistants (OTAs). These professionals work directly with patients to help them gain, recover, or improve the skills they need in their daily lives.
OTs and OTAs can work with many types of patients who need some extra help to perform everyday tasks and live independently. Their patients can include:
- People with injuries or illnesses
- People with disabilities
- Older adults
- Children with developmental delays or intellectual disabilities
- People with mental health conditions, such as depression or trauma
What Are the Benefits of Occupational Therapy for Mental Health?
Occupational therapy takes a holistic approach to caring for patients. It focuses on giving people the tools they need to live independent, fulfilling lives.
According to the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), occupational therapy can help bridge the gap between mental health and medical care. Specifically, the benefits of occupational therapy for mental health can include:
Improve Daily Living Skills
Occupational therapy helps people practice everyday activities, like cooking or bathing, so they feel more confident in their day-to-day lives. For example, occupational therapy can help someone recovering from a stroke relearn how to prepare meals at home. Being able to do these routine tasks can improve someone’s outlook on life.
Gain Independence
Occupational therapy can help people gain independence by finding new or adapted ways to do everyday tasks. For instance, it can help a child with a disability learn how to dress themselves by breaking the task into smaller, more manageable steps. Becoming more independent can have a positive impact on patients’ mental health.
Practice Coping Strategies
Occupational therapy can also focus on helping people find healthy ways to manage stress or emotions. For example, it can include coping strategies for people who struggle to manage emotional challenges.
This type of therapy can have major benefits for people living with mental illnesses, which includes around 23% of U.S. adults. One study found that occupational therapy interventions can help minimize the symptoms of depression and anxiety.
Promote Social Engagement
Having social connections can drastically improve people’s emotional and mental health. By focusing on daily living skills, occupational therapy can help people gain confidence to participate meaningfully in their communities. Several studies have shown that occupational therapy can help people develop social engagement skills and improve their emotional well-being.
What Do Occupational Therapy Assistants Do?
If you want to support patients’ mental health through occupational therapy, consider becoming an occupational therapy assistant. These professionals provide therapeutic treatments under the supervision of licensed occupational therapists.
OTAs work with patients to support their mental health and well-being. Some of their duties can include:
- Help patients practice daily living skills, such as dressing or grooming
- Assist with therapeutic activities, like exercises or stretches
- Observe patients and monitor their progress
- Teach patients how to adapt activities or use special equipment to meet their needs
- Set up and maintain equipment for patients to use
- Provide support, encouragement, and motivation to patients during sessions
- Communicate with OTs and other healthcare providers to address patients’ needs
Where Do OTAs Work?
Occupational therapy assistants can work in a variety of healthcare settings. In many facilities, OTs and OTAs have an essential role in supporting patients’ mental health. These include:
- Hospitals: In hospitals, OTAs may work with patients who need support with regaining daily living skills and managing stress, anxiety, or depression.
- Outpatient centers: Outpatient occupational therapy can help people develop coping strategies and reintegrate into work, school, or community settings.
- Schools: In schools, OTAs help children with developmental or behavioral challenges by teaching them social skills, emotional regulation, or strategies to regulate sensory input.
- Nursing homes: Some OTAs work in nursing homes and long-term care facilities, where they help elderly adults maintain independence and manage feelings of isolation or depression.
- Home healthcare services: OTAs can work in patients’ homes to help them build healthy routines and recommend adaptive strategies for daily living tasks.
OTAs’ Role in Occupational Therapy and Mental Health
Occupational therapy assistants can help patients struggling with their mental health. OTAs lead people in therapeutic activities to improve their overall well-being and quality of life. Additionally, they offer compassion, support, and encouragement to people who may be experiencing mental or emotional challenges.
A career as an OTA can be a rewarding choice, especially if you’re passionate about mental health advocacy and support. As American Career College OTA student Daniela M. says, it’s a career that allows you to help others achieve their goals. “If you’re patient, if you’re compassionate, and you just want to help people, this is a great career for you,” she says.
Start Your Career in Occupational Therapy Assisting
Occupational therapy assistants support patients’ mental health by helping them develop daily living skills, gain confidence, and form social connections. In hospitals, schools, nursing homes, and other facilities, OTAs work with people of all ages to help them live happier, healthier, and more fulfilling lives.
If you’re interested in a healthcare career where you can make a real difference, ACC offers an ACOTE-accredited Occupational Therapy Assistant program available at our Orange County campus in Anaheim.
This blended program combines online coursework with hands-on instruction to help prepare you for a career as an OTA. Through core coursework and real-world fieldwork experience, you’ll have the opportunity to build the skills necessary to work with patients of all ages and needs. OTA students and graduates have lifetime access to ACC’s Career Services team to help them pursue their career goals with confidence.
ACC students can earn their OTA degree in as little as 20 months. Want more information about how to get started? Reach out to learn more about the OTA program today!
