Feature
Helping people make a lasting recovery from addiction
Jon Fisher explains how occupational therapy helps people make a lasting recovery from addiction , addresses health inequities , and why he is so passionate about his role .
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M
y journey to become a substance misuse occupational therapist started with my first job as a support worker for adults with learning disabilities and care leavers .
Over time , as my confidence built and I gained exposure to more professions , I took the opportunity to become a substance misuse specialist . I worked in this role for four years , working with adults to reduce harm and promote recovery from alcohol and heroin dependency .
I found that I was not able to realise the therapeutic potential I felt was needed to support lasting recovery , being bound by the service and the limits of my own knowledge and expertise .
I therefore chose to return to full-time education as a mature student and study occupational therapy .
The profession appealed to my practical interests and creative side ; after all , we ’ re happiest and healthiest when we are doing the things that are meaningful and challenge us in just the right ways to make us feel fulfilled and satisfied .
Since qualifying , I ’ ve been fortunate to work in varied mental health roles , where I ’ ve stayed true to the core of our profession by working in a person-
26 OTnews July 2022