NEURODIVERSITY FEATURE
An occupational lens This project focused on exploring the experience of accessing mental health services for autistic people , which was very similar to exploring an individual ’ s ability to access any occupation .
While I didn ’ t explicitly use an occupational therapy model , I was able to tap into my knowledge of occupation to develop an understanding of how the individual ’ s personal traits , and the features of the environment , impacted occupational performance . This , in this case , was the individual ’ s ability to successfully engage with mental health services .
In considering engagement with mental health services from an occupational lens , a number of intrinsic and extrinsic barriers were identified . It is beyond this article to discuss all of the barriers ; however , pertinent to occupational therapy was the outcome that autistic people need reasonable adjustments to be able to access services .
Some of these reasonable adjustments included consideration of routine , where many of the autistic respondents reported difficulties structuring and organising their time . Simple changes to a clinician ’ s approach , for instance a shorter appointment time , or completing an assessment virtually , enabled individuals to engage with health services .
Sensory differences can also act as a barrier to accessing health care and participating in everyday life . Prior to an appointment , individuals can be easily overwhelmed when travelling to the venue , while waiting in a noisy waiting room , or by the environment of the clinical space .
Combined with the mental effort of preparing for an unfamiliar experience and communicating with new people , accessing services can cause a lot of anxiety for an autistic patient . It is therefore important that health professionals develop a good understanding of autistic individuals ’ sensory needs and can consider how to adapt their practice and environments to meet them .
Multidisciplinary approach As an occupational therapist in learning disabilities and autism services , I have never worked in isolation and have always been part of a multidisciplinary team . I understand and value the importance of all the different team members ’ contribution to successful patient care .
With these values in mind , I was able to reach out to many of the mental health teams and gain an insight not only from the patient viewpoint , but also hear about the professional perspective . Overall , the professionals working in mental health services were extremely caring and demonstrated an eagerness to meet the needs of their autistic patients . However , they did not always feel confident doing this . It was highlighted that staff wanted more training and a better awareness of autism .
The role for occupational therapy Occupational therapy has the potential to support and enhance the quality of life of autistic people . Many autistic people who were consulted in the project had created environments and situations that reduced occupational demands as an attempt to reduce stressors in their life , but in doing so negatively impacted their mental health .
This strategy served a number of purposes , including avoiding social interactions and reducing the sensory input they experienced .
Occupational therapists are key professionals to support autistic individuals to gradually develop new occupational identities , achieve their occupational goals and grade activity so the individual can achieve their dreams without being overwhelmed .
Many autistic people in the project relied on family or partners to support with activities of daily living . This caused strain in relationships and negatively impacted mental health .
Occupational therapy is in the perfect position to support motivated individuals to achieve their aspirations of living independently . Similarly , many of the autistic people in the project found it difficult to maintain a long-term job or find something that suited their needs .
This is yet another role where occupational therapists could help autistic individuals understand their strengths , support them to find roles that they would enjoy , and empower individuals to be able to express the adjustments that they require for a successful workplace .
Occupational therapy has the potential to complement many of the traditional mental health support pathways , for example talking therapies . Through combining a psychological and occupational approach , the individual will be able to develop knowledge of their thought processes , but also gain support into how to put this work into practice through engaging with meaningful activities .
This article is a small snapshot into the project . It was a wonderful experience to develop my career and the outcomes will have significant impact on mental health services in Hull , East Riding and beyond .
The project reinforced my beliefs in the fundamental values of occupational therapy and it is my hope that occupational therapists will be utilised actively throughout mental health and autism services in the future .
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