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What is your current role and how long have you been in it? I work in specialist rehabilitation, for Think Therapy 1st. I receive instructions from case managers, solicitors and insurers, to assess and deliver rehabilitation to clients who have suffered catastrophic and severe injuries. Following thorough assessment, I make recommendations to address physical, cognitive and emotional symptoms to maximise function and independence. I began working with Think Therapy 1st in 2018 as an associate, and I am now employed full-time by Think Therapy 1st.
Describe a typical day... My job is flexible and varied, so no two days are the same! However, most mornings, I am logged onto my laptop ready for a quick video call meeting with the team. We monitor each other’s workloads to ensure our days are manageable. Next up, I will likely have a session
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planned with a client. Our model is activity-orientated, and the content of the sessions depend on the client’s outstanding goals. I could be supporting a client to return to previous leisure roles, finding myself playing golf, fishing, cycling – anything! I may be delivering education around the functional management of fatigue, pain or anxiety, for instance. I could be supporting a client to return to or get into work or education. For example, last week I found myself ankle deep in mud on a building site, whilst observing my client completing his essential work roles after a period of work hardening and conditioning. In light of COVID, we deliver video call sessions wherever appropriate, I have found myself doing online cooking classes with clients and carefully planned cognitive rehabilitation activities. I love hearing about the therapeutic activities that my colleagues have used with their clients - one that sticks out to me is learning to do the Hakka over vide ocall.
What is the hardest thing about your role? The hardest thing about my role is the fact that not everyone who is referred to us, goes on to receive funded therapy, or they may only get funding for some of what they need, but not all of it. In the legal and insurance world, you as the therapist are often in the middle of two parties who have different driving forces. This can, at times, delay the start of therapy, and we as therapists know how important it is to get in there early to optimise our clients’ outcomes.
What’s the best part of your role? The best thing about my job is seeing my clients achieve their goals, and often exceeding the expectations of medics! I’ve been given back the power to deliver “old school OT”, going back to basics and using everything I learnt in my studies. This role allows me to use all of my skills!
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