Occupational therapists, often called OTs, are the primary providers of occupational therapy services.  OTs are:
 

• university educated professionals that apply their specialized knowledge and skills to recommend a course of preventive or corrective action that will help people lead more productive and satisfying lives,

• trained to understand not only the medical and physical limitations of a disability or injury, but also the psychosocial factors that affect the functioning of the whole person – their health and their wellness, and 

• a regulated medical profession; occupational therapists must be registered with their provincial regulator in order to practice legally in Canada.

 

What is OT?

OT defined from caot.ca

Occupational therapy and mental health fact sheet from caot.ca

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Anxiety is an emotion characterized by feelings of tension, worried thoughts and physical changes like increased blood pressure.

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People with anxiety disorders usually have recurring intrusive thoughts or concerns. They may avoid certain situations out of worry. They may also have physical symptoms such as sweating, trembling, dizziness or a rapid heartbeat.

Adapted from the Encyclopedia of Psychology

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CBT with Anxiety: If you suffer from panic attacks, obsessive thoughts, unrelenting worries, or an incapacitating phobia, you may have an anxiety disorder. But you don’t have to live with anxiety and fear. Treatment can help, and for many anxiety problems, therapy is a good place to start. Certain types of therapy, such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and exposure therapy, are particularly beneficial. These therapies can teach you how to control your anxiety levels, stop worrisome thoughts, and conquer your fears.

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Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is the most widely-used therapy for anxiety disorders. Research has shown it to be effective in the treatment of panic disorder, phobias, social anxiety disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder, among many other conditions.

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CBT addresses negative patterns and distortions in the way we look at the world and ourselves. As the name suggests, this involves two main components:

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• Cognitive therapy examines how negative thoughts, or cognitions, contribute to anxiety.

• Behaviour therapy examines how you behave and react in situations that trigger anxiety.

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The basic premise of CBT is that our thoughts—not external events—affect the way we feel. In other words, it’s not the situation you’re in that determines how you feel, but your perception of the situation. For example, imagine that you’ve just been invited to a big party. Consider three different ways of thinking about the invitation, and how those thoughts would affect your emotions.

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CBT Guide from camh.ca​

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Youth and Anxiety

Suicide prevention fact sheet from caot.ca

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Concussion

Story from caot.ca

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Occupational Therapy and post-traumatic stress disorder

Factsheet from caot.ca

Story from caot.ca