Fieldwork Myth #5: We’re not a psychosocial setting.

ALL patients involved in healthcare have an emotional response to their diagnosis, treatment and other aspects of their care. If a patient is emotionally labile after a stroke, we address that emotional lability and help them learn to cope with their new normal. If a child with limited self regulation has a meltdown in therapy, we address their regulation and coping skills, preferably with the family so they can carryover these skills at home. If a family asks about the support they need to manage their loved one’s care after discharge, you may make referrals to support groups or to the team’s social worker or psychologist in addition to giving some practical skills for dealing with the change in demands on the family. Does this sound familiar to you?

Addressing psychosocial issues can be overt as in traditional mental health settings or it can be integrated into a treatment plan in a physical rehabilitation setting, school setting, and more. Recognizing these components helps our students learn these vital therapeutic skills. Maybe we all need to be more intentional in our thinking about this aspect of our daily therapy practice.  If you are not in a “mental health” setting, think about the psychosocial aspects of your patients’ lives – how do you address these as an OT?  How can you help fieldwork students integrate this aspect of care into therapy?