Hi, I'm Suzanne, an OT Australia Mental Health endorsed Occupational Therapist who is registered with the Australian Health Practitioners Regulatory Agency (AHPRA) and a member of OT Australia.
The focus of my Occupational Therapy practice is psychosocial disability / severe mental illness / mental health conditions / mental health related challenges, and providing focused psychological strategies, psychosocial and capacity building interventions.
I have a special interest and over 26 years extensive experience in the field of mental health, across the spectrum of mental illness, in a range of specialist mental health settings (inpatients and community mental health services) working as a Mental Health Occupational Therapist with adults and older adults and in Senior Occupational Therapy Mental Health roles.
I understand how difficult it can be to struggle with a debilitating mental illness and I seek to be attentive to the lived and learnt experience of each person, without making assumptions of their needs, as well as recognising that an individual's mental health and daily functioning can fluctuate.
As an Occupational Therapist (OT), I provide occupation-based practice which focuses on how a mental health condition is impacting and/or interfering with a person's functioning in day-to-day life (self-care, home management, work, sleep, rest and relaxation, study, recreation, relationships, daily routine / time management, social and community participation).
I am passionate about utilising both my Occupational Therapy skills and Mental Health approaches to make a difference in the lives of those who are struggling with a mental health condition.
I work with you to identify personalised goals that foster and facilitate positive change so that you can optimise your potential, explore what might be possible, and progress towards your preferred future.
I am committed to providing capacity-building, collaborative and customised care that is focused on supporting you to live life well in spite of having a mental health-related challenge.
I value delivering a compassionate and individualised service without judgement that is based on integrity, excellence and best practice.
I work with adult NDIS participants who have a psychosocial disability (arising/resulting from a mental health condition) and who are plan or self-managed.
Under Medicare's Better Access to Mental Health Scheme, I am an endorsed Allied Health Mental Health Provider. I provide Focused Psychological Strategies (FPS) to adults and older adults who are struggling and suffering with a mental health condition and referred by their GP or Psychiatrist under the Better Access to Mental Health Scheme (BAMHS) with a Mental Health Treatment / Care Plan (MHTP).
I provide Occupational Therapy (Mental Health) for adult clients who are referred under the DVA.
I use a range of focused psychological strategies (FPS) which include - psychoeducation - motivational interviewing, cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT), relaxation strategies, problem-solving, anger management, anxiety and stress management and communication/social skills building.
Being an OT, I have an occupation-based focus that supports your engagement in purposeful activities of everyday life so that you can live your best life as well as life to the fullest.
I support you to learn and apply strategies to manage your mental health-related challenges so that you can do more of the things that you care about, the activities that matter most to you and take actionable steps to move forward with your life.
I provide occupation-centered practice which looks at what challenges you may be experiencing with everyday living within your unique life situation and environment. The daily tasks / activities that you want to do, would like to do, are expected to do and need to do but aren't able to do, are concerned about or finding challenging to accomplish.
I utilise a range of therapeutic approaches which include being: strengths-oriented, future-focused, wellness-based, participation-focused, action-directed, person-centred, neuro-affirming, needs-based, trauma-informed, solution-focused, goal-directed, recovery-oriented, whole-health oriented, individualised and outcome-based.
I incorporate focused psychological strategies, occupation-based and psychosocial interventions, as well as coaching conversations into my integrative approach to enable you to identify and implement personally-relevant plans and actions that sustain and support the living of a balanced and rewarding life.
I work alongside you and your support team to assist you to identify your needs and goals as well as any barriers and obstacles that you may be facing.
To grow, learn and change, harness skills and strategies needed for resilience and recovery, to live more independently, promote functional capacity and engagement in activities of everyday life.
I see plan and self-managed adult participants and all fees are set in accordance with the current NDIS pricing guidelines.
As an OT Australia Mental Health endorsed Occupational Therapist, I am approved to provide Focused Psychological Strategies (FPS) to adults and older adults who are referred under Medicare's Better Access to Mental Health Scheme with a Mental Health Treatment Plan (MHTP) by their GP or Psychiatrist.
You can currently claim a rebate of $105.55 from Medicare.
The current rebate from for a Telehealth session is $81.90.
Full payment is made on the day by credit/debit card and I am able to submit your claim for a rebate to Medicare.
Fees for Occupational Therapy (Mental Health) are set in accordance with the DVA Allied Health Fee schedule and covered by the DVA.
The 1-hour fee is paid on the day by debit/credit card. Please check with your Private Health Fund if they cover Occupational Therapy (Mental Health). You will need to claim any rebate directly from your Private Health Fund.
I work with adults and older adults.
I am unable to see Agency or NDIA managed participants. I see Plan and Self-managed NDIS participants.
A Psychosocial disability describes a disability that arises / results from a mental health condition.
The focus of my Occupational Therapy practice is mental health / psychosocial disability / severe and enduring mental illness.
I see adults and older adults who have a diagnosis of:
- Social phobia, Agoraphobia
- Panic attacks
- Depressive disorder
- Bipolar affective disorder
I do not specialise in Assistive Technology (AT) or home adaptations / aids / modifications / equipment. I do not prescribe AT requiring NDIS Assistive Technology reports. I am able to recommend simple / low-cost AT but if functional needs are identified that are outside of my scope of practice, experience and skill set, I will inform you so that these needs can be assessed and addressed by an appropriate alternative provider.
Please leave a message on my phone message bank or send me a text message on 0457 965 040 or email me at admin@perthmhot.com.au and I will get back to you within 1 business day.
Being a sole practitioner, I do not have capacity to provide assistance with NDIS access requests instead I focus on working with adults who are current NDIS participants.
My intake capacity / availability does vary so please contact me with any queries.
I work primarily with clients who live north of the river (NOR).
I am a mobile, community-based service and see clients in the comfort of their own home or in a preferred community venue where they feel most comfortable such as a cafe or library.
Yes. My Telehealth service is delivered through secure Practice Management Software. You will require a device with a camera, the internet and an email that I can send the Telehealth link to. Most Computers, Phones, Tablets and Notebooks are usually suitable. Telehealth is useful for those clients who experience difficulties or barriers with accessing Mental Health Occupational Therapy services and supports.
To become an OT Australia Mental Health endorsed OT, an Occupational Therapist has to have an appropriate level of post-graduate mental health practice experience and clinical capability, satisfy competency related domains set out by OT Australia, meet the National Practice Standards for the Mental Health Workforce, complete annual professional development related to the provision of focused psychological strategies as well as engage in regular and ongoing clinical supervision.
Perth Mental Health Occupational Therapy (OT).
Suzanne Thomas (Senior Mental Health Occupational Therapist)
Phone Message Bank on mobile: 0457 965 040 - please leave a message or send me a text message, or email me at admin@perthmhot.com.au
and I will get back to you within 1 business day.
I am more than happy for clients or formal/informal support persons to contact me to determine if my particular scope of practice, skill-set and therapeutic focus is the right fit for the person seeking Occupational Therapy services and supports.
PO Box 989, HILLARYS, WA, 6923
Please ring the 24 hour Mental Health Emergency Response Line if you require urgent or crisis care on 1300 555 788 (Perth)
It pervades our lives and marks our days.
It defines us and is defined by us.
It both shapes the world and is shaped by the world.
It can be known by the tools it uses and the wake it leaves in its path.
It is intangible and invisible until a person engages in it.
It is a performing art.
It can only be seen when a person performs it and only understood when a person tells you its meaning.
(Polatajko, 2007)
Occupational therapy is a client-centred health profession concerned with promoting health and well-being through occupation. The primary goal of occupational therapy is to enable people to participate in the activities of everyday life. Occupational therapists achieve this outcome by working with people and communities to enhance their ability to engage in the occupations they want to, need to, or are expected to do, or by modifying the occupation or the environment to better support their occupational engagement. (WFOT 2012)
Copyright © 2023 Perth Mental Health Occupational Therapy - All Rights Reserved.
Tel: 0457 965 040
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