Empowering others; assessment, reports and interventions in therapy.

So many people would benefit from greater access to therapy, to personalised interventions carried out without time or budget constraints. However, the reality is that, for most of us, accessing long-term, meaningful support is not an option. Paucity of both time and finance makes accessing such services particularly challenging, add to this geographic and political factors, and you could be at the back of a very long queue.

Over the years, there has been a shift in legislation, such as the Care Act 2014 (England) and Social Services and Well‑being Act 2014 (Wales), along with various policy and initiatives moving toward co-production, community and voluntary services, and regarding individuals as 'responsible agents' in their own well-being.

Initiatives such as Community Interest Companies (CIC), Social Investment Tax Relief, and Community Ownership Funds have shifted power and resources from the central government to communities by enabling community ownership of services and assets, legally recognising social enterprise structures and providing tax incentives and grants to support community-led ventures. This allows peer groups, mutual aid organisations, and community enterprises to be established, driving services toward what is actually needed in those areas.

Feedback from The Neurodiversity Show exhibition and seminar.

Despite this, access to support is still hugely lacking.

I recently spoke at the National Neurodiveristy Show and asked for feedback on services available,

It was clear from numerous conversations and the written messages I received that people feel let down, that there is still not enough understanding or support.

So why am I posting about this?

I was recently asked, 'What good is an assessment and report without ongoing therapy?'.

My answer:

• Self-awareness of triggers, strengths and needs reducing occupational barriers

• Self-management skills leading to increased feelings of self-efficacy

• Self-compassion and grace often leading to improved mental health and wellbeing

• Self-empowerment through understanding

• The ability to self-advocate, knowing with certainty what they need and why

  and having the evidence/ clinical reasoning behind such needs clearly documented

• Improved ability to communicate needs to family, professionals and agencies, particularly where structured support is required and access has not been forthcoming

• A toolkit of recommendations and suggested skills to use every day, all year round

  
  

  The assessment process and the report are the intervention for many of the people I see.

  
  

  Maybe it's the cathartic nature of detailing their difficulties and differences without judgement, the validation of being understood and the 'why' being clearly explained, often for the first time. Or maybe it is in the giving of neuro-affirming tools, sensory-based support ideas, and not a generic leaflet. It is impossible to say for sure.

  
  

  What I can say is that Maya Angelou was right, "people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel".

  
  

  Feedback like this:

  "I've never had my experiences feel so justified and validated. I felt like our session achieved more than years of therapy," and

  "The report is fantastic and I know it will help me access the support she needs moving forward",

  Highlights the importance of understanding and empowering others, because they won't remember if I saw them 3 times or 30, but they will recall feeling safe, understood and supported and because of that, they were better able to access or engage in meaningful occupations.

  
  

Quick blog takeaways

• Some interventions can and should only be carried out by therapists trained within a particular field

  
  

• Therapy is a vital tool in recovery and well-being.

  
  

• Therapy often occurs as a very small part of someone's journey

  
  

• Despite changes in policy and legislation, access to support remains limited

  
  

• Self-understanding and empowerment can increase physical and mental health and allow you to be the architect of your well-being, driving person-specific needs rather than nationwide agendas, often created with neurotypicals in mind

  
  

• To find out more about Occupational Therapy, you can visit the Royal College of Occupational Therapists (RCOT)

https://www.rcot.co.uk/learn-about-occupational-therapy#:~:text=Occupational%20therapists%20help%20people%20of,Get%20occupational%20therapy%20advice

• When you are at risk of harm, you should always seek appropriate support

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