About OT for BPD and Me

Thanks for visiting OT for BPD!

Mission:
To increase the awareness of the societal, healthcare, attitudinal and community difficulties that people diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) and other mental health conditions experience.
To share how occupational therapy and other allied health interventions assist in the management and promotion of mental health.

We are a team of occupational therapists dedicated to raising awareness and tackling the stigma associated with borderline personality disorder (BPD) and other mental health conditions.

OT for BPD was developed in response to the stigma Laura encountered by healthcare professionals and the treatment I received after being diagnosed with BPD. It also became apparent that there are scarce resources and evidence base for occupational therapy when working with BPD.

As I am extremely passionate about mental health and occupation, I wanted to develop a project that combined my knowledge and lived experience together with other inspiring advocates. The page shares interventions and strategies helpful for living with and/or promoting one’s mental health. I will also share positive experiences and interventions health professionals have used in my treatment in various clinical settings.

Most importantly we will share how occupation can powerfully help change lives. 

 

The Team

Since graduating as an Occupational therapist in 2015 I have become an educator of OT. I am enthusiastic about delivering teaching that is sensitive to the lived experience of consumers and ensuring future graduates are equipped with compassion and knowledge of working in partnership with people with mental health conditions. I hope that by sharing my lived experience I can help improve the experience of those struggling to understand BPD and also support those living with BPD. I would really appreciate positive discussions and comments. I am no expert in BPD but I hope to learn from others and continue to reflect on my experiences.💜

Research Output

• Lalor, A., Yu, M., Brown, T., & Thyer, L. (2019). Occupational therapy international undergraduate students’ perspectives on the purpose of practice education and what contributes to successful practice learning experiences. British Journal of Occupational Therapy.
• Thyer, L., Brown, T., & Roe, D. (2018). The validity of the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM) when used in a sub-acute rehabilitation setting with older adults. Occupational Therapy in Health Care, 32(2), 1-17. doi: 10.1080/07380577.2018.1446233
• Roe, D., Brown, T., & Thyer, L. In Press. Validity, responsiveness, and clinical utility of the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM) when used in a sub-acute setting: A mixed methods study. Disability and Rehabilitation.
• Yu, M., Brown, T., & Thyer, L. (2018). The association between undergraduate occupational therapy students’ listening and interpersonal skills and their performance on practice education placements. Scandinavian Journal of Occupational Therapy, 19, 1-10. doi: 10.1080/11038128.2018.1496272 
• Yu, M., Brown, T., White, C., Marston, C., & Thyer, L. (2018). The impact of undergraduate occupational therapy students’ interpersonal skills on their practice education performance: A pilot study. Australian Occupational Therapy Journal, 65(2), 115-125. doi: 10.1111/1440-1630.12444

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“Hello everyone! My name is Anya, I recently completed my Bachelor of Occupational Therapy degree, and I am extremely excited about this because it means that I can begin my career of helping people which is all I have ever wanted to do. 
On a more personal note, some things about me are that I love animals (especially my two beautiful pets Adam and Nikita), I love music and going to concerts, and I have recently developed a strong passion for exercise as a way to manage my own mental health. 
I am extremely excited to be a part of this community, and I very much look forward to sharing some of my experiences with you all and working together to advocate for the importance of occupational therapy for BPD!”

 

Hey all! I’m Ozias a mental health OT from London, England (graduated in 2015). I’m also a mental health service user. 
I’m a massive Harry Potter fan (I’m in Slytherin if you’re wondering 😂), and a bibliophile, both of which have been crucial in my recovery journey. 
In October 2018, I went back to uni to study Child & Adolescent Mental Health (Advanced Practitioner) MSc, so I’m often found lurking in coffee shops surrounded by journal articles 🤓 
I’m really excited to be joining the OT for BPD page, and I hope that I can use my experiences to benefit some of you, and that we can advocate OT for BPD together