Celebrate Life – Mental Health Champions
Honestly, the profession chose me because it is who I authentically am. Everything that
I do is connected to each other, and to who I am inherently. So, it wasn’t so much choosing a profession as it was choosing to just be myself.
As a meditation guide, I find seeing people discover how possible it is for them to heal themselves, really fulfilling. I have seen people unlock so much – from simply starting to pay mindful attention to their breath in a session.
Start practising deep breathing, daily. Inhaling and exhaling slowly, and with intention, can bring the body and mind calm.
I am grateful for the opportunity to work in this field. Mental health is absolutely key in general healthcare, but is often overlooked in many communities. Our role is to shine a light on it, and provide answers to questions that relate to mental health issues.
I’m humbled when clients see positive changes in themselves and their lives as a result of their effort in therapy. Real results from therapy mean that clients can go on to achieve important personal life goals, having dealt successfully with past traumas and other mental health problems. I can think of very few things that are more fulfilling than facilitating life changes in this way. Mental health awareness and support continue to bring great relief to people living under enormous mental strain and distress.
Put yourself first. Listen to your body, and do what you need to do to be at your personal best, both mentally and physically. This will usually result in considerable spin-off benefits in your life and relationships with those around you.
I grew up in a small town where access to critical services such as mental healthcare was rare.
As a teenager, I always wondered what could be done to assist communities such as mine with these difficult issues. So, I began to look at the study of psychology and to pursue a career in it.
What I find most fulfilling about being a psychologist is the change I begin to see in individuals, couples and families that I work with. It excites me to see my patients able to go on with daily activities when it was previously difficult for them to get out of bed. It gives me much joy to see families united and coping after having experienced a difficult transition. And, it makes it all worthwhile when I see couples working through their differences, and commit to walk together over a hurdle that they stumbled over.
Take about 10 to 20 minutes each day to journal your thoughts and feelings, and reconnect with yourself. This is important because if we don’t give ourselves a chance to check in with what is happening with our thoughts and emotions, then we may find ourselves feeling agitated, fatigued and emotionally unwell.
Being an occupational therapist allows me to help and empower people with disabilities, and help them conquer the world independently so they can freely participate in anything and everything they want to.
People with mental and physical disabilities are often marginalised, misunderstood and mistreated in society. My work gives me the opportunity to advocate for them in many ways, as well as rehabilitate people with various illnesses and disabilities. This enables them to be as independent as possible so that they can participate in the daily activities that matter to them.
Be present wherever you are in your journey of life. Whether you’re in a bad or good space, address it as best as you can. Start by acknowledging what you are going through, and aim to be compassionate with yourself.