Dr. Kristian Llaca EdD, OTD, MOT, OTR/L, ATP, CSRS

What is Occupational Therapy?

Occupational therapists help people across the lifespan participate in the things they want and need to do through the therapeutic use of everyday activities (occupations). 

Common occupational therapy interventions include helping children with disabilities participate fully in school and social situations, helping people recovering from injury regain skills, and providing support for older adults experiencing physical and cognitive changes. Occupational therapy services typically include:

• an individualized evaluation, during which the client/family and occupational therapist determine the person’s goals,  
• customized intervention to improve the person’s ability to perform daily activities and reach the goals, and 
• an outcomes evaluation to ensure that the goals are being met and/or make changes to the intervention plan.

Who would benefit from Occupational Therapy?

Some Individuals who would benefit from OT include:

• Autism Spectrum Disorder
• Traumatic Brain Injury
• Stroke
• Food aversions 
• Sensory Processing Disorder

What do Occupational Therapists Bring to the Mental Health Treatment Team?

Many people only associate occupational therapy with pediatric services or physical rehabilitation. They are surprised to find occupational therapists also work in mental health settings. 

The training of an OT requires holistic approaches well suited for work in mental health. In addition to their training in physical well-being, occupational therapists are also trained in:

• Cognitive assessment
• Sensory strategies
• Therapeutic alliances
• Group process
• Participation in activities of daily learning (ADLs)
• Socio-emotional skills

As in other OT settings, the ultimate focus of occupational therapy is to assist clients in participating in daily activities as independently as possible.

Full Circle Therapy's Occupational Therapy Team

Here at Full Circle Therapy we have made it our mission to specialize in bridging the gap between Mental Health Treatment and Occupational Therapy Services. Our OTs run various mental health groups where you can put into practice the skills you need to achieve a sense of overall well-being. 

OT Mental Health groups include:

• Emotions In Motion- This coping skills group is divided into small groups of 5-6 kids and separated by age.
• Parent Support Group- Our parent groups run at the same day and times as our kids and teens groups.