Page 108 - HA Convention 2015
P. 108
Service Priorities and Programmes Free Papers
SPP1.5 Patient Empowerment 10:45 Room 221
Monday, 18 May Users Empowerment in Mental Health Recovery – the Application of Solution-focused Coaching in Occupational
Therapy
Wan M, Au R
Occupational Therapy Department, United Christian Hospital, Hong Kong
Introduction
Occupational therapy empowers people with various disabilities to live a meaningful life of their choices through returning to
their valued roles at home, work and leisure. Influenced by the recovery experience of many mental health service users and
supported by longitudinal research findings since the 80s, there is a paradigm shift of mental health services worldwide, and
in Hong Kong in recent years, from institutional care to a recovery-oriented practice in mental health service.
Objectives
Recovery is used to mean good clinical outcome of reduced psychiatric symptoms and associated social and occupational
problems through proper diagnosis, assessment and treatment. Under the new paradigm, recovery is seen by many service
users and mental health practitioners as a way of living a satisfying, hopeful, and contributing life even within the limitations
caused by the mental illness. Self-direction, strength-based, taking responsibility, and maintaining hopeful attitude are the
key dimensions of recovery.
Methodology
Occupational therapists need to extend their roles as a coach to support mental health recovery. Solution-focused Coaching
is a strength-based approach with focus on future and solutions rather than symptoms and problem. The coach helps to
raise the awareness of people with mental health problems on their available strengths and resources, their preferred future
life and to take responsibility for their goals through questioning. The Solution-focused Coaching Model – the “Outcome,
Scaling, Know-how, Affirm and Review” (OSKAR) model will be introduced and elaborated. It is simple to use in a time-
limited way.
Results
A case example will be included with an excerpt of a solution-focused conversation for illustration which demonstrates the
change of the clients from a problem-based conversation to a solution-oriented dialogue. The experience and challenge
of solution-focused approach to Chinese service users, mental health professionals and the organisation within a medical
model will be discussed. Further development and application of the solution-focused approach and experience to other
chronic illnesses such as chronic pain will be explored.
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