RESEARCH POSTER / ORAL ABSTRACT TEMPLATE COTEC-ENOTHE2016 Julie Sascia Mewes MA1, 1 Institute of European Ethnology, Humboldt University, Berlin, Germany julie.mewes@hu-berlin.dTherapeutic concepts of everyday life in German psychiatric occupational th

Background: Although occupational therapy provides decades of experience in treating mental health patients, one of their key therapeutic concepts - supporting patients in regaining their ability of everyday life - is still... [ view full abstract ]

Background:

Although occupational therapy provides decades of experience in treating mental health patients, one of their key therapeutic concepts - supporting patients in regaining their ability of everyday life - is still missing a definition at least within the German discourse.

Method:
A twelve-month ethnographic fieldwork in two different hospitals was conducted.

Results:
The study aims to create a deeper understanding of how patients are expected to relearn everyday life in practice, how patients and therapists are dealing with this missing definition and how objects shape these learning experiences.

Conclusion:
A definition of what it takes to be able to live everday life could sharpen the professional profile of occupational therapists in order to deal with both other health professionals in clinical settings as well as their patients.

Application to Practice:
Since I am not trained as an occupational therapist I would love to use the opportunity to discuss everyday life as a therapeutic key concept with the international practitioner’s community.



Financial support by the Hans Böckler foundation/ German Federal Ministry of Education and Research is gratefully acknowledged.