Occupational Therapy and Refugee Resettlement

For the last several months, the US Together staff has been collaborating with two Occupational Therapy students, Seth and Valerie, from the University of Findlay to expand programming for refugees in the Toledo-area. Occupational Therapy (OT) is a profession that helps individuals complete daily tasks and also do activities that are important and meaningful to each individual. Valerie describes the role of OT is “to get individuals back to living their lives to the fullest” by focusing on “what is meaningful to the person, what is motivating to them,” and their goals so they can embody their highest potential.   

Valerie was drawn to OT because of its holistic nature. Valerie describes herself as a “mental health advocate, firm believer in occupational justice, and standing up for the underdog” and she found that OT’s emphasis on the psychosocial factors of health was a perfect fit for her. Similarly, Seth was drawn to OT because of the profession’s “holistic view of individuals” and he has a passion for helping people overcome obstacles so they ultimately can have a meaningful life. Both Seth and Valerie stress the value of OT in helping individuals lead a meaningful life, which is defined by the individuals and their own values.

Seth is an Occupational Therapy student working with the men’s support group

As part of a pilot school project, Seth and Valerie have been helping our Toledo staff with their programming. Seth is working with the men’s support group and Valerie is helping to facilitate the Women’s Empowerment program at US Together Toledo. They are leading sessions that have activity-based programming to fit clients’ needs including positive leisure such as creative pursuits, socialization, building community and culture, and building necessary life skills such as creating a resume. They are also writing a grant proposal for the Toledo office to expand to include an occupation-based program with an emphasis on arts and culture once they have completed their OT program.

Why is occupational therapy important for refugee populations?

 Occupational therapists are trained to work with marginalized populations and vulnerable groups, like refugees, who may experience occupational deprivation, stress, depression, and many other psychosocial symptoms. OTs work to empower these individuals so they can lead a meaningful life through activities that are important to them. Valerie explains that OT “uses an occupation-based lens to recognize the individual’s roles, routines, and habit” through the consideration of each person’s context. Seth added the importance of OT in considering the context of each refugee as a full person with their own background, goals, and values so that an OT’s support is entirely catered to each individual The ultimate goal through occupation-based programming to improve occupational performance and participation in meaningful life activities.

Valerie is an Occupational Therapy student who helps to facilitate the Women’s Empowerment Program in Toledo.

 Since working with US Together, Seth and Valerie have gained an appreciation for non-profit work and gained more insight into the challenges that non-profits face when working with vulnerable populations like refugees. Additionally, Seth found that the connection between OT and refugee resettlement is compatible and even necessary given how aligned the values of Occupational Therapy and US Together are.

Following their work with US Together, Seth is still deciding on his OT specialty but knows he wants to work with populations in need which was one of his motivations for working with US Together. Valerie hopes to one day become a traveling OT and to continuously expand her “cultural knowledge and become a more well-rounded practitioner.”

Thank you, Seth and Valerie, for working with us!