Braver Steps Occupational Therapy

08/06/2026

This week is Carers Week (8-14th June), which shines a spotlight on the millions of unpaid carers who provide essential support to family members, partners, friends, and neighbours every day. Caring can be rewarding, but it can also bring challenges, stress, and changes to everyday life.

Carers Week is an opportunity to recognise the incredible contribution carers make, raise awareness of the support available, and encourage carers to seek help when needed.

Occupational Therapy can support carers by helping to:
💚Promote independence for the person being cared for through practical strategies and equipment
💚Reduce physical strain through safer moving and handling advice, positioning, and adaptations
💚Support routines and daily activities to make caring more manageable
💚 Recommend equipment or home adaptations to improve safety and wellbeing
💚Help carers maintain balance in their own health, wellbeing, and meaningful activities

For more information on carers week and this years campaign 'Building Carer Friendly Communities' please see https://www.carersweek.org/ Carers provide so much for others - it’s important that they feel supported too. Please get in touch if you feel occupational therapy input could benefit you as a carer, or the person you care for.

07/06/2026

Best kitchen gadget ever 😆😆😆

06/06/2026

04/06/2026

Functional capacity isn’t just about what someone can’t do — it’s about what they can do, sustainably and safely.

VR practitioners use functional assessment to:

🔹 Understand real‑world work demands

🔹 Identify strengths and transferable skills

🔹 Tailor adjustments that genuinely work

🔹 Support phased returns that protect health

🔹 Build confidence and self‑efficacy

When functional capacity is understood holistically, work becomes more accessible, more sustainable and more meaningful.

20/05/2026

Last week I used the Diamond 9 activity with a client to open up a discussion about work - what work means for them, and what aspects of work activities are important to them. It was really useful in highlighting the client's values and feelings around exploring new work roles. A simple but effective activity that can support occupational therapy input in many ways!

07/05/2026

I attended a presentation today called From Stroke to Work: The Journey Back delivered by the Vocational Rehabilitation Association.

Statistics show that 1 in 4 stroke survivors are of working age, and around 50% of these people struggle to return to work. The session provided valuable insights into supporting individuals to successfully return to work after stroke, and highlighted the (limited) statutory and charitable vocational support services available to support people, alongside private vocational rehabilitation input.

It reinforced just how specialist and in-depth vocational rehabilitation is, and how important it is in supporting people in successfully returning to employment.

27/04/2026

April is Stress Awareness month, and as the end of the month approaches, I felt it would be useful to highlight how Occupational Therapists can take a practical, whole-person approach to help you feel more in control of your day-to-day life. It’s not just about helping you cope with the immediate impact of stress and worry, but also about building routines, habits, and strategies that genuinely work for you.

An OT can support you to:
- Understand how stress and worry are affecting your daily life
- Identify triggers and unhelpful thinking patterns
- Learn simple, effective tools to manage anxious thoughts and emotions
- Create routines that support balance, rest, and self-care
- Build coping strategies that fit your lifestyle

Through personalised support, OTs help you reduce stress, build resilience, and focus on what matters most to you ✨ Please get in touch if this is something you feel you need support with 💚

15/04/2026

10/04/2026

A great report from the MS Society about people’s right to neuro-rehabilitation, and how statutory services need improving to allow everyone with a progressive neurological condition the right to timely, patient-centred neuro-rehabilitation - regardless of their postcode or ability to pay.

Access to the neurorehabilitation people with MS need is a postcode lottery. Together with other charities and workforce organisations we're demanding change.

05/04/2026

Wishing you all a Happy Easter! 🐰🐥