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Not a day goes by that Adele Bursey doesn’t consider herself fortunate to be working in a career that combines her two biggest passions – her hometown and helping others.
Born and raised in New Waterford, Bursey joined the mental health clinic in Glace Bay in 2019 as an occupational therapist, a role that allows her to help people in her community.
It’s a privilege that isn’t lost on her.
“I’ve always been a homebody, so it’s never been a question that I wanted to stay and plant roots here and help my community,” she said.
“Some people would shy away from that. This is a small town and everyone kind of knows everyone, and there’s always a connection somewhere, usually, with clients,” she added. “But, for the most part, I can connect with clients pretty well knowing what it’s like to grow up in this area and the challenges related to living in rural settings.”
For as long as she could remember, Bursey said she knew she wanted to work in health care.
She looked at several different options but was ultimately drawn to occupational therapy because of the broad spectrum of services it can provide. She became an occupational therapist in 2013 and worked in several different practices before joining Nova Scotia Health’s Mental Health and Addictions Program.
“I knew I wanted to be in a helping profession,” she said. “I looked at (other careers), however OT was unique in that it looks at a person from a more holistic and functional lens compared to a medical model. So, looking at their physical, mental and emotional health, their environment and a whole other host of things that impact their wellbeing and function. I get to truly learn about the individual, what’s important to them, and help them re-engage in activities they may have gotten away from.”
At the outpatient clinic in Glace Bay, Bursey works with an adult population whose needs vary, and runs a number of different programs aimed at helping them manage their mental health and improve their overall functioning. This includes, for example, facilitating a cognitive behavioural therapy group and a recovery through activity group once a week.
Following her patients’ respective journeys from the beginning has been inspiring and has helped her in her own life.
“Working alongside clients to overcome their own adversity and hardships is the most rewarding part of the job. Seeing clients become empowered to build a life full of activities that are meaningful to them, doesn’t really get old for me,” she said.
“It helps me have hope for myself and other people as well, that we can be in some pretty tough, tough situations yet we still have the power and ability to effectively cope and live rich and meaningful lives.”