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It is often said that the one constant in life in change.
Marianne Smith knows this more than most.
Having started as an occupational therapist more than 36 years ago, Smith has seen an evolution in the profession and an expansion in the scope for practitioners, to the benefit of those in need of their services.
“I think it’s much more community focused than it was when I first started. I think it’s also changed from the point of view of occupational therapists working in mental health, having used our background to move into areas that are more psychotherapy based,” she said. “But while doing that, the focus is always on improving the individual’s functioning and quality of life. So that continues to be focus even though some of the therapeutic models that we’ve used have changed.”
Originally from Cape Breton, Smith was in Dalhousie’s fourth graduating class in occupational therapy in 1988.
From there, she worked as an occupational therapist in Antigonish for two and a half years before making the move to the outpatient clinic at the Dartmouth Community Mental Health and Addictions Clinic.
More than 33 years later she is still at the same clinic and it’s this constant change that has kept her coming back year after year.
“My position has changed, the clinic has changed, but I’ve worked in outpatient mental health for all of the time that I’ve been with Nova Scotia Health,” she said.
“First off, I really enjoy the clients that come through the outpatient clinic. I think it’s an opportunity to…work with people who are dealing with challenges in their daily lives,” Smith added.
“And I think the other thing that has kept me there is the learning opportunities. I mean as a career in outpatient mental health, it just has provided me with ongoing challenges, opportunities to learn, to develop skills. It’s always interesting and always challenging, because so much change seems to be happening.”
Everything she and the team at the clinic does is patient-centred, with a goal on helping them get back to doing what they enjoy doing.
It’s this approach that Smith says she thrives on and what benefits those who are in need of the clinic’s services.
“When you come to see an OT in outpatient mental health, what we’re going to talk about is what’s most important to you. What do you value in your life, what are some of the difficulties that are showing up that are preventing you from living the life that you want to live, and that’s what we’re going to focus on.”