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Summary

I am a passionate occupational therapist with a deep commitment to mental health and enhancing individual well-being. I excel in developing innovative therapeutic strategies to support clients in achieving their personal and professional goals. Driven by a genuine desire to make a positive impact, dedicated to empowering individuals through compassionate care and evidence-based practices. While passionate about mental health, I am eager to explore all fields of occupational therapy, applying the skills learned this year to diverse areas of practice.

Work experience

TARA THE H. MOROSS psychiatric hospital, Johannesburg, ZA
2024-01present

Community Service Occupational Therapist

  • Oversaw a large caseload of in-patient cases, conducting weekly assessments and delivering both group and individual therapy.
  • Participated in weekly ward rounds, working collaboratively with the multi-disciplinary team (MDT) to provide functional feedback on all patients.
  • Coordinated and developed a therapeutic garden space for patients, utilizing it as a treatment modality.
  • Planned and implemented group and individual intervention for in-patient caseload of psychotic and mood disorders; aimed at maintaining, improving, and restoring functional abilities across all areas of occupation.
  • Prepared and conducted Functional Capacity Evaluations, producing detailed reports to support patients' return-to-work readiness.
  • Managed a paediatric out-patient caseload assessing and designing treatment plans for various diagnoses such as autism, ADHD, processing & conduct disorders. Writing comprehensive reports, and collaborating with the caregivers.
  • Facilitated a job-seekers workshop to prepare hospital outpatients with necessary skills to enter the open-labour market.
  • Observed OT interventions for other diagnoses to gain insight into how OT addresses a variety of mental health diagnosis 
  • Attended monthly case presentations to gain insights into psychiatric diagnoses and integrate feedback from all hospital teams.
PAPILLON RECOVERY Centre
december 20231 month

Volunteer Occupational Therapist

  • Created and Implemented a 4 week occupational therapy programme for in-patients, focused on enhancing emotional regulation, social skills, and occupational engagement through skills training, mindfulness, and integrated care. Treatment goals included improving coping strategies, self-awareness, and community integration while addressing both mental health and substance use disorders
PAPILLON RECOVERY Centre
20237 weeks

Student Occupational Therapist

  • Provided individual assessment & treatment intervention for adult mental health care users as part of their dual diagnosis program.
  • Planned and executed group therapy sessions for patients with personality disorders.
CHARLOTTE MAXEKE Academic hospital
20235 weeks

Student Occupational Therapist

  • Working in the hands therapy clinic, designing and creating hand-based splints for individuals with both chronic and acute hand injuries.
  • Administering home programmes for patients and caregivers to improve, compensate or prevent decline in hand functioning. upon discharge.
CHRIS HANI Baragwanath academic hospital
20237 weeks

Student Occupational Therapist

  • Specialized intervention for pediatric burn patients, conducting comprehensive assessments and individualized treatment plans. Focused on maintaining functional abilities and supporting developmental milestones through play and meaningful occupations. Provided caregiver education on burn prevention and home-based continuation of therapeutic strategies.
  • Working with padiatric patients with varities of diagnosis from malnurtirition, developmental delays, pediatric oncology and NICU, using therapuetic positioning , caregiver training and education and developmental support through age-appropriate play.
Ndlovu care group: LIMPOPO
20237 weeks

Student Occupational Therapist

  • Provided targeted interventions for adolescents with severe intellectual disabilities, focusing on enhancing daily living skills, promoting functional independence, and improving social participation
  • Worked collaboratively within the community to develop sustainable programs, including a community garden that served as a therapeutic and educational resource for participants.
  • Designed and implemented a sustainable program for parents, teaching them to create low-cost, developmentally appropriate toys with their children, supporting family engagement and sensory-motor development. 

Education

UNIVERSITY OF THE WITWATERSRAND
20202023

Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy

  • Chairwoman of the Occupational Therapy Student Representative Society (OTSRC) 
  • Member of the Health Science Student Representative Society (HSSRS)
  • Member of the Golden Key Honors society 
ST PETER'S COLLEGE South africa
20152019

Matric

Matriculated with 5 distinctions, year average above 75%

Training

Modapts
july 2024

Utilizing MODAPTs for vocational assessment & treatment intervention

Using MODAPTs to analyze job tasks and set performance standards in vocational rehabilitation. Shown how to apply these techniques to improve work efficiency, design effective rehabilitation plans, and enhance productivity for individuals with disabilities

Food & Trees for africa
june 2024

Therapeutic uses of gardening within mental health rehabilitation

Shown how to practically use gardening as a rehabilitation tool to enhance mental health, providing practical methods for integrating garden-based activities into patient care. The training highlighted how gardening can improve patients' emotional well-being, offer therapeutic engagement, and create a calming environment that supports recovery.

CE mobility
may 2024

Wheelchair seating and device prescription training

Accurately design and fit wheelchairs for individual patients, ensuring optimal mobility and comfort. It covered practical techniques for assessing patient needs, customizing wheelchair features, and applying measurement protocols to enhance overall wheelchair performance and user satisfaction

Vocational training: kalafong Hospital
March 2024

Insight into vocational tools to use for physical & mental health vocational rehabilitation

A full day workshop with presentations on tools that can be used to help assess and treat patients to return to work. Programme included insight into driving assessments, standardized vocational assessment tools such as the Valpar 9, creating individualized treatment programs and screening tools that can be used.  

Hi-tech therapy
march 2024

TheraBand for Occupational Therapy

Incorporating Theraband products into sessions to enhance strength, flexibility, and coordination. Shown how to utilize these bands for various therapeutic exercises, including resistance training and rehabilitation, to support patient recovery and improve functional outcomes

Certificates

Bio-mastery
31 may 2024 present

Foundation course for healthcare professionals

The course addresses how to develop resilience, manage stress, and create sustainable high-performance strategies, both personally and within teams or organizations, using a blend of behavioral, mental, and conceptual skills

Dale Carnegie
2019

Leadership course

Practical strategies for influencing others, leading teams, and achieving organizational success while fostering a positive attitude and empathy. It empowers individuals to become effective communicators and leaders in both personal and professional settings

Alliance Francais
2019

DELF Exams (Diplôme d'Études en Langue Française): B2

Official French language proficiency certifications administered by the French Ministry of Education.  Shows a strong understanding of listening, comprehending and articulating the French language. 

Skills & strengths

  • Report writing 
  • Group planning & treatment intervention 
  • Communication skills & team collaboration 
  • Time management & organisational skills 
  • Adaptability to meet changing patient needs 

References

Name  Job Description  Cell Number  Email 
Naazneen Ebrahim  Acting hospital CEO 083 215 9029 Naazneen.Ebrahim@gauteng.gov.za
Thato Ntai  Supervisor and Occupational Therapist  073 387 0867 Thato.Ntai@gauteng.gov.za
Savannah Levi  Occupational Therapist  078 714 0749 savannahlevi01@gmail.com