Occupational Therapy

What is Occupational Therapy?

Occupational Therapy (OT) is a CORU (Health & Social Care Professionals Council) regulated healthcare profession. OTs believe that participating in activities that are meaningful and important to us is essential for our health and wellbeing. OTs promote health and wellbeing by supporting people to do the things they need and want to do. They do this by working with people to develop skills, adapt activities, or modify environments to support participation (WFOT 2012).

OT Services in TU Dublin City Campus

The OT service is a confidential, practical support service for students registered with the Disability Support Service in TU Dublin. The OT service is provided by an experienced CORU Registered Occupational Therapist; Rachael Farrell Senior Occupational Therapist.

What can the Occupational Therapist offer me?

• The aim of the OT Service in TU Dublin is to enable you to develop practical skills and strategies to support you in your role as a student. Sessions are guided by what you want and need to work on.

  Examples of some of the areas OT may be able to support you with are:

  • Developing a healthy balanced routine
  • Developing skills for your student role
  • Managing the academic/practical demands of coursework
  • Developing relaxation skills
  • Exploring leisure opportunities and overcoming barriers to participating in leisure activities
  • Developing personal and practical strategies to engage in your role as a student
  • Assessment and exploration of strategies to support with managing your sensory processing needs within the college environment

How can I access the service?

You can use the OT Service if you are a student in TU Dublin City Campus and are registered with the Disability Service. The OT Service is a referral-only service - you need to be referred to the OT before you can make an appointment. You can be referred to OT by your Learning Support Officer (LSO), Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Coordinator or Assistive Technology (AT) Officer in the Disability Support Service.

I have been referred to OT, what is next?

1. The OT will contact you by email to offer you support. Please note that the OT will always use your student email address to contact you so you will need to check your email regularly. Appointments can be scheduled in person, or online via Microsoft Teams.
2. You will be sent by email information about the OT service and asked to complete a questionnaire before your first appointment with the OT.
3. At your first appointment, the OT will explain further about the OT service, and you will have a chance to discuss how you are managing your student role and what your goals might be.

Background to the service

The Occupational Therapy Service in TU Dublin operates according to the Unilink Model, developed by Dr. Clodagh Nolan, Assistant Professor in the Discipline of Occupational Therapy in Trinity College Dublin (TCD), in collaboration with the Disability Support Services in TCD.

Occupational Therapists working in higher education support students to fully participate in university life, helping them engage in both their academic roles and everyday activities. They typically work as part of a multidisciplinary team within Disability Support Services.

A key part of the role involves helping students overcome barriers that may affect their ability to engage in meaningful activities. Occupational therapists work collaboratively with students to identify strengths, build practical skills, and develop strategies to manage the demands of university life. This can include supporting students to navigate challenges, adapt to changes, and maintain wellbeing throughout their academic journey.

Occupational therapists draw on a range of models and approaches to guide their work. For example, the Person–Environment–Occupation (PEO) model (Law et al., 1996) can be helpful in understanding how a student’s abilities, their environment, and the demands of university life interact, and how challenges in any of these areas may impact participation and performance.

Who Occupational Therapists Support

Occupational therapists in universities may work with:

• Students with diagnosed disabilities or health conditions, including those who entered through schemes such as DARE (e.g. dyslexia, ADHD, autism, DCD, mental health conditions, physical disabilities)
• Students experiencing changes in function due to illness or injury
• Neurodivergent students, including those who have received a recent or later-life diagnosis
• Students managing ongoing conditions such as chronic pain or fatigue

Common Areas of Support

Occupational therapists address a wide range of challenges that can impact student life, including:

• Executive functioning difficulties, such as time management, organisation, and task completion
• Sensory processing challenges that may affect lecture attendance or campus engagement
• Sleep difficulties impacting academic and social participation
• Establishing and maintaining balanced daily routines
• Managing symptoms such as anxiety, fatigue, or pain

Group-Based Supports

Group work is often a key part of the role and may include:

• Study skills programmes tailored to undergraduate, postgraduate, or PhD students
• Orientation sessions to support students transitioning into university life
• Independent living skills groups, focusing on areas like cooking, budgeting, and transport
• Neurodivergent support groups that promote social connection and cover topics such as self-regulation, planning, and prioritisation

Outreach and Education

Occupational therapists also contribute to wider university initiatives by:

• Delivering training and workshops for staff to promote inclusive practices
• Participating in campus events and awareness campaigns
• Supporting a culture of accessibility and inclusion across the institution

 

Contact

You can contact the Occupational Therapist by email or phone – view contact details.