Trinity and St Patrick’s Mental Health Services to give occupational therapy training

Posted on: 15 April 2025

The new partnership will provide occupational therapy students with clinical placements in mental healthcare settings.

The Occupational Therapy Department at St Patrick’s Mental Health Services, Ireland’s largest independent mental healthcare provider, and the Department of Occupational Therapy in Trinity’s School of Medicine, have recently announced a new partnership that will see students undertake clinical placements within St Patrick’s Mental Health Services as part of the Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy (Honours) programme from Trinity.

Occupational therapy aims to contribute to wellbeing, independence and satisfaction in daily life. The main goal of occupational therapy in a mental health setting is to support those experiencing mental health difficulties to participate in the everyday activities that matter to them.

The clinical placements facilitated by St Patrick’s Mental Health Services will offer students practical, first-hand experience as occupational therapists, while also supporting the delivery of high-quality mental health services. Students will apply their academic learning at Trinity to real-world scenarios, preparing them to become skilled occupational therapists equipped to support those experiencing mental health difficulties.

Examples of work undertaken by occupational therapists at St Patrick’s Mental Health Services include exploring lifestyle changes and setting goals to support recovery; developing skills to help service users live more independently; finding ways to make daily activities easier or more enjoyable; developing balanced and satisfying routines; identifying social supports and outlets; and preparing service users for discharge from hospital and to stay well at home.

Speaking about the partnership, Sherrie Buckley, Occupational Therapy Manager at St Patrick’s Mental Health Services, said: “St Patrick’s Mental Health Services and Trinity College Dublin have a longstanding history of collaboration, and we are delighted to expand our partnership through the facilitation of clinical placements for occupational therapy students at Trinity.

By providing students with practical experience in mental health settings, we not only support their professional development but also help to strengthen the quality of care we provide to those experiencing mental health difficulties.

Dr Michelle Spirtos and Sherrie Buckley.

This partnership will help to ensure that future occupational therapists are better equipped to work with individuals experiencing a mental health difficulty, fostering a well-trained, compassionate workforce that is committed to supporting people in their mental health recovery journeys and empowering them to live fulfilling lives.”

Key components of the clinical placements at St Patrick’s Mental Health Services will include:

Practical experience: Students will work with service users with varying mental health needs, gaining practical experience in recovery-focused approaches that address not only an individual’s mental health diagnosis, but how the person may experience mental ill health, and the impact it has on their ability to function in daily life.
Skills development: Students will enhance and strengthen their occupational therapy skills and theoretical learning by gaining first-hand experience in evidence-based therapeutic interventions, both individual and group, initial assessment and treatment planning in mental health.
Multidisciplinary learning: Students will work alongside a multidisciplinary team of mental health clinicians including psychiatrists, psychologists, CBT therapists, pharmacists, nurses, social workers and addiction counsellors (when appropriate) enhancing their ability to provide holistic and integrated care.
Specialist areas: Students will have the opportunity to work in a range of mental health specialist areas including addiction, older adult mental health, young adult mental health, adolescent mental health, eating disorders and more.

Dr Michelle Spirtos, Head of Discipline in Trinity’s Department of Occupational Therapy, said: “We are delighted to solidify our collaborative relationship with St Patrick’s Mental Health Services. This formalised link with the Occupational Therapy Department will provide excellent opportunities for practice education placements for our occupational therapy students. Mental health practice is an important area for the profession, and the Occupational Therapy department in St Patrick’s Mental Health Services has excellent areas of expertise. We look forward to our students having the opportunity to experience this.”