How neurological occupational therapy makes the new feel familiar
In the beginning
Beginnings, while wonderful for some, can also feel daunting. A new year, a blank page, the feeling of starting again - that is how life can feel for those who have recently been diagnosed with a brain injury or neurological condition.
Our lives are built on routines and familiar activities. However, when someone faces a neurological injury or condition these routines and activities may change or stop altogether. Everyday tasks, such as cleaning their teeth or getting dressed, may suddenly seem unfamiliar, or they may need to relearn how they see themselves and the world.
I always say to people, I was in the shower one day and couldn't remember how to turn it on. None of it made any sense to me. There was a lot of memory missing, a lot of patches. 
Esther, a brain injury survivor [1]
This unfamiliarity can come from a number of causes.
If an individual experiences a disruption of their motor skills, sensory processing, cognition, or memory, parts of their routines and roles may no longer be as easy or accessible as they once were. These changes can evoke feelings of overwhelm, frustration, or a detachment from the individual's sense of self as our roles and routines are so integral to who we are.
Those who have experienced a neurological event may also experience anxiety, loss of independence, and fatigue as their brain works harder to understand the world around them.
This is why neurological occupational therapy is designed to help people rebuild these important parts of their lives, by supporting individuals to practice daily tasks, using adaptive equipment to make activities easier, or finding strategies to manage symptoms such as fatigue or memory changes.
Beginning to understand
Krysalis neurological occupational therapists help individuals to understand their diagnosis and the symptoms they're experiencing.
In the beginning, it can be challenging for individuals to interpret their symptoms and recognise the barriers they're facing, and family members or employers may not be able to understand what has happened.
With education and support, it is possible for individuals to find new ways to approach daily life, and to participate in and enjoy meaningful activities again. Others close to the individual will also be able to recognise the challenges being faced.
This demystifying of diagnosis is important for individuals to understand the "why" behind their changing routine.
I thought it was really interesting to understand what sits beneath - the "whys". Like why was something happening that had never been an issue before, and understanding why it was happening now, and how it was linked to memory.
Esther, a brain injury survivor
Neurological occuational therapists can also support an individual in breaking down everyday tasks into manageable steps, while also providing supporting strategies and building new routines that instil confidence in an individual.
As experts in our field, at Krysalis we know that the new can once again become something meaningful and comfortably familiar. Take a real-life story from Founder and CEO, Jo Throp, for example...
Beginning again
When providing intervention to a man who had survived a stroke, Jo was asked if she could support him in buying a Christmas gift for his wife. [2]
It was something he had done year after year, but after his stroke the activity had become unfamiliar to him, and the symptoms he was experiencing posed as a barrier to completing his goal.
The purchase of this small Christmas gift for his wife could be directly compared to a single-handed scaling of Mount Everest because, in fact, for this man, at that moment, it was.
The meaning, the magnitude, and importance of purchasing and delivering this item were worth far more than the gift itself.
With a carefully tied gold bow, that small red package had a value much greater than the actual content. It represented his dreams and aspirations, his connections to his past and his anticipated future self.
After having the support of a neurological occupational therapist, this man had the opportunity to begin a small but meaningful part of his life, his routine, and role as a husband again.
We are here to help our beneficiaries recognise who they really are, what they could be and should be.
Krysalis Founder and CEO, Jo Throp
End of beginning
A diagnosis of a brain injury or neurological condition doesn't have to mark the end of life as you know it, sometimes it just means beginning again.
Navigating the complexities of a neurological diagnosis can be hard, but with the dedicated support of a neurological occupational therapist, individuals can see the end of the beginning.
Krysalis can support you to begin your journey in overcoming the hurdles you face, through empowerment by understanding your condition, embracing new strategies, and starting to manage your symptoms with growing confidence for a more meaningful future.
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