Sasha Wray Occupational Therapist

30/12/2025

A timely arrival today of this incredible book by Dr Hannah Slootjes.

As a mental health occupational therapist, I had a very tiny contribution in the chapter on "Illuminating the dark side of matrescence".

Every chapter is rich with knowledge translated from weaving women's stories and experiences.

I've been waiting all year for this book. So it seems incredibly apt for it to arrive at this time when one of our most influential stories of matrescence is being celebrated, that of Holy Mother Mary.

The next chapter I will read is titled Matrescence is a spiritual occupation and transformative life event.

It certainly is!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to everyone.

Sasha ❣️

21/12/2025

21/12/2025

Amazing 😍 "countries agreed the WHO should adopt a new global traditional medicines strategy for the next decade that “seeks to harness the potential contribution of TCIM [traditional, complementary and integrative medicine] to health and wellbeing based on evidence”.

Considering 🧘‍♀️ the "wellness industry" is worth trillions in sales of supplements - it desperately needs regulation and more investment in research.

People spend money on promises of cures, sometimes taking supplements for years with no results but the belief that they may be worse off if they didn't.

👋The problems with Non-practitioner products are:
- often sold with herbs or nutrients not at therapeutic dose.
- often packed with fillers.

👋🏻The problem with not being assessed by a *qualified health practitioner:
- you don't have a treatment protocol specific to all your needs .
- it's dangerous as co-prescriptions haven't been considered
- it's a waste of time, money and health as people often don't get all the treatment you need.

💆‍♂️ Considering so many countries "mainstream medicine" already includes alternative medicine (yoga, acupuncture, herbal medicine)
- it's incredible WHO hasn't already recognized it.

UN body to study possibility of integrating centuries-old practices into mainstream healthcare

15/12/2025

Find peace amidst complexity.
Summer is here.

03/12/2025

❤️❤️

02/12/2025

Burnout? Chronic stress recovery needs 3-12 months.

OT can help!

❤️

27/11/2025

Does rest cause discomfort?

Rest is such an essential part of pain recovery and yet it is seldom talked about.

Rest nourishes the nervous system. It helps to create the neuroplastic changes that change pain signaling.

In a society that is so productivity oriented and outcome based - why not measure success by how much you have rested today?

You don't need to earn rest!

Of course - you still have 'do life' and that is where it becomes hard to find ways to rest with pain.

There are many ways to build rest and tech the nervous system how to put the brakes on and slow down. There are many ways to be able to open up and make room for discomfort.

If you are struggling to rest - an OT can help in many ways.

Comment below to find out more



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13/11/2025

Have you noticed how your thoughts and feelings impact pain and stress?
And then - how this impacts your ability to function in life?

Occupational Therapists primary goal is to help you to be able to 'function' in life. To be able to do the things you need, want or are expected to do.

So addressing functional cognition is a big part of what we look at when planning treatment for pain and stress.

Functional Cognition actually has 3 main parts
1. Working memory relates to how someone thinks about, uses and recalls information in their day to day to life.
2. Cognitive flexibility enables someone to change behaviour and adjust to limitations.
3. Emotional Status affects how a person manages their thoughts, feelings and behaviour.

Therapy for Functional Cognition with an occupational therapist includes help with organising daily life activities + managing thoughts and feelings.

If you need help with functional cognition there are so many strategies and tools that we can help you set up so that life runs smoother
- with less stress + less energy output
which means less pain!


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11/11/2025

I've had an awesome 2 days training in Neuroaffirming ACT with Russ Harris.

ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) is the main psychological approach that I use.

Learning more about it's application in ADHD and autism has been really great because neurodivergence is common with many people I see with
- chronic fatigue (ME/CFS, long Covid)
- chronic pain
- hypermobility (HDS, EDS)
- anxiety
- depression
- dysautonomia
- POTS

❤️

03/11/2025

Life is a wonderful mystery to be lived; not a problem to be solved!

❤️❤️