‘Feel the Fear and Do it Anyway’: Meeting the Occupational Needs of Refugees and People Seeking Asylum

Abstract

Refugees and people seeking asylum face a life in the United Kingdom that fosters occupational deprivation. Their needs may be significant, but occupational therapists often believe themselves unable to help refugees because they feel unready and ill prepared. A more positive approach can assist occupational therapists to acknowledge their anxieties in this regard and, by taking a proactive and informed stance, use their existing transferable skills to meet the needs of refugees in much the same way that they meet the needs of other clients.