Margot McKnight has a very specific professional background in mental health. She has spent her career assisting people to adjust after major life upheavals such as health crises and family breakdown.
I met with Margot recently to discuss how we can better assist our clients who are struggling to adapt to life after injury. She had some very interesting insights including the concept of “mental health first aid” which I think we could all benefit from studying.
What I found particularly interesting was the idea of early intervention or preventative assistance. We will all have major life upheavals in our lives and we will all manage them differently. Just because our lives have completely been turned upside down does not mean we will suffer a mental health issue. However, we may need help with the practicalities of life through a new prism.
As one very insightful claimant told me recently “I will never go back to the old me but that is not all bad”.
Margot provides informal counselling on an as needs basis but most of the time she finds people just need prompting and facilitating in their new lives. If you spend long periods of time in hospital, you can forget how to live your life when you are home. Carers who are offered no respite can develop agoraphobia. If the lawn mowing has always been your job and you can no longer do it, the family routine may need altering. You might take up cooking instead!
Even without major upheavals – the pace of change has moved to light speed. We will all need help to adapt sometimes.
