NR Times speaks to Think Therapy 1st, winner of the NR Times Therapy Provider of the Year Award, sponsored by Irwin Mitchell.
Specialist Rehabilitation Occupational Therapy company Think Therapy 1st has been providing rehabilitation services to clients for over a decade.
The organisation takes a unique approach to therapy through its Specialist Rehabilitation Occupational Therapists (SROTs) that provide personalised therapy plans that incorporate physical and mental health goals, often in creative ways to ensure long-lasting impact.
The approach enables just one activity to fulfil the role of a number of different exercises, and is delivered in the client’s home for improved access.
Stephanie Fleet, head of service development and customer relations at Think Therapy 1st explains that the company works to help clients have autonomy over their rehab journey.
“It was so great to win the award. It truly made our year,” said Fleet.
“We are a nationwide company providing clinician-led rehabilitation. We deliver hands-on occupational therapy in the client’s home, work environment and wherever else they need support.
“We can coordinate the multidisciplinary team or work under case managers, or both. We work with clients of all ages and with all types of injuries and are very hands-on, visiting clients multiple times a week, being responsive and creative with our therapy sessions. Our sessions incorporate techniques from physiotherapy and psychology – practising these skills in the environments where the client needs them most.
“For example, there was a case involving a woman with complicated orthopaedic injuries and a young toddler. Her main goal was to be able to play on the floor with her daughter. Her sessions focused on building activity tolerance, planning, pacing and overcoming anxiety.
“The occupational therapist arranged local walks in mixed rural and urban settings, including challenges like uneven terrain and stairs to strengthen the muscles needed for playing on the floor.
“In another case, a gentleman, initially told by his NHS team that he would never walk again, managed to progress from using crutches to completing a charity walk.
“There are also yoga classes that go beyond mere attendance, incorporating pre- and post-session planning and strategy to help clients engage more fully. One client, who had a significant brain injury and a history of negative experiences with medical professionals, was initially very resistant.
“When I first met her, she was in the middle of a heated argument with a neighbour over cats, and she locked herself inside her house. I simply sat on the doorstep with the cats, allowing them to climb on me.
“This broke the ice, and we began to talk through the door about the cats. From that point, we built a relationship, and her entire cognitive rehabilitation was centred around keeping her cats, so they would not be taken away by the RSPCA. Her recovery was phenomenal.”
Fleet highlights that Think Therapy 1st’s success lies in getting to know the person and their family – who they are, what their identity is, what they have lost – and building all therapeutic activities around that to create a meaningful therapy plan.
“We work with individuals who have complex brain injuries, complex orthopaedic injuries, spinal cord injuries, amputations – essentially, we work with everyone. However, we do not view a person solely through the lens of their injury,” said Fleet.
“We take the time to understand them as an individual, assess where they need to be, and determine what is required to support them effectively. We also involve their families in the process, recognising that the impact of an injury extends to those around them.”
Looking ahead, Fleet says 2025 promises to be a promising year for Think Therapy 1st.
The company has already recruited new staff members, which has increased its nationwide coverage, and it has several conferences and events scheduled for 2025 to share its approach to rehabilitation.
“Our primary goal for next year is to help more people return to living their lives fully,” said Fleet.
“Winning the award was utterly amazing and has given us a significant boost. Our model is different from traditional case management, and it was wonderful to receive recognition for our work.”
