Occupational Therapy Helps College Students Live Healthier Lives

Los Angeles — Labor Day has come and gone, which means summer is officially over and it is time to head back to school and hit the books. For the millions of students all over the country heading back to college this year or starting their first year, it can be a nerve-wracking experience. Stressful classes, small apartments shared with strangers, and abundant dorm food are just some of the factors that can jeopardize the well-being of university students, from freshmen new to college life to graduate students just weeks away from their Ph.D.s.

For five years, the Lifestyle Redesign for the College Student program has helped hundreds of students at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles deal with all these challenges and more, says Dr. Karen McNulty, Occupational Therapist with the USC Occupational Therapy Faculty Practice.

Students typically meet one-on-one with an occupational therapist weekly to discuss their concerns and work on implementing the positive lifestyle changes needed to address them. McNulty says therapists can meet with students anywhere the student wants — at the gym to formulate an exercise plan, at the grocery store to help the student plan healthy meals, at the student’s home to help with organization and homework habits, etc. “It’s a completely individualized program,” McNulty says. “It’s whatever students need it to be in order to help.”

Current Lifestyle Redesign for the College Student participants include equal numbers of males and females in many different fields of study, ranging from incoming freshmen wanting assistance in transitioning to a more independent college lifestyle to graduate students wanting to make their routines more effective as deadlines for defenses and dissertations loom. McNulty says students take part in the program for hundreds of unique reasons: physical health and fitness worries, academic performance and studying problems, professional and personal relationship challenges, financial and time management skill issues, and more.

Lifestyle Redesign’s partnership with USC Disability Services Program helps them to cooperate and better serve students with mental health concerns, learning difficulties and other disabilities, McNulty adds, and working with USC Student Judicial Affairs and Community Standards allows them to assist students wrestling with other issues that could threaten their career, such as substance abuse. “We are non-judgmental — we simply want to help students change their lifestyles in order to be healthier,” McNulty says.

With a referral from the student’s doctor, psychiatrist or other health professional, USC student health insurance covers 28 Lifestyle Redesign for the College Student visits per year, with a $15 co-pay per visit, McNulty says. Other insurance plans are also accepted. An initial consultation with an occupational therapist is free.

The program is not only limited to the USC campus; McNulty says the program is open to college students not registered at USC. For more information on how you can benefit from the program, contact the USC Occupational Therapy Faculty Practice by calling (323) 442-3340, emailing otfp@usc.edu or visiting the Web site at www.usc.edu/otfp.

Other Lifestyle Redesign services are available to assist students trying to lose weight, manage chronic pain or transition from the military to a civilian lifestyle, McNulty adds. An OT-inspired student organization named Project Lifestyle: Trojans for Healthy Living is also available to students of all majors looking to share advice and experiences on living healthfully; the club’s Facebook page is www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=9667069778.

To arrange for b-roll or interview with students, contact Angelica Urquijo at (213) 740-6568 (office) or (213) 271-4189 (cell).