Certified occupational therapist HF
Working in the profession for over 30 years
Isabelle McDermott-Ferber
I trained as an occupational therapist in London, UK, where I lived for 18 years. My field of work in the urban and multicultural City of London was in all areas of psychiatry (child and adolescent and geriatric psychiatry including emergency psychiatry and case management).
Other fields of work were palliative care and neurology.
Since 2003 I have been living in Switzerland again and have been working in psychiatry.
My further training includes cognitive behavioural therapy, family therapy (City University, London, UK) and “Core Process Psychotherapy” (Karuna Institute, Devon, UK).
Other professional mainstays in my life have been acting, language teaching and being a Montessori teacher.
I am passionate about literature, acting and the visual arts, especially photography.
In 2024 after a 3-year training I gained a certificate as a “certified leader of creative writing groups – creative writing and biography work on the basis of integrative poetry and bibliotheraphy.”
My thesis was published on the FPI Publications scientific platform “Polyloge” in the “Heilkraft der Sprache und Kulturarbeit” section.
Information for the patient
A mental illness often leads to a restriction of autonomy in the private and professional everyday life of the sufferer. People lose their ability to cope with their everyday lives and maintain their relationships.
Together we will work out your remaining but buried resources.
The aim is to be able to cope with your personal, school and/or professional “everyday life” independently again.
Together we do an assessment and set clear, achievable goals. We develop solution strategies to achieve the goals and implement these strategies in discussions and practical exercises.
In the practice room at Weinbergstrasse 24 on the fourth floor, in 8001 Zurich. The treatments can also take place at the patient’s home, or possibly at the workplace.
As a rule, the sessions last 60 to 90 minutes and a therapy block is 9 sessions. These blocks can be extended up to 3 times.
The sessions are covered by your basic health insurance (‘Grundversicherung’) with a doctor’s prescription from the general practitioner or psychiatrist.
Poetry- and Bibliotherapy
Poetry-and bibliotherapy is an integrative creative therapy for the treatment of mental and psychosomatic illnesses. The therapy is used for self-awareness, development of personality, coping with life situations and improving the quality of life.
The therapeutic process consists of experiencing literature together or reading and designing one’s own texts. Both become the subject of therapeutic discourse.
I was particularly strengthened by reading and writing after the loss of my son, who died at the age of only 16. I had a strong need to understand his death, to get my everyday life back under control despite chaotic feelings, to be heard and supported and to go into the future with a positive feeling.
I was so convinced of this kind of support that I completed training as a poetry and bibliotherapist myself. So I can also offer this creative therapy with my clients in my practice with full conviction.
Occupational therapy treatment is a compulsory benefit of the basic health insurance (‘Grundversicherung’) or social security. The patient needs a prescription from the general practitioner or specialist for 9 therapy sessions. These blocks can be extended 3 times.
In the practice room at Weinbergstrasse 24 on the fourth floor, in 8001 Zurich. The treatments can also take place at the patient’s home or possibly at the workplace.
Close cooperation is ensured. I look forward to hearing from you and co-working with you.
Postal address
Isabelle McDermott-Ferber
ergo-in-action
Mythenstrasse 10
8610 Uster
Practice
Isabelle McDermott-Ferber
ergo-in-action
Weinbergstrasse 24
4th floor
8001 Zürich
www.ergotherapie.ch
Swiss Association of Occupational Therapists
www.vask.ch
Association of Relatives of the Mentally Ill
www.promentesana.ch
for mental health
www.procap.ch
advocating for people with disabilities for over 90 years
www.autismus.ch
service provider for people with autism
www.adhs20plus.ch
service provider for adults with ADHD