Overview
Dr. Valerie Fox is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where she received her Master's degree and PhD in Occupational Science. She also completed the Psychosocial Rehabilitation Fellowship at the Durham Veterans Affairs Healthcare Center, which focused on recovery-based mental health services for Veterans.
Valerie currently works as an occupational therapist at the Durham VA; she leads a transitional behavioral activation program for Veterans with a variety of mental health issues. She also co-instructs the Introduction to Occupational Science course with the Duke Occupational Therapy Department.
Her research interests include community participation for individuals with mental health issues and the role of occupational therapy in mental health services, specifically supporting occupational engagement. She is an avid OT advocate and fully believes in the power of occupation to enhance function, quality of life, and wellness. Thus, she enjoys program development, expanding OT services in needed areas through partnerships with interdisciplinary team members, and mentoring students in occupation-based practice.
In her personal life, she enjoys spending time with her partner and two kiddos, watching movies, coming up with new home projects to do, traveling, reading mystery and crime novels, and gardening.
Valerie currently works as an occupational therapist at the Durham VA; she leads a transitional behavioral activation program for Veterans with a variety of mental health issues. She also co-instructs the Introduction to Occupational Science course with the Duke Occupational Therapy Department.
Her research interests include community participation for individuals with mental health issues and the role of occupational therapy in mental health services, specifically supporting occupational engagement. She is an avid OT advocate and fully believes in the power of occupation to enhance function, quality of life, and wellness. Thus, she enjoys program development, expanding OT services in needed areas through partnerships with interdisciplinary team members, and mentoring students in occupation-based practice.
In her personal life, she enjoys spending time with her partner and two kiddos, watching movies, coming up with new home projects to do, traveling, reading mystery and crime novels, and gardening.
Current Appointments & Affiliations
Instructor, Mc in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery
·
2022 - Present
Orthopaedic Surgery, Occupational Therapy,
Orthopaedic Surgery
Recent Publications
Access to Outpatient Occupational Therapy Services After Inpatient Psychiatric Hospitalization in the Veterans Health Administration.
Journal Article Am J Occup Ther · July 1, 2025 IMPORTANCE: Veterans with occupational performance (e.g., activities of daily living [ADL]) limitations who are receiving inpatient psychiatric care may benefit from outpatient occupational therapy upon discharge, but access disparities have not been inves ... Full text Link to item CitePositive Experiences of Psychosis: A Review
Journal Article Occupational Therapy in Mental Health · January 1, 2025 Experiences of psychosis, including auditory and visual hallucinations, are pathologized and stigmatized within healthcare settings and societies at large (particularly Anglo-European cultures). Yet, positive experiences of psychosis have been documented i ... Full text CiteIan wants to manage his money and has schizophrenia: Neuroscience facilitates our understanding of money management
Chapter · January 1, 2025 The purpose of this chapter is to explore how Ian, a 25-year-old who wants to manage his money, might be affected by schizophrenia, a condition that changes how the brain perceives the world, other people, and one’s own sensory, cognitive and emotional exp ... Full text CiteEducation, Training & Certifications
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill ·
2016
Ph.D.