Ms. Joanna Bellia was the first member of staff of the Department of Occupational Therapy Division in 1992 when the Faculty of Health Sciences was part of the Health Department. She was coordinator of the Diploma Courses run by the Institute of Health Care. She obtained her Diploma in Occupational Therapy in 1986 in the first locally run course for occupational therapists. This was a course approved by the World Federation of Occupational Therapists. She also obtained a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology and Sociology from the University of Malta in 1992.
In 1999 she obtained her Master's Degree in Occupational Therapy from the University of Exeter. Her research study focused on the Mental Health Reform.
she collaborated with Professor Emerita Dr. Ann MacRae to set up the first local Bacelors Degree in Occupational Therapy.
She has completed an EU sponsored course on Gender Based and Intimate Partner Violence for Human Resource Personnel. She is on the pioneering team of the first Recovery and Well being Academy in Malta. The academy,has been entrusted with providing courses in well being for the general population and for persons on a jouney of recovery from mental health challenges. She is helping both as a peer expert and academic. She has undergone Peer Expert Training and collaborates with psychiatrists, mental health nurses, OTs and other peer experts on this project. This is part of an EU project run by the mental health services.
Her lecturing portfolio has a wide range of subjects, which combine her knowldege in OT psychology and sociology. Lecture topics include Occupational Therapy and Psychosocial Dysfunction, Professional Issues, OT emerging roles of practice, OT evaluation, OT in acute medical and sub-acute medical care.
She has a special interest in mental health, domestic and intimate partner violence, transtheoretical models of change, addictions, personality disortders, Complex PTSD, patient advocacy, professional ethics and dance movement therapy.
She is currently the Coordinator for student placements. She sits on the Department's Board of Studies and on the Faculty of Health Sciences Board.
