The question I get asked the most is “What exactly is Occupational Therapy?” I think a better question would be “What isn’t Occupational Therapy?”
When people hear “occupation” they usually think, oh so you help people find jobs?! Well, I can, but occupation in this instance refers to any meaningful activity that occupies your time. Literally anything. So, although an occupation can certainly be your career, we as humans have a lot more going on than just our job! We all have different occupations: a travelling businessman’s occupations may include using a laptop, sending emails and driving, where as a school child’s occupations include play and socializing. Our occupations are completely individual and change throughout our lifetime.
An Occupational Therapist will learn about your unique roles, your habits and routines, interests, desires and beliefs, traditions, culture and spiritualities. These are the factors that make you, you! Therefore, when engaging in life, these are what guide you. There is no point trying to get someone to do something they don’t want to do and don’t find important or meaningful! Now if anything happens that limits or inhibits a person from performing any of their “meaningful occupations,” it is and Occupational Therapist’s job to step in.
Together, we consider all the factors and tailor treatment accordingly to make it meaningful and individualized to you. But basically, we provide therapeutic interventions to help people across the lifespan physically, emotionally and mentally to engage in their everyday occupations.
Occupational Therapists commonly treat, but are not limited to, individuals diagnosed with a stroke, autism spectrum disorder, spinal cord injury, depression, traumatic brain injuries, eating disorders, carpal tunnel syndrome, Parkinson’s disease, ADHD, and just about any other diagnosis, disability, disorder, syndrome or injury you can think of. BUT you do not have to have a disability, disorder or injury to benefit from what an Occupational Therapist has to offer.
And Occupational Therapist’s specialty is people. We have the skills and knowledge, supported by evidence and research, to help just about everyone perform any and all meaningful occupations to achieve their highest quality of life! So when you ask again, “So what is Occupational Therapy?”, think everything.