National Occupational Therapy Month: October

It is said that when we love what we do it is not work. Well, I love what I do so I guess I don’t work!

Seriously, I think that my chosen profession, occupational therapy, is the best. While I respect all professions and I believe we all contribute to society, I must say that occupational therapy is unique. Occupational therapy makes the everyday possible for people of all ages with varied challenges. We consider the whole person – physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual – and we consider people at home, at school, at work, in the community etc.

Occupational therapists look through a problem solving lens so that each person can work toward their goals, be more independent, and lead more meaningful and fulfilled lives. We don’t focus on limitations or barriers. Instead, we consider limitations and barriers and how to overcome them to help our clients realize their potential. We believe in the value of ‘meaningful occupation’ as therapy and part of daily fulfillment and quality of life.

I love occupational therapy and the wide net this profession casts within society. This includes the people we help (from newborns to seniors), the medical conditions we see (e.g., development delay, stroke, burns, amputation, pain, cancer, concussion, depression, anxiety, ADD), and the settings in which we work (e.g., hospital, school, government, private practice).

While occupational therapy does an amazing job helping people and being a forerunner in independent living, the profession needs to continue working on promoting its value. I believe it is still a best kept secret within healthcare and within society as a whole. This needs to change so that more people can be helped. That is why it is so important to promote this incredible profession during National Occupational Therapy Month. However, the discussions need to continue beyond October so that this profession is given the recognition it deserves so that more people benefit from our services.

Let’s spread the word together!