What is Occupational Therapy (OT)?
What do you think of when you hear Occupational Therapy (OT)?
Maybe you think of someone that helps you return to your job/ “occupation”
Or isn’t OT similar to Physical Therapy?
Both of these thoughts are sort of correct, but let me tell you what OT really is…
Occupational Therapy is a profession that helps people overcome their physical and psychological ailments through the use of everyday activities, called occupations (AOTA).
Even though a widely accepted definition of occupation is “the principal business of one’s life” (Merriam Webster, n.d.), the profession of OT is based on the other meaning of occupation, which is “an activity one engages in” (Merriam Webster, n.d.).
Still with me? Let’s keep diving into this!
OT has a rich history in using activity based interventions to help clients improve their quality of life (AOTA, n.d). Dating all the way back to Ancient Greece, a physician began prescribing activity as a way to treat mental health conditions (Gibson, n.d.). In the 1800s during a movement to reform mental health care to ensure humane treatment, ‘occupational workers’ were used to help patients in mental health institutions engage in self-care and leisure activities to help their well-being (Peiot Society, n.d.).
During World War I, the United States government called on ‘reconstruction aides’ to help soldiers who had both physical and psychological conditions recover from their injuries. Reconstruction aides not only used arts and crafts as a source of treatment, but also helped wounded soldiers relearn how to engage in their activities of daily living (dressing, grooming, bathing, etc.) (Moninger, 2023). It was recognized that when people engage in activities that are meaningful to them, it helped their recovery. Mary Reily, EdD, a champion of OT, stated it best, “Man, through the use of his hands, as they are energized by mind and will, can influence the state of his own health” (Clark, 2012).
Alas, in 1914, George Edward Barton created the title “occupational therapy, with the American Occupational Therapy Association being officially developed in 1917 (St. Kate’s, 2017). OT was gaining recognition as a beneficial health related treatment for individuals experiencing both physical and mental impairments.
OT is unique and with its activity based interventions, uses a holistic approach. When the client is viewed holistically, it includes their entire self (body, mind and spirit) and environment(s). OTs use a wide lens to assess what is all contributing to functioning and how to thoughtfully and meaningfully move forward toward their client’s goals.
OT includes interventions that are aimed at rehabilitating the aliment, learning new abilities and ways of doing tasks, and adapting to environmental elements to improve the clients engagement in occupations. OTs work with people across the lifespan and in a variety of settings. Some include: hospitals, schools, nursing homes, group homes, home health, and outpatient clinics.
OTs are able to work with people of all ages, as each person will have different occupations (activities) that are important to them based on their stage of development or personal preferences. Here are a few examples:
OTs can help babies engage in their environments by working on milestones like rolling or grasping a toy.
OTs can help toddlers with daily living skills such as engaging in dressing or feeding themselves.
OTs can help school aged children find optimal sensory processing regulation to help them learn at school.
OTs can help people after an illness or surgery to regain their independence with self care and mobility.
OTs can help an older adult make environmental adjustments at home to make sure they are safe when engaging in their household activities.
You do not need to have a disability or illness to benefit from OT, however most are referred to OT when an issue arises.
In summary, OTs are dynamic healthcare professionals that hold master’s or doctoral degrees with rigorous science-based backgrounds, who focus on what activities are most meaningful to their clients in order to make positive and long lasting change. The best OT sessions are often the ones where you don’t even realize therapy is happening, but rather you are so engaged in activity that your mind is lifted and your physical abilities are organically progressing.
What do you think of now when you hear Occupational Therapy?! Please reach out to us at The Therapy Collaborative if you have more questions on OT or are interested in scheduling a session with our clinicians.
References:
American Occupational Therapy Association. (2020, August 31). Occupational therapy practice framework: Domain and process-fourth edition. American Occupational Therapy Association. https://research.aota.org/ajot/article/74/Supplement_2/7412410010p1/8382/Occupational-Therapy-Practice-Framework-Domain-and
American Occupational Therapy Association. (n.d.). Aota.org. https://www.aota.org/about/what-is-ot
Clark, F. (2012). Mary Reilly, 1916-2012. USC Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy. https://chan.usc.edu/news/magazine/spring2012/mary-reilly-1916-2012#:~:text=In%20her%201961%20Eleanor%20Clarke,grew%20to%20become%20the%20most
Gibson, M. (n.d.). Occupational therapy - A history. Krysalis Consultancy - Neuro Occupational Therapy. https://www.krysalisconsultancy.co.uk/what-we-do/occupational-therapy-a-history
Merriam-Webster. (n.d.). Occupation definition & meaning. Merriam-Webster. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/occupation
Michel Moninger, C. (2023, May 13). A brief history of occupational therapy. myotspot.com. https://www.myotspot.com/history-of-occupational-therapy/
Peiot Society. History of the Occupational Therapy Profession - Prince Edward Island Occupational Therapy. (n.d.). https://www.peiot.org/society/society-history-of-ot
St. Kate’s (2017). The evolution of occupational therapy. St. Kate’s University OTA Program. https://otaonline.stkate.edu/blog/the-evolution-of-occupational-therapy-through-the-years/
