Occupational Outlook Handbook

Without occupational therapy, millions of people would struggle to live their everyday lives. Occupational therapists give specialized assistance to people with physical, developmental, social or emotional problems. This assistance is used to live productive and independent or semi independent lives. Occupational therapists can be used, and is effective for people of all ages. Many people have not heard of occupational therapy and are not aware of the positive impact it has on members of our…

author, Wendy Wood, wrote “The Heart, Mind, and Soul of Professionalism in Occupational Therapy” to help Occupational Therapist Practitioners to balance heart mind, and soul into the profession. From her own experiences, she has learned that if these three key elements are not included in practicing in Occupational Therapy it will not give the clients the desired outcomes. The intended audience for this article are Occupational Therapist Practitioners. Main Points The first main point that Wood…

Introduction Client-centered practice is one of the essential principles in occupational therapy (Townsend et al., 2007, as cited in Lal et al., 2012). Tichle-Degnen (2002) discusses the importance of gathering information on our client’s “preferences, personal goals, and valued occupations” (p. 471) to then build a positive rapport with the client. Photovoice combines a visual-based method (photos), critical reflection and group work to help promote a positive change/outcome (Lal et al., 2012).…

I have chosen occupational therapy to be my vocation because the human body never ceases to amaze me. Whether it may take a little encouragement or a reality check, the minute humans desire self-improvement miracles can happen. I find this aspect admirable especially among our elders, which is the reason I want to pursue occupational therapy in rehabilitation. During my volunteer hours, I witnessed a frail, elderly woman who went from denying any possibilities of improvement, to getting in her…

learning activity For this activity I read the AJOT article entitled Vestibular Impairment, Vestibular Rehabilitation, and Occupational Performance (2017). I enjoyed learning the role of occupational therapists and occupational therapist assistants when it comes to helping clients with vestibular impairments (VI). After reading the article, I can understand why occupational therapy practitioners would be helpful in this kind of rehabilitation. People with VI have severe balance issues and are…

Employment is an important part of adult life. Work occupations give structure and create routine. They teach and develop valuable life skills that directly and indirectly relate to a job. For example, an occupational therapist may be trained in range of motion (ROM) techniques, but in practice will work on his or her communication skills and critical thinking when explaining to a client what ROM is and how it helps them specifically. Work occupations can also facilitate social interaction and…

our lives. Not only have I learned about acceptance, optimism, patience, and compassion, but it has also inspired me to be the best person I can be, and that is why I chose to take the therapeutic path in a career. As I witnessed with my nephew, occupational therapists not only aid their patients with their physical and developmental functioning, they inspire significant feelings in their patients, focusing also on…

I want to become a therapist when I grow up. Why may you ask? Well, I love helping people when they’re going through tough times. Some of my closest friends are going through some tough things in life right now and they come to me to talk. They say that I’m a good listener and give good advice. I try my best to help them in any way possible. There are a lot of steps to get to that point of becoming a therapist but right now I only have 3 goals, a short-term, mid-term, and long-term goal. My…

applying to the Master’s in Occupational Therapy program for the fall of 2017. After earning my undergraduate degree in Recreational Therapy/Sports Management from Florida International University, I’ve worked for a substance abuse/behavioral health facility as a Certified Recreational Therapist for two years. Continuing my education is a priority and felt there was more for me to contribute within the health care community. I developed an interest in become an occupational therapist after…

I chose to do my job shadowing at a physical therapy office called Northern Therapy and Rehabilitation in Stillwater, OK. While I was there I closely observed the physical therapist and the therapy technicians. They did not let me do much more than watch. While I observed, I tried to ask the therapist important questions about school, her everyday schedule, obstacles she faced, and why she wanted to go into this field. Although I tried my best to get a feel for the occupation and get to know the…