Why Occupational Therapy?

 

    "Occupational Therapy practitioners ask, "What matters to you?" not, "What's the matter with you?"  -Virginia Stoffel. This quote sums up my whole perspective on why I feel like Occupational Therapy is so important, and why it means the world to me to become a successful practitioner in this field. Occupational Therapy bases all care around the client and what their direct concerns are. In comparison to a MD, you could go into a doctor's office, express concerns about not feeling well and they might send you home saying, "Just a cold, give a few days". I never felt any compassion or empathy from those career paths. Occupational Therapist are active helpers - no matter how small or big the task of the client is. They are empathetic, intentional and creative - all of the qualities I strive to have not just in my future occupation, but as a human in my day-to-day life. 

    As stated in my welcome blog tab, my great-grand mother has always been the ultimate inspiration for myself in the field of Occupational Therapy. Click here to read more my story about her! She was the sweetest little lady, and I know how much my family appreciated that the OT helped her achieve what was important to her in her Occupational Therapy sessions (like applying her lipstick and putting on her jewelry everyday 😄). 

    One of the biggest takeaways I have had from my current Foundations class is that our approach will always be holistic. Holistic is a term meaning empathizing the whole person's mind, body and spirit. The holistic approach takes what the client deems as important and making that the center of how we will formulate interventions and treatment plans in order to get them back on track. I can appreciate this because it shows that Occupational Therapy is a safe place for all. It can cover such vast issues like mental health, learning disabilities, developmental issues, health problems, preventative care, adaptive learning, and much more. The scope of practice is not limited and that is why I chose Occupational Therapy and have such a large heart for this profession.