I just got into the Master's of Occupational Therapy program at Virginia Commonwealth University, which starts in May. Congratulate me!
I am following in my parents' footsteps, who also have careers as occupational therapists. My mother does neurorehabilitation in a hospital outpatient setting, whereas my dad did home health in the community for a number of years. It seems to be a rewarding career that pays reasonably well, and has good hours and benefits. Most importantly, it should allow me the freedom to pursue some of the things I dream about - writing, for one.
What exactly is occupational therapy? You might well ask that - everyone does, sooner or later. Wikipedia, that venerated source of information, defines the career this way:
Occupational therapy is a discipline that aims to promote health by enabling people to perform meaningful and purposeful activities. Occupational therapists work with individuals who suffer from a mentally, physically, developmentally, and/or emotionally disabling condition by utilizing treatments that develop, recover, or maintain clients' activities of daily living. The therapist helps clients not only to improve their basic motor functions and reasoning abilities, but also to compensate for permanent loss of function. The goal of occupational therapy is to help clients have independent, productive, and satisfying lives.
I personally usually explain it this way: It's a lot like physical therapy, but it's more cognitive. If you have an accident, the physical therapist is going to help you with strength building, getting, out of bed, walking across the room. The occupational therapist will help you with turning the doorknob, cooking dinner, playing the piano again - basically, with getting those fine motor skills back.
Occupational therapy used to have a huge role in psychiatric hospitals, but ever since the deinstitutionalization (link: excellent PBS report) that took place during the 1950s and 1960s, the profession has become much more medical in nature. More recently, occupational therapists have been doing a lot of work with returning veterans.
Lynn Boulanger, an occupational therapy assistant and certified hand therapist, uses mirror therapy to help address phantom pain for Marine Cpl. Anthony McDaniel.
I'll finish the master's program in 2014 - who knows where I will end up after that, or where my interests will take me? Wish me luck!
Note: As ever, I am eternally grateful to Wikimedia Commons for providing free access to photos I can use on my blog.
I am following in my parents' footsteps, who also have careers as occupational therapists. My mother does neurorehabilitation in a hospital outpatient setting, whereas my dad did home health in the community for a number of years. It seems to be a rewarding career that pays reasonably well, and has good hours and benefits. Most importantly, it should allow me the freedom to pursue some of the things I dream about - writing, for one.
What exactly is occupational therapy? You might well ask that - everyone does, sooner or later. Wikipedia, that venerated source of information, defines the career this way:
Occupational therapy is a discipline that aims to promote health by enabling people to perform meaningful and purposeful activities. Occupational therapists work with individuals who suffer from a mentally, physically, developmentally, and/or emotionally disabling condition by utilizing treatments that develop, recover, or maintain clients' activities of daily living. The therapist helps clients not only to improve their basic motor functions and reasoning abilities, but also to compensate for permanent loss of function. The goal of occupational therapy is to help clients have independent, productive, and satisfying lives.
I personally usually explain it this way: It's a lot like physical therapy, but it's more cognitive. If you have an accident, the physical therapist is going to help you with strength building, getting, out of bed, walking across the room. The occupational therapist will help you with turning the doorknob, cooking dinner, playing the piano again - basically, with getting those fine motor skills back.
Occupational therapy used to have a huge role in psychiatric hospitals, but ever since the deinstitutionalization (link: excellent PBS report) that took place during the 1950s and 1960s, the profession has become much more medical in nature. More recently, occupational therapists have been doing a lot of work with returning veterans.
Lynn Boulanger, an occupational therapy assistant and certified hand therapist, uses mirror therapy to help address phantom pain for Marine Cpl. Anthony McDaniel.I'll finish the master's program in 2014 - who knows where I will end up after that, or where my interests will take me? Wish me luck!
Note: As ever, I am eternally grateful to Wikimedia Commons for providing free access to photos I can use on my blog.
