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What does an Occupational Therapist do?

Very simply, an Occupational Therapist helps people of all ages more fully participate in what they want and need to do using varied therapies. An Occupational Therapist (OT) is a health professional trained in neurology, anatomy, physiology, human development, kinesiology, orthopedics and psychology. OTR is a national certification obtained by passing an exam administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy. An OTR/L has passed the exam and has a License to practice Occupational Therapy.

Though the practice and benefits of Occupational Therapy were used since the early 1700’s, Occupational Therapy as a profession began in 1917 when the National Society for the Promotion of Occupational Therapy was founded. It was based on the founders belief that being able to perform useful and purposeful activities was in and of itself good for the individuals health and well being. This is now The American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc. (AOTA). Occupational Therapy has evolved greatly over the years. You will find Occupational Therapists working in a variety of settings across all age groups and types of disabilities. The primary focus for an Occupational Therapist is improving the quality of life of our patients. While there are a lot of similarities in some techniques used by occupational therapists and physical therapists, the physical therapist’s treatment concentrates on restoring and strengthening the large muscle groups that contribute to mobility, functional tasks such as reaching and standing, standing balance and physical activities. The Occupational Therapist will address a patients’ impairments and functional limitations with the purpose of increasing their capability to more fully complete activities of daily living. The scope of what an Occupational Therapist can help with is therefore more broad than that of a physical therapist.

To learn about the additional modalities or treatment techniques that Marilyn uses, read more about Ergonomics, Craniosacral Therapy, Rehabilitation and Acupressure. To Contact Marilyn, Click Here.