Ot Personal Statement

My first exposure to occupational therapy came while I was working as an ABA (Applied Behavior Analysis) therapist with a young girl with apraxia. Her speech problems had been linked to a lack of core strength, and we were to begin implementing an exercise routine to increase her strength. To achieve this goal in an enjoyable yet effective way for the child, an occupational therapist was consulted and began teaching us methods that incorporated preferred play activities into her core strengthening program. Running this new program became the highlight of our sessions, for both me and her it seemed. The smiles and giggles had me enjoying my job on a greater level; it was not only entertaining for the child, but a delight for me to implement. It was then I became extremely intrigued about the OT profession, and decided to explore the options the field had to offer. Research and curiosity eventually landed me on various websites and talking to those in the field, gaining knowledge about the different types of therapies and types of needs targeted by occupational therapists. The part that struck me most after all my research: OT is about daily life. It is about the activities that occupy our time, the small obstacles most people tackle each day with ease, obliviously unaware of the magnitude of importance these tiniest of accomplishments can truly encompass. The little everyday challenges in life are often the ones most overlooked, but to those unable or learning to conquer these challenges, their importance is evident. To me, these daily obstacles seemed like the most essential to overcome, small successes that could greatly improve an individual’s quality of life.
Since my initial exposure to occupational therapy early in my career as a behavior therapist, I am fortunate to have been continuously exposed to and practice OT related principles on an almost daily basis. From sensory integration to motor skills to self-help skills, I have worked on implementing OT