OT Month Highlights Roots Of Occupational Therapy

Occupational Therapy Month is celebrated during the month of April. The University of Montana Occupational Therapy Doctorate Program celebrates OT month by sharing about occupational therapy and all the great that it does and celebrating our students and practitioners.

Occupational therapy as a field originated in the early 20th century as a response to the need for human treatment and rehabilitation of WWI veterans experiencing shell shock and physical injuries. OT's worked as reconstruction aides, utilizing crafts as an intervention to facilitate an engaging and effective treatment, accelerating the development of the profession. This fact is important because when practicing OT, it is essential to remember its roots in occupation and how this core philosophy is used to promote health and well-being to this day. OT is a holistic practice that is unique in its way of using occupations as means of intervention, which is highlighted in its early work during WWI. During the first semester of courses at the University of Montana OTD program, you will explore the Foundations of Occupational Therapy, beginning with detailed history of the profession's beginning with the work OT's did as reconstruction aides during WWI. The program applies this knowledge through experiential learning in every class, fostering creative thinking and innovative intervention planning that encompass the client as a whole while also keeping their meaningful occupations at the center of its holistic client care.