Occupational Therapy Philosophy

* - occupational Therapy Integrating Art and Science * - * - What is occupational therapy? How does virtuoso define the profession and validate its worth in the medical field? Since its conception as an established health care profession, occupational therapys philosophical system has been defined, redefined, and refined.In their writings esteemed Occupational Therapists Mary Reilly and Susan Peloquin offer their own critical and re viewary ideas of occupational therapys worth, the basic need it fulfills, and its service to the healthcare profession. Both women inquire their peers to refine what is erraticly inherent about occupational therapy and by doing so validate the professions plowshare in serving the needs of domain (Reilly, 1963 Peloquin,2002). * -In her 1962 Eleanor Clarke Slagle address entitled, Occupational Therapy Can Be One Of The Great Ideas of 20th Century Medicine Mary Reilly (1962) challenges her fellow colleagues to critically define Occupational Therapys val ue within the medical field. She initiates this critique by first asking the provocative question, Is Occupational Therapy a sufficiently vital and unique service for care for to support and society to reward (Reilly,1962, p. 3)?Reilly suggests it is precisely these critical questions and line of discourse that we as practitioners need to be embracing to maintain our unique and vital contribution to the healthcare realm. * - Drawing inspiration from Occupational therapys earliest pecks Suzanne M. Peloquin also seeks to engage her audience by asking to consider and reflect upon a diametric but equally important component that shams occupational therapy unique and vital to the health of man.Quoting Ora Ruggles,an early contributor to the field of occupational therapy, Peloquin writes, It is not enough to select a patient something to do with his hands. You moldiness reach for the heart as well as the hands. Its the heart that really does the healing (Peloquin,2002). Through the handling of visual imagery and storytelling Peloquin calls our attention to the professions earliest founders and their visionary beliefs. Peloquin eloquently re chiefs us of the healing power of the heart and the vital aspect of pity that is inherent and necessary in our profession. - Furthermore, Peloquin maintains that when we undertake an integrative approach employing both competency and caring in healing we solidify our value as a profession (Peloquin 2012). She demonstrates this when she writes, Three constructs deeply rooted in our professions culture and integral to its central character are well-presented in the early vision integration, occupation, and caring(Peloquin,1962,p. 525).In contrast, Reilly engages her audience by putting forth a mandate that charges the practitioners of occupational therapy to validate the profession by inviting and seeking critical appraisal. When a master key organization as a whole accepts criticism as the dominating mode of thought, then indeed, theorizing flourishes and the intellectual standard atmosphere of their gatherings, is characterized by sweeping controversies. In this atmosphere of controversy, progress becomes somewhat assured (Reilly, 1962, p. 3). * -In addition to engaging in critical debate Reilly believes that in order to establish credibility and worth, Occupational Therapy must separate out to identify and define the vital need of man which we serve and the manner in which we serve it(Reilly p. 3). In this academic and investigative tone, Reilly delivers her lecture in a clear and orderly fashion. Her writing is concise and articulate as she methodically introduces an hypothesis in which postulates That man, through the use of his hands, as they are energized by mind and will, can influence the state of his own health (Reilly,1962,p. ). She formulates this theory and tests it by drawing upon a multi-discipline approach to research (Reilly, 1962). She charges her colleagues with the mandate to de fine mans basic need for occupation in a scientific researchable manner and atmosphere. It is not enough to draw upon quintuple disciplines such as the social sciences, biology, and neurophysiology, Reilly suggests we must also observe the anthropological , social, and biological study of occupation through phylogenetic and ontogenetic lenses Reilly,1962,p. 10) . Through this study of occupation and the therapeutic meaning of fake Reilly defines a unique aspect of occupational therapy the profound understanding of the nature of work (Reilly,1962,p. 9). Her thesis in this thought provoking address, her take home message, is so powerful that Peloquin describes Reillys hypothesis of human occupation as one of the professions best visionary statements(Peloquin,1962,p. 518). * -In contrast to Mary Reillys urging to attain a scientific understanding of mans basic need for occupation, Peloquins reminiscent recalling of early visions of occupational therapys goals and unique attributes hi ghlights the profession philosophy of important and purposeful work in a client-centered modality of care. Incorporating the art of caring in our treatment paired with the extensive wealth of knowledge gleaned across multiple disciplines enables us as practitioners to guide the patient toward the occupation of living or as Peloquin puts it allow us to see individuals occupying their lives and living well (Peloquin,2002,p. 24). * - Reilly also potently embraces an integrated approach and outlines the importance of maintaining a individual or client-centered approach when assigning treatment. Her abhorrence of formulaic activity groups prescribed as therapy used in psychiatric settings in the 1960s is detailed best when she writes, activity programs so designed, tend to depersonalize,institutionalize and, in general, debase human nature (Reilly,1962,p. 12). * -In their vastly varied writings, different in style, in delivery and different in focus, these women have a common concern, passion, and desire for the preservation of occupational therapy. Mary Reilly aims to mark the profession as vital by focusing our attention to the distinctive quality that occupational therapy holds the unique speciality of defining the value ofwork to man. (Reilly, 1962). It is this concept and the critical plight from which great ideas such as this stems, are necessary in ensuring a professional organizations existence in these dynamic and emanding times. Suzanne Peloquin also believes that occupational therapys attributes are unique and standout from others in the healthcare field. The uniqueness that Peloquin refers to and asks her readers to preserve and incorporate in our practice is the founding members early vision of caring and empathy. She writes, To see hearts engaged is to see personal actualization, an occupational link with identity, a making of meaning.The depiction transcends more limited visions of activity or productivity and allow us to see individuals occupyin g their lives(Peloquin,1962,p524). * - In an attempt to integrate Peloquins vision and Reillys hypothesis I refer to Peloquins remark, Occupational therapy is not about balancing at some midpoint between two dimensions of practice, with either heart or hands getting about half of a practitioners attention it is about reaching for both (Peloquin,1962,p. 522).Reilly collaborates this sentiment writing, And more than all this, it implies that man, through the use of his hands, can creatively deploy his thinking, feelings and purpose to make himself at home in the world and to make the world his home (Reilly,1962,p. 2). It is precisely this distinctive blending of visionary statements and scientific exploration that lends occupational its unique * - vitality and credibility. Leaders in the field such as Peloquin, and Reilly inspire, shape and preserve the richness and dignity of the important dynamic nature of our field.