Living Life Worthy of the Calling

As an occupational therapist its important to make connections with your clients to have a better understanding of what they are going through. You can do so by establishing a therapeutic relationship.  A therapeutic relationship is the interaction between the therapist and the client. Building a sense of trust between you and the client is what I see as most important. I believe I will succeed at this by letting them know that I truly care about them and their well being. I will do this by not only my words but my actions. Showing empathy by putting my self in their shoes will give me a better understanding of what they are going through and allow me to connect with them and gain their trust.

 It makes me sad to think about how individuals with disabilities were treated in the 20 th century. America has made significant improvements over the years but my main take away from the presentation today was that there are still improvements to be made. As professionals in the health field we need to continue advocating and educating those in our communities.  During Era Presentations, we saw just a snap shot of the progress that has been made for individuals with disabilities like the rehabilitation movement. Throughout the presentation from today’s session we got a deeper understanding of what individuals with disabilities went through. They were dehumanized and isolated from society. Having the background from era presentations and events that went on during different times gave me a better understanding today when looking at the timeline for the history of disabilities.  As an OT practioner I will see individuals beyond their disabilities. I will do so by understanding tha