For me the road to occupational therapy has been long and winding. I learned of its existence when I was a child and feel like I have always known there was such a thing. I have a younger brother with a genetic disorder who received many therapies including OT. The most rewarding therapies for him were those that revolved around food and most specifically the pudding kind. Speech and occupational therapy were the ones that gave him the most independence and perhaps occupational more than speech. An OT taught him to use a spoon to get the chocolate good stuff from a container to his mouth. That one image of him smiling with chocolate pudding all over his mouth is etched in my brain for eternity.
Jump forward many years to 2010 and after working several years in construction, I was working with adults who have developmental disabilities and rediscovering the joy that even the smallest amount of independence can bring someone. I was looking for a degree that would make me money and most importantly be fulfilling. Some career that will make me feel like I am providing a meaningful service to the world and to the people in it. My wife, a speech language pathology grad student at the time, reminded me of how amazing OT is, and we began to look into what it would take for me to become one.
Since then it has been a wonderful ride. I have had disappointments, triumphs, and many many challenges. I have completed a bachelors degree, observed OTs across many settings, taken the GRE more times than I care to think about, applied for graduate school twice, and been accepted. I caught a small glimpse of occupational therapy when I was younger and continue to learn more and more about this field. I grow to love it more and more each day and look forward to discovering more and more about the world it provides its clients and practitioners.
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