Home2025-09-30T11:10:20-04:00

Occupational Therapy

A life-changing career for both OTPs and their patients.

Careers in OT are

InspirationalCreativeEmpoweringFunLimitless

Want to help people live their best lives? Occupational therapy (OT) is all about helping individuals—whether they have disabilities, injuries, or illnesses—gain independence and do the things that matter most to them. OT professionals use creative problem-solving, cool technology, and hands-on strategies to help people reach their goals. If you love making a difference, OT might be the career for you!
What is Occupational Therapy?2025-03-20T16:42:40-04:00

Occupational therapy is a healthcare profession that helps people do the everyday activities that matter most to them—like getting dressed, eating, playing sports, learning, or even using technology. OT professionals work with people of all ages to overcome challenges, regain independence, and participate fully in life!

Learn more about occupational therapy and its benefits.

How do I become an occupational therapy practitioner?2025-03-19T22:34:45-04:00

After finishing high school, you’ll go to college and study occupational therapy. Then, you’ll need to pass a national board certification exam to become a professional occupational therapy practitioner and start helping people in hospitals, schools, or other places where they need support.

Lean more about how to become an occupational therapy practitioner.

What schools offer programs in Occupational Therapy?2025-03-19T22:34:57-04:00

If you’re thinking about studying occupational therapy, there are plenty of schools that can help you get started. Many community colleges, universities, and colleges have programs for aspiring occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants. These programs vary, offering associate degrees, entry-level master’s programs, and even doctoral programs. Use our Occupational Therapy Programs directory to search and find OT and OTA programs in the United States that might be the right fit for you.

Are You Someone
Who Likes to…

Be Creative

Occupational therapy is like a puzzle-solving game! OTPs use creativity, imagination and problem-solving to help people reach their goals. They find clever ways to match abilities and preferences, making therapy fun and exciting while improving lives.

Help Others

In occupational therapy, you can truly make a difference. Help people overcome challenges, regain independence, and rediscover what matters to them. Whether it’s pursuing passions or daily activities, you’ll be there to empower and support them on their journey back to a fulfilling life.

Be Passionate

Being an occupational therapy professional is like having a remarkable superpower. Your passion fuels your desire to help, inspires personal growth, and influences those around you. Every day, you’ll experience the fulfillment and meaning that comes from making a positive impact on people’s lives.

Solve Problems

Occupational therapy professionals face diverse challenges and tricky situations. Quick thinking and creative problem-solving skills are vital. You become a problem-solving superhero, identifying individual needs, removing barriers, and crafting specialized plans. It’s like preparing a unique recipe that helps people achieve their goals.

 OT Could Be the Career for You!

OT is a Field That’s GROWING–

and much faster than other occupations

Occupational Therapists

Employment rates are projected to grow by 14% leading up to 2034.

0%

Occupational Therapy Assistants

Employment rates are projected to grow by 18% leading up to 2034.

0%

Source: U.S.Bureau of Labor Statistics, August 2025

There’s an OT Program for YOU!

There are currently more than 600 accredited occupational therapy study programs in the U.S. alone.

Need help applying to OT school?

Explore the World of OT

🎉 Day 20 of Occupational Therapy Month and the #ABCsofOT Challenge keeps going!

Today's letter is… T 👀

T is for:
✨ Team Collaboration
✨ Telehealth
✨ Trauma-Informed Care
✨ Traumatic Brain Injury
✨ Trunk Control

The Ts are TRULY AMAZING! 🙌💙

Occupational therapy practitioners never work alone. Team Collaboration is at the heart of everything They do, working alongside physicians, Teachers, caregivers, and families To deliver The best possible care. From delivering Telehealth services That bring OT directly into people's homes, To supporting Traumatic Brain Injury recovery Through Trauma-Informed Care, To building The Trunk Control That makes every other functional skill possible, occupational therapy practitioners show up wherever They are needed most.

Truly amazing does not even begin to cover it. 💙

Now it's your turn 👇 What's your favorite "T" word in OT? Drop it in the comments and let's keep This going!

#ABCsofOT #OccupationalTherapyMonth #WhyChooseOT #OccupationalTherapy
🎉 Day 19 of Occupational Therapy Month and the #ABCsofOT Challenge keeps going!

Today's letter is… S 👀

S is for:
✨ School-Based OT
✨ Self-Care
✨ Self-Regulation
✨ Sensory Processing
✨ Sensory Systems
✨ Sleep Hygiene
✨ Social Participation
✨ Strength-Based Practice

The Ss are SIMPLY THE BEST! 🙌💙

Occupational therapy Supports the whole person from the inside out. From helping children navigate Sensory Processing challenges So they can thrive in School-Based settings, to building Self-Regulation Skills that make everyday life more manageable, to addressing Sleep Hygiene So people can rest and recover; OT leaves no stone unturned. Strength-Based Practice means occupational therapy practitioners always Start with what a person can do and build from there. Self-Care and Social Participation are not luxuries. They are necessities and OT makes them possible.

Simply the best. That is OT. 💙

Now it's your turn 👇 What's your favorite "S" word in OT? Drop it in the comments and let's keep this going!

#ABCsofOT #OccupationalTherapyMonth #WhyChooseOT #OccupationalTherapy
Day 18 of the #ABCsofOT Challenge and today's letter is R.

R is for:
✨ Range of Motion
✨ Rehabilitation
✨ Reintegration
✨ Resilience
✨ Return to Work
✨ Role Exploration
✨ Routine Building

The Rs are remarkable and this list captures OT at its most transformative.

Rehabilitation is the frame most people use to understand OT and it is accurate as far as it goes. But OTPs' rehabilitation scope extends well beyond physical recovery. Cognitive rehabilitation, psychiatric rehabilitation, vocational rehabilitation, and community reintegration are all firmly within OTPs domain and each one requires a distinct and sophisticated clinical skill set.

Return to work is one of occupational therapy's most impactful and underrecognized contributions. OTPs conducting workplace assessments, functional capacity evaluations, and graduated return to work programs are addressing one of the most meaningful occupational goals a person can have. Work is identity. Work is financial independence. Work is participation. OTPs who restore it change lives in ways that extend far beyond the clinic.

Routine building is a clinical intervention that looks deceptively simple and is anything but. For people recovering from mental illness, Traumatic Brain Injury, stroke, or chronic illness, the structure of a daily routine is often the first thing to collapse and the last thing to be restored. OTPs who work systematically on routine building are addressing the scaffolding that holds everything else together.

Role exploration helps patients answer one of the hardest questions recovery raises: who am I now? OTPs who address occupational roles are helping people rebuild identity alongside function.

👇 What "R" word defines your OT practice? Drop it below.

#ABCsofOT #OccupationalTherapyMonth #WhyChooseOT #OccupationalTherapy #OTLife
🎉 Day 17 of Occupational Therapy Month and the #ABCsofOT Challenge keeps going!

Today's letter is… Q 👀

Q is for:
✨ Quality of Life
✨ Quadriplegia Support
✨ Questions

The Qs are QUALITY! 🙌💙

At the heart of every OT session is one Question: what does a good life look like for this person? Quality of Life is not just a goal in occupational therapy. It is the entire point. From supporting individuals with Quadriplegia in regaining independence and engagement in daily life, to asking the right Questions that uncover what truly matters to each patient, OT never stops working toward a better Quality of Life for everyone it serves.

Now it's your turn 👇 What's your favorite "Q" word in OT? Drop it in the comments and let's keep the Quality going!

#ABCsofOT #OccupationalTherapyMonth #WhyChooseOT #OccupationalTherapy
🎉 Day 20 of Occupational Therapy Month and the #ABCsofOT Challenge keeps going!

Today's letter is… T 👀

T is for:
✨ Team Collaboration
✨ Telehealth
✨ Trauma-Informed Care
✨ Traumatic Brain Injury
✨ Trunk Control

The Ts are TRULY AMAZING! 🙌💙

Occupational therapy practitioners never work alone. Team Collaboration is at the heart of everything They do, working alongside physicians, Teachers, caregivers, and families To deliver The best possible care. From delivering Telehealth services That bring OT directly into people's homes, To supporting Traumatic Brain Injury recovery Through Trauma-Informed Care, To building The Trunk Control That makes every other functional skill possible, occupational therapy practitioners show up wherever They are needed most.

Truly amazing does not even begin to cover it. 💙

Now it's your turn 👇 What's your favorite "T" word in OT? Drop it in the comments and let's keep This going!

#ABCsofOT #OccupationalTherapyMonth #WhyChooseOT #OccupationalTherapy
🎉 Day 19 of Occupational Therapy Month and the #ABCsofOT Challenge keeps going!

Today's letter is… S 👀

S is for:
✨ School-Based OT
✨ Self-Care
✨ Self-Regulation
✨ Sensory Processing
✨ Sensory Systems
✨ Sleep Hygiene
✨ Social Participation
✨ Strength-Based Practice

The Ss are SIMPLY THE BEST! 🙌💙

Occupational therapy Supports the whole person from the inside out. From helping children navigate Sensory Processing challenges So they can thrive in School-Based settings, to building Self-Regulation Skills that make everyday life more manageable, to addressing Sleep Hygiene So people can rest and recover; OT leaves no stone unturned. Strength-Based Practice means occupational therapy practitioners always Start with what a person can do and build from there. Self-Care and Social Participation are not luxuries. They are necessities and OT makes them possible.

Simply the best. That is OT. 💙

Now it's your turn 👇 What's your favorite "S" word in OT? Drop it in the comments and let's keep this going!

#ABCsofOT #OccupationalTherapyMonth #WhyChooseOT #OccupationalTherapy
Day 18 of the #ABCsofOT Challenge and today's letter is R.

R is for:
✨ Range of Motion
✨ Rehabilitation
✨ Reintegration
✨ Resilience
✨ Return to Work
✨ Role Exploration
✨ Routine Building

The Rs are remarkable and this list captures OT at its most transformative.

Rehabilitation is the frame most people use to understand OT and it is accurate as far as it goes. But OTPs' rehabilitation scope extends well beyond physical recovery. Cognitive rehabilitation, psychiatric rehabilitation, vocational rehabilitation, and community reintegration are all firmly within OTPs domain and each one requires a distinct and sophisticated clinical skill set.

Return to work is one of occupational therapy's most impactful and underrecognized contributions. OTPs conducting workplace assessments, functional capacity evaluations, and graduated return to work programs are addressing one of the most meaningful occupational goals a person can have. Work is identity. Work is financial independence. Work is participation. OTPs who restore it change lives in ways that extend far beyond the clinic.

Routine building is a clinical intervention that looks deceptively simple and is anything but. For people recovering from mental illness, Traumatic Brain Injury, stroke, or chronic illness, the structure of a daily routine is often the first thing to collapse and the last thing to be restored. OTPs who work systematically on routine building are addressing the scaffolding that holds everything else together.

Role exploration helps patients answer one of the hardest questions recovery raises: who am I now? OTPs who address occupational roles are helping people rebuild identity alongside function.

👇 What "R" word defines your OT practice? Drop it below.

#ABCsofOT #OccupationalTherapyMonth #WhyChooseOT #OccupationalTherapy #OTLife
🎉 Day 17 of Occupational Therapy Month and the #ABCsofOT Challenge keeps going!

Today's letter is… Q 👀

Q is for:
✨ Quality of Life
✨ Quadriplegia Support
✨ Questions

The Qs are QUALITY! 🙌💙

At the heart of every OT session is one Question: what does a good life look like for this person? Quality of Life is not just a goal in occupational therapy. It is the entire point. From supporting individuals with Quadriplegia in regaining independence and engagement in daily life, to asking the right Questions that uncover what truly matters to each patient, OT never stops working toward a better Quality of Life for everyone it serves.

Now it's your turn 👇 What's your favorite "Q" word in OT? Drop it in the comments and let's keep the Quality going!

#ABCsofOT #OccupationalTherapyMonth #WhyChooseOT #OccupationalTherapy

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