Becoming an occupational therapist is my passion and my long-term career goal. Since a young age I have been incredibly inspired and motivated to befriend and help disabled individuals. Having grown up with a disabled mother who benefited from the services of occupational therapy I had the opportunity to see first hand how the experience gave can give individuals like her fulfilling and productive lives. With both parents working as healthcare professionals, including my mother who is now an occupational therapist herself, I see every day how rewarding the field is. Through my life I have had unique personal, professional and educational experiences that have shaped me into a strong candidate for an advanced education in occupational therapy. …show more content…
I worked directly with patients diagnosed with various psychiatric illnesses in groups designed to assist in rehabilitation and teaching activities of daily living. In these groups I helped with a wide range of activities such as assisting the patients with stimulating crafts, and encouraging them to participate in exercises and games, and answered questions related to the activities. Continuing my volunteer experience with occupational therapists I worked at Encore, an assisted living and rehabilitation setting. Here I worked with geriatric clients with both neurological and orthopedic impairments. I also spent time volunteering at Therapeutic and Recreational Riding Center, Inc. working with an occupational therapist in facilitating Hippotherapy to incorporate equine movement into treatment. Here I worked with individuals of all ages, treating physical, mental and emotional disabilities, including autism, cerebral palsy, spina bifida, muscular dystrophy, post-traumatic brain injury, and cognitive disorders. These volunteer experiences showed me how diverse the field of occupational therapy is, and this is where I fell in love with the