Before my first year of studying occupational therapy commenced, my knowledge of the field of study was limited. Through continuous exposure to different sources of knowledge and experience, my understanding has increased exponentially and I’ve experienced great growth and change. Though the learning experiences have been plentiful, there were two significant events that developed my understanding of the importance of occupation in OT. The first experience took place at Weskoppies Psychiatric Hospital on an independent visit. The second was a visit to Elma Park Nursery School, organised and conducted by Wits. These and other experiences were fundamental in my understanding of the role of occupation within OT Occupation refers to a goal directed pursuit that extends over time, has meaning and involves multiple tasks. It refers to the everyday activities that people spend their time on which brings purpose and meaning to their lives. Occupations consist of what people want to do, need to do or are expected to do. They are divided into performance areas. …show more content…
Before these experiences, my knowledge was limited to complex definitions and theories that I did not fully grasp. Through personal interaction and engagement, I have a deeper understanding of occupation and what it means and the role it plays in the field of Occupational Therapy. Not only did these experiences affect me individually These experiences were invaluable to me as an individual OT student – Not only do I have a deeper understanding of clients and their occupations, but my passion for occupational therapy was reborn after engaging with patients and children face-to-face. I am confident that these experiences will also impact my professional behaviour, now and in the future. These experiences have truly helped me grow, learn and develop and an Ot