In every career field, there are certain personality traits and general interests that characterize the people who are successful in that area. The field of Occupational Therapy is no different. There are several defining psychological features that many OT’s have in common in order to be the best at what they do. Here is a brief overview of these characteristics.
A Great Occupational Therapist Will Be:
Patient
OT’s must be able to tolerate clients who might not progress quickly and have difficulty doing tasks we often take for granted, like picking up a pencil. If you have no tolerance and patience with slow learners, OT is probably not the best career choice.
Creativity
In order to meet every clients needs in a personalized and specific way, OT’s are always being called upon to be super creative. Even if you are not crafty, if you have the ability to creatively envision a grander functionality in a typical environment, OT may be right up your alley.
Fun-Loving
Okay, so this is not exactly at the top of this list, but it is a common characteristic of OT’s. Traditionally, they are a fun group. This may be partially due to their creativity and other endearing qualities, but it is a characteristic worth noting.
Servant’s Heart
OT’s pour into others’ lives and help them achieve goals no matter what it may require of them. This means that their duties at some point may include awkward topics like teaching a teenage girl with Down’s Syndrome how to use a tampon or helping a 70 year old incontinent man regain some independence. People who need Occupational Therapy the most are often in vulnerable positions and require OT’s with a servant’s heart. If the thought of this makes you want to run for the hills, perhaps you need to re-think OT as your career choice.
Love of Learning
This is not exactly a requirement for OT’s, but it does seem to be quite common. Since it is such a wide, dynamic and ever changing field, keeping up with the newest breakthroughs will be essential for delivering quality therapy to your clients. It is also not uncommon for OT’s to continually be enrolled for additional certifications. If you think school is so not cool, you might want to pass on OT as a career choice.
Problem Solvers
This characteristic in some ways goes along with creativity. OT’s are constantly called upon to assess situations in a short amount of time and formulate a quick answer while planning for long-term success. As you can imagine, these mental calisthenics require a heavy use of problem solving skills.
Organizers
Occupational Therapy requires you to handle paperwork, keep track of useful equipment, and you may only have a few minutes between sessions, so you must do so in a quick, efficient, and organized manner. OT’s are not all organizers by nature, but you must be able and willing to develop this skill if you do not already have it.
Plays Well With Others
OT’s have to work well with a ton of people, from little kids to older adults and every age group in between and their caregivers where applicable. You will encounter every personality type under the sun and serve in a variety of ways. If you are easily irritated by people, you may find this career more draining than rewarding.
Communicates Well
Not only do you have to interact with a host of different people, you need the ability to communicate efficiently on whatever level they may be capable of understanding. You must be able to communicate both verbally and in writing.
Self-Starter
OT’s often work without much supervision. Some even do home visits. This will require you to be highly motivated with a fantastic work ethic.
Empathy
In working with developmentally delayed, handicapped, injured, or impaired people, a high degree of empathy is required. In some ways, this quality is a pre-requisite characteristic of a servant’s heart. If you are not empathetic to people facing bigger challenges than most, you will not feel compelled to serve them.
Logical
While it may seem contradictory for OT’s to be both creative and logical, it’s not. Occupational Therapists must be logical in order to map out goals for their clients and a systematic method of achieving those goals. This requires logical sequencing of incrementally more difficult sub-goals.
As you can see, the OT profession requires a lot from it’s therapists. If this career is for you, though, you will know it. Personally, when I first saw it in action, I knew I was built to do this work. My mind and personality made me perfect for the job. If after reading this article you think OT might be a great career for you, why not find one to shadow for a day, or even just a few hours. Since most OT’s play well with others, most are more than willing to help you make this crucial career decision. And since they have also been where you now stand, they understand the importance of knowing what you are getting yourself into!
For more resources, check out The American Occupational Therapy Association site and I Want to be an Occupational Therapist! Both of these will be invaluable resources as you make your decision, plan your educational path, and become a professional in the field.
