Occupational therapy is a health profession focused on promoting health and well-being through engagement in meaningful occupations (American Occupational Therapy Association [AOTA], 2014). Occupations are defined as the activities of everyday life in which we all participate.  The main goal of occupational therapy is to enable individuals to engage in daily activities that they need, want, or are expected to do.

These are activities that have meaning and value to the individual. Occupational therapists can support individuals in developing, improving, sustaining, or restoring a level of independence that is desired by the individual by using activities throughout the assessment and treatment process.

Occupational therapy relies on a philosophy and vision to guide the profession. The vision of occupational therapy is based on the belief that therapeutic occupations can improve illness and restore or preserve health. Occupational therapists are educated in the understanding of neurophysiology, including an understanding of areas of particular significance to psychosis such as cognition and executive functioning, alertness, sensory processing, sleep, and proprioception.

Although the ultimate goal of occupational therapy is to support an individual’s ability to engage in meaningful activities, the specific roles of therapists and the types of activities vary as a function of the developmental age and stage of the individual.