The Connecticut 职业治疗 Association defines occupational therapy (OT) as a scientific, evidence-based “skilled treatment that helps individuals achieve independence in all facets of their lives.” 虽然职业治疗主要被认为是一种涉及身体接触的职业，但创造性职业领域在身心联系方面有着强大的根基，它起源于20世纪初的心理健康运动。

In 1916, 赫伯特J.霍尔，医学博士 described the methods of treatment for nervous disorders in his sanatorium as “handicrafts for the handicapped.” He once advised, “Idleness too long continued is as deadening to the spirit as it is disabling to the body.” And through his work cure theory, the medical doctor used arts and crafts to improve his patients’ self-esteem and employment potential (A在线旅行社, 2017).

战争创伤形成了一个新的工作领域

职业疗法是在第一次世界大战期间建立的，甚至在其早期阶段，就包括了心理健康倡议。 Towards the conclusion of the war, when so many American soldiers were coming home with panicked mindsets (a condition later coined “她ll shocked”), the United States War Department employed reconstruction aids (RA) to assist wounded and worrisome soldiers in their recovery.

这些准护士是在国内外军队医院服务的平民妇女，以帮助重建士兵在残疾之前所熟悉的生活现实。 职业治疗RAs教授手工艺和职业技能，以分散伤者的注意力，同时提高他们的生产力和士气。

指挥官们常常反对让妇女在军营里帮助痛苦的士兵前进。 When an army captain asked RA 奥拉Ruggles how 她 would help “wrecks [of soldiers] like these,” 她 brought to life the lessons of occupational therapy in her response. “Finding and teaching occupations will take their minds off of their misfortunes,” 她 replied. “It’s not enough to give a patient something to do with their hands, you must reach for the heart as well as the hands. It’s the heart that really does the healing” (A在线旅行社, 2017).

推动OT行业发展的先驱

同年，全国职业治疗促进协会成立。 Initiated with innovation, the society had six gender-equal members, three men and three women — unheard of at a time when American women did not yet have the right to vote.

Former architect 乔治·爱德华·巴顿 started the Society. After spending more than a year in a sanatorium, he opened the Consolation House in New York to rehabilitate himself and others. Barton’s secretary 伊莎贝尔牛顿 was another founding member.

The third founder was psychiatrist 威廉·拉什·丹顿博士, who embraced occupational therapy at the Sheppard and Enoch Pratt Hospital in Baltimore. He was known for intertwining occupational treatment with mental health techniques and was quoted as saying, “Sick minds, sick bodies, and sick souls may be healed through occupation” (A在线旅行社, 2017).

埃莉诺·克拉克·斯拉格， 约翰霍普金斯大学菲普斯精神病学诊所的职业治疗部门主任是另一位创始人。 在芝加哥，她建立了Henry B. Favill职业学校，这是第一所职业治疗师专业培训学校。 埃莉诺克拉克斯拉格讲师奖仍然是职业治疗的最高认可之一。

托马斯·b·基德纳她是加拿大军事医院委员会的职业秘书，在制定了一个职业计划，让卧床不起的士兵参与进来后，她也帮助创办了这个协会。

苏珊·考克斯·约翰逊 是协会的最后创始人。 约翰逊是曼哈顿的一名美术和手工艺教师，也是纽约州公共慈善机构职业委员会的主任。 She went on to teach occupational therapy at Columbia University and advocated for “using crafts to redirect thoughts, strengthen bodies, and regain confidence” (A在线旅行社, 2017).

重大的OT进步持续到今天

The National Society for Promotion of 职业治疗 changed its name in 1921 to the 美国职业治疗协会, Inc. (A在线旅行社). By 1933, A在线旅行社 was affiliated with the American Medical Association Council on medical education and hospitals.

Between 1939 - 1945, during WWII, when military hospitals acknowledged the need for assistance with soldiers who had psychiatric and orthopedic conditions, war efforts yet again expanded the profession. In 1944, the United States Army recognized occupational therapy and created specific training courses for 职业治疗助理 (在线旅行社).

When the 1963 Community Mental Health Act was signed by President Kennedy, occupational therapy services shifted from the hospital into the community. During this time, the service delivery philosophy for individuals changed from a medical model to a recovery one — reinforcing OT care as a long-term process with the ultimate goal of independence and full participation in community activities.

In 1967, during her acceptance of the distingui她d Eleanor Slagle Lectureship Award, occupational therapist Wilma “Willie” West reminded colleagues that, “职业治疗 is concerned not only with the individual physical abilities but also with his mental, emotional, social, and economic needs” (A在线旅行社, 2017). 

职业疗法为现代心理健康倡议让路

Present-day occupational therapy practitioners and 职业治疗助理 provide mental health treatment and prevention services across the lifespan with a primary focus on restoring a patient’s daily function and performance, independence, and ability to participate in valued activities and roles.

今天，心理健康领域仍在使用一些OT技能。 Such 培训及服务 include:

• 活动分析
• 行为健康
• 认知
• 沟通
• 评价
• 人类发展
• 独立生活管理
• 人际关系技巧
• 干预和确定需要改进的障碍
• 心理学
• 放松和恢复性睡眠管理，以及
• 社会学

Occupational therapists and 在线旅行社s provide mental health support to patients of all ages — teaching them everyday life skills. Mental health-focused occupational therapy professionals can work in 各种设置, such as acute and long-term care psychiatric facilities, employment programs, juvenile justice centers, military institutions, public and private schools, skilled nursing facilities, and more.

Occupational therapists and 在线旅行社s also train children with mental health difficulties about social competence — skills needed to get along with others, make and keep friends, cope with frustration and anger, and understand social etiquette.

此外，在线学习和在线学习可以帮助成年人提高注意力持续时间，提高内在动机、记忆力、解决问题能力和自尊。 该领域训练有素的专家还可以帮助患者建立健康的归属感。 那些被诊断患有精神健康障碍的朋友和家人同样可以通过学习护理人员的压力管理方法从OT指导中受益。

对于那些有感觉处理困难的人，比如自闭症谱系障碍，职业治疗师的目标是通过制造平静的感觉瓶和各种小的运动技能活动来减少感觉超载。

对于那些与抑郁、成瘾和康复等心理健康问题作斗争的人来说，职业疗法可以帮助患者重新定义自己的身份，并有目的地重组自己的生活。

Since the profession’s start with reconstruction aides assisting sanatorium patients and mentally shaken soldiers, occupational therapy professionals continue to help and heal those affected by mental health. Occupational therapy professionals actively promote patients’ participation in their recovery, collaboration within their communities, and encourage resiliency, hope, and a holistic lifestyle that sets them up to live a successful and satisfying life.

你对能改变他人日常生活的职业感兴趣吗？  Check out our 在线旅行社程序 today!

图片由美国职业治疗协会档案提供。

引用

美国职业治疗协会。 (2015). 职业治疗’s Role with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. A在线旅行社。org。

美国职业治疗协会。 (2016). 儿童和青年的心理健康. A在线旅行社。org。

美国职业治疗协会。 (2016b). 职业治疗’s Role with Mental Health Recovery. A在线旅行社。org。

A在线旅行社。 (n.d.). A在线旅行社认证的历史. A在线旅行社。org。 2021年5月7日检索自A在线旅行社。org。

A在线旅行社。 (2017, January 1). Celebrating A在线旅行社’s Centennial: A Historical Look at 100 Years of 职业治疗 [Video]. YouTube。

The American Occupational Association, Inc. (2013). 职业治疗’s Role in Community Mental Health. A在线旅行社。org。