As an autistic person, my divergent approach to life is my greatest strength. As someone trained in Occupational Therapy, I have developed a contextually cognizant understanding of human occupation, and an appreciation for the role it plays in identity, community, and individual life course. I consider the instrumental nature of life and occupation to possess an inherent level of artistry and mastery. For this reason, I operate best when I am inspired, preferring to learn and teach expressively by exploring, doing, and storytelling.

 

Although my approach to practice is inherently occupation based and individualized, the term Occupational Therapist does not strongly resonate with me, at least not in the traditional sense. “Narrative shifter” would be much closer to the mark, because it describes my role (as a therapist) influencing/facilitating the narratives of the individuals I work with, and my broader aspirations to shift the narrative surrounding disability and neurodiversity. A skeptic by nature, I believe in the importance of questioning the ways things have always been done and pursuing social justice by challenging the ableist assumptions embedded within society and the profession of Occupational Therapy.

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