I am concerned. Very concerned. Where are the occupational therapy philosophers? Where is Wood? Hooper? Peloquin? Reilly? Adolf Meyer? Where are the critical theorists, feminists, neo-pragmatists, instrumentalists, post-modernists, and meta-modernists? 

When did our signature journal become ONLY about science-driven empiricism? Where is the lyrical? Where is the ethos? Where is the art? Where is the philosophical? 

In this new age, in our contemporary reality, aren’t we hungry for meaning in our profession? Isn’t it time we evolved? But is the old way capable of leading us in a new day?

I believe in order for our beloved profession to survive we must become adaptive, creative, and entrepreneurial…and yes, philosophical. Or maybe we leave this work to the occupational scientists? No, I think,  even they are not enough of a workforce for the task. But I refuse to abandon occupational therapy to the domination of medicine. That isn’t what our founders intended.

And our philosophy is in need of an update…its emphasis on man-centered heroism and utility is overdue for an overhaul. What should the ethos and philosophy of our profession be? Will it recognize the sentience and cognition of animal beings and our inter-connected living planet (a la Fritoj Capra and the dynamical system we call the web of life)? Will it fundamentally assert the right of all people to have occupational justice and ameliorate occupational deprivation (A.A. Wilcock & C. Hocking)? Or will it just keep riffing on an occupational therapy practice framework as if this were enough to satisfy our understanding of what it is to be an occupational therapist? 

But wait, there’s more….this confusing complex stressed world needs what the new occupational therapist can give….

One example of a new kind of occupational therapy: Karen Jacobs #lifestylebydesign is leading the pack in designing a new frontier for occupational therapy. I take comfort in her beautiful photographs, quotes, and emphasis on a more meaningful way of living. Oh, you say…you can’t get paid just posting stuff on Facebook and Linked In (always the emphasis on filling and billing)? But I know I would pay to spend a weekend in retreat with her to learn how to design my beautiful occupation-filled life. 

In our past philosophy we have largely listened to privileged voices. However, we need more than ever, to have the contributions of new powerful authentic voices who can describe and amplify what occupation means when you are a community of color, indigenous, LGBTQ, disabled, or third world. In this ravaged, altered, climate crisis world….let us re-invent this profession to be the skillful tool it can be in healing our world through occupation.