September 19, 2026
Occupational Therapy & Pediatrics
Dr. Janet S. Gunter, OTD, OTR/L
When “Impossible” Becomes Possible
A closer look at Occupational Therapy with Dr. Janet Gunter
When we hear “occupation,” we might think of a job.
But in Occupational Therapy, an occupation is much bigger than that.
It includes the everyday things we do—eating, getting dressed, going to school, playing, taking care of ourselves, and participating in daily life.
OT helps people do these things as independently as possible.
It’s Not Just About the Diagnosis
An OT doesn’t simply ask:
“What is the diagnosis?”
The bigger question is:
“What does this person want or need to do?”
Two people with the same diagnosis may have completely different challenges.
That’s why OTs look at the person, the activity, and the environment together.
When One Way Doesn’t Work… Find Another Way.
This is where problem-solving comes in.
If someone cannot complete an activity in the usual way, an OT can look at:
-
Changing the activity
-
Adapting a tool
-
Modifying the environment
-
Finding a completely different way to accomplish the task
The goal isn’t to make everyone do something the same way.
The goal is to find a way that works for that person.
Independence Matters
One of the most important ideas in OT is independence.
It’s not always about doing something for someone.
Sometimes, the real success is helping someone discover:
“I can do this myself.”
Even a small change can make a big difference in someone’s ability to participate in everyday life.
Occupational Therapy brings together many different skills:
Science.
Problem-solving.
Creativity.
Communication.
Empathy.
OTs work not only with individuals, but also with families, caregivers, teachers, and other professionals to find practical solutions.
OT = Problem-Solving + People
One of the most encouraging parts of the session was the reminder that you don’t have to have your entire career figured out right now.
Dr. Gunter shared that she didn’t originally know about Occupational Therapy when she was in college. She was considering other careers before discovering OT and realizing it was the right field for her.
Sometimes, finding your career starts with simply discovering a field you didn’t even know existed.
And What About Your Future?
Occupational Therapy is not simply about treating a condition.
It is about helping people participate in everyday life, become more independent, and find ways to do the things that matter to them.
And maybe the most important question from this session is:
BIOIMPACT TAKEAWAY
“If one way doesn’t work, what other way might?”
Dr. Janet S. Gunter
"People are shaped by what they have done, by their patterns of daily occupation.
Thus a person's history of occupation, to some extent,
shapes what he or she [or they] will become in the future"
Zemke & Clark, 1996, p. vii
