Using Occupational Therapy Theory in Practice

Competence in any profession depends upon an understanding of the theory that underlies it. This concise and practical text for students and practitioners bridges the gap between occupational therapy theory and clinical practice, offering highly practical advice on using theory in practice in a wide range of settings. It considers the nature of professional practice and the need for a sound theoretical basis from which to plan, implement and justify interventions, and investigates the practical use of occupational therapy theory and the issues such use raises in health and social care settings from a European perspective. Every occupational therapy student worldwide needs to know about the underlying theory of their profession and its application to practice. The book particularly debates the nature of the theory of occupational therapy via the introduction of the concept of models of the profession as an umbrella for practice, all of which is brought to life via case studies incorporating expert advice, reflection exercises and assessment and evaluation forms.

Table of Contents:
Contributor biographies v Foreword xi 1 Introduction 1 Gail Boniface and Alison Seymour Section 1: Theory 2 Reconfiguring professional thinking and conduct: a challenge for occupational therapists in practice 9 Della Fish and Gail Boniface 3 Defining occupational therapy theory 21 Gail Boniface 4 FromStrands to The Invisibles: from a technical to a moral mode of reflective practice 38 Della Fish 5 The use of self in occupational therapy 49 Alison Seymour Section 2: The Use of Theory in Practice: Some Practitioner Narratives 6 Developing the use of the Model of Human Occupation in a mental health service 63 Linda Keelan and Lisa John 7 Using Reed and Sanderson’s Model of Adaptation through Occupation: a journey 76 Karen Lewis and Sharon James 8 Using the Canadian Model of Occupational Performance to reconfigure an integrated occupational therapy service 91 Siˆan Waygood, Margot Mason, Heather Hurst, Tamsin Fedden and Caroline Phelps 9 Dealing with the barriers to change whilst implementing the Canadian Model of Occupational Performance 106 Jane Walker and Gillian Thistlewood 10 Developing occupational therapy theory in Poland 120 Ania Pietrzak and Magdalena Loska 11 Using occupational therapy theory in Croatia 128 Andreja Bartolac 12 Personal reflections on understanding and using the Model of Human Occupation in practice 141 Sarah Cook Section 3: Contemporary Discussions on the Use of Theory in Occupational Therapy Practice 13 Using occupational therapy theory within evidence-based practice 155 Carly Reagon 14 Occupational science and occupational therapy: a contemporary relationship 165 Jill Riley 15 Myths around using theory in occupational therapy practice 180 Alison Seymour, Gail Boniface and Louise Ingham Index 189 

About the Author :
Dr Gail Boniface is Senior Lecturer & Programme Manager at Cardiff University. She has been teaching theory since 1987. She developed student handouts and teaching material into short courses on models of occupational therapy. These courses included definitions of terms related to theory and were delivered across Wales and England. They were then turned into a module on the MSc in Cardiff University for qualified practitioners. She also delivered similar key note lectures and courses in Germany, Sweden, Croatia and Poland. In more recent years she has worked with Gloucestershire Primary Care Trust to instil theory and the use of a model in the occupational therapy service there. Alison Seymour is Lecturer & Admissions Tutor at Cardiff University and currently teaches the use of models on the postgraduate diploma in occupational therapy. Over a 19 year career in occupational therapy practice in mental health she has used the Activities Therapy Model, Model of Adaptation through Occupation and The Model of Human Occupation in a variety of community and hospital settings.

Review :
“Regardless of where you are on your career trajectory; whether you need a gentle introduction to theory as a student or a refresher course on models or occupational science as an experienced practitioner, this book will have something for you. It ensures that we can all reconnect with the concept of theory and how it should underpin our practice.”  (British Journal of Occupational Therapy, 1 February 2014) "Overall, this edited text provides relevant food for thought for all therapists and would challenge students to consider serious implementation issues." (Canadian Journal of Occupational Therapy, December 2012)