Philosophy Statement Human beings have inherent worth and must be treated with dignity and respect. Individuals have the capacity to adapt to a broad variety of contexts and challenges, that may take physical, intellectual, social, emotional, and economic forms. At the same time, people strive to attribute meaning to the events, roles, and occupations that shape their lives. Learning and adaptation is encouraged by creating reasonable challenges that incorporate and are sensitive to the effects that contexts and meanings have upon an individual. While illness and health are uniquely interpreted by each individual, each also has external objective markers.
Wellness is subjective and distinctively individual.
A person may be severely ill yet able to experience a high level of wellness. With many clients, occupational therapy contributes toward health but for all clients it has at its core the commitment toward wellness. Health and wellness can be enhanced through individual or environmental adaptation. Society as a whole has the obligation to protect its members from environmental, social, political and economic impediments to health. Concurrently, individuals should actively participate in their own health and advocate for services as they are able.