If you have been reading my blog since the early days back in 2013 you will know I have always had a bit of a love for definitions. I often begin with one because definitions give me something solid to hold on to. They frame my thinking, they help me step back and ask “what do we actually mean by this,” and they give me a shared starting point with whoever is reading or listening. Over the years I have used many different definitions, not only in relation to occupational therapy but also to ideas about disability, inclusion, leadership, and activism. They have helped me understand where I stand, and how I want to practise and advocate.
So when the World Federation of Occupational Therapists updated their definition in July this year, I knew I had to take a closer look.
The Old World Federation of Occupational Therapists Definition (2012)
“Occupational therapy is a client-centred health profession concerned with promoting health and wellbeing through occupation. The primary goal of occupational therapy is to enable people to participate in the activities of everyday life. Occupational therapists achieve this outcome by working with people and communities to enhance their ability to engage in the occupations they want to, need to, or are expected to do, or by modifying the occupation or the environment to better support their occupational engagement.”
The New World Federation of Occupational Therapists Definition (2025)
“Occupational therapy promotes health and wellbeing by supporting participation in meaningful occupations that people want, need, or are expected to do.”
What Does the World Federation of Occupational Therapists Mean by Occupations?
One of the most common misunderstandings is that the word occupation means a job. In occupational therapy it means something far broader. The World Federation of Occupational Therapists defines it like this:
“In occupational therapy, occupations refer to the everyday activities that people do as individuals, in families and with communities to occupy time and bring meaning and purpose to life. Occupations include things people need to, want to and are expected to do.”
For me that breaks down like this:
- Need to do: shower, get dressed, manage my medication, and prepare food. (Although my husband would attest that cooking is an occupation I rarely do, and he is not wrong)
- Want to do: write blogs, spend time with my family, visit art galleries and comedy shows, watch crime dramas, and listen to podcasts. These are the occupations that feed my curiosity and give me joy.
- Expected to do: pay the bills and be on time for work. These are the responsibilities that come with everyday life and the roles I hold.
These are all occupations because they shape my days, bring meaning, and impact my wellbeing. Some are about survival, others about fulfilment, and some about responsibility. And together they are what occupational therapy is all about, enabling people to take part in the full spectrum of life.
Looking Back at Definitions
Thinking about the new World Federation of Occupational Therapists definition also made me reflect on how I use definitions more generally. They are never just technical statements to me, they are ways of capturing how ideas shift over time. Each new wording tells us something about the priorities of the moment, about what we want to emphasise, and about how we want others to understand us.
Elizabeth Casson never left us with a formal definition, but her vision of purposeful activity and meaningful engagement still shapes the profession. In the 1950s and 1960s definitions often highlighted work, play, and self-care, reflecting the post-war focus on rehabilitation and independence.
By the 1980s the American Occupational Therapy Association described occupational therapy as the “therapeutic use of work, self-care, and play activities to increase independent function, enhance development, and prevent disability,” showing the influence of the medical model and the drive to emphasise independence and adaptation.
The Royal College of Occupational Therapists adopted a formal definition in 2004:
“Occupational therapy enables people to achieve health, wellbeing and life satisfaction through participation in occupation.”
This was accompanied by their definition of occupation:
“Daily activities that reflect cultural values, provide structure to living and meaning to individuals; these activities meet human needs for self care, enjoyment and participation in society.”
The World Federation of Occupational Therapists 2012 definition added more detail about process and approach, emphasising client-centred practice, participation, and modifying occupations or environments when needed.
Now in 2025 we have the updated World Federation of Occupational Therapists definition:
“Occupational therapy promotes health and wellbeing by supporting participation in meaningful occupations that people want, need, or are expected to do.”
Seeing this evolution side by side I notice how we have shifted from definitions that were long, detailed, and process-driven, towards statements that are leaner, clearer, and more accessible. For me that feels like progress.
Cultural Lens: Not Just Western Definitions
It is also important to say that these are very Western ways of defining occupational therapy and occupation. They come from professional bodies in Europe and North America, and the language often reflects Western ideas about autonomy, choice, and independence.
Occupational therapy is practised across the globe in many different cultural contexts, and the meaning of occupation does not always translate neatly into those Western terms. In some cultures, community roles, interdependence, and shared identity may matter more than individual choice. Scholars have written about concepts like occupational consciousness, cultural humility, and ubuntu as ways of widening our lens. These remind us that connection and community are just as central to occupation as independence and autonomy.
This shows how hard it is to pin down a single definition of occupational therapy. What counts as occupation, what gives meaning, and what participation looks like will always depend on the cultural context.
My Reflections
I like the clarity of the new World Federation of Occupational Therapists definition. It gets to the point quickly and in plain language. But for me it misses something important. So often what occupational therapists actually work on are the barriers that stop people engaging in occupations. It is not just about supporting participation, it is about recognising and addressing why participation is limited in the first place. That could be inaccessible environments, attitudinal barriers, or the need for equipment and adaptation. Without that part named, the picture feels a little incomplete.
This is something I experience daily. My disabilities and my neurodiversity mean that some occupations take more planning, effort, or support than they might for others. Sometimes it is the physical barriers that make things difficult, like steps with no ramps or step free alternatives, or limited or no accessible parking which makes it hard to get in or out of a car without being able to fully open the door, or not having access to a toilet that meets my needs. More often though it is the social barriers, the attitudes that assume I cannot or should not be part of something, or a lack of understanding that my disability fluctuates. One day I might be able to walk to the car with crutches, the next this is not possible.
As a neurodivergent person I also come up against barriers that are less visible but just as real. A common one is the heavy use of acronyms in both spoken and written language. My dyslexic brain does not easily recall what these stand for, and in fast-moving conversations I am often left behind or made to feel stupid for asking. This is not a small thing, it directly affects my ability to participate fully, to contribute on an equal footing, and to feel included.
To take part I often have to adapt, use equipment, find different ways of doing things, or problem solve around systems that were not designed with me in mind. These are exactly the kinds of challenges occupational therapists work with people on every day.
What I notice most is also the move away from client-centred. Back when I started blogging I might not have questioned that phrasing. Now more than a decade on I find it refreshing that it is gone. Client has always felt transactional, and it does not sit well with how I want to practise. People feels more inclusive, more human, and more in tune with how the disabled community often prefers to be described. That change in language might look small on the page, but it reflects a bigger step towards inclusivity, and that matters to me.
The heart of the new World Federation of Occupational Therapists definition is meaningful occupations. That is what drew me into occupational therapy in the first place, and it is what has kept me here through years of practice and writing. It is about supporting people to take part in the everyday activities that give life purpose and identity, in whatever form that takes.
Meaningful means more than simply enjoyable. In occupational therapy it includes what people need to do, want to do, and are expected to do. A child might not want to brush their teeth, but the meaningfulness of this occupation lies in it being an expected social norm and in maintaining good oral hygiene. Meaning is about the value and importance an activity holds, whether that is for survival, fulfilment, responsibility, or belonging.
Looking Ahead
What I like about this new World Federation of Occupational Therapists definition is that it feels like it matches where the profession is now, clearer, more open, and more inclusive. It does not over explain, but it says enough to capture the essence of why we do what we do.
At the same time, I hope that future definitions might go further in naming the reality that participation is not always straightforward. For many people, myself included, it is often the barriers that need to be addressed before meaningful participation is possible. Whether those barriers are physical, social, or attitudinal, occupational therapists spend a great deal of their time supporting people to overcome them. Including that truth more explicitly would not only reflect practice more accurately, but also resonate strongly with those of us who live with these barriers every day.
Even after more than ten years of blogging, definitions still make me pause. They remind me that while words change, the heart of occupational therapy remains the same, enabling people to take part in what matters most to them.
References
American Occupational Therapy Association (2020) Occupational therapy practice framework: domain and process (4th ed.). Available at: https://dhhs.ne.gov/licensure/Credentialing%20Review%20Docs/CR-OTOccTherapyFrameworkDomProc4thEd.pdf (Accessed: 9 September 2025).
Kronenberg, F., Simó Algado, S. and Pollard, N. (eds.) (2005) Occupational therapy without borders: learning from the spirit of survivors. Edinburgh: Elsevier Churchill Livingstone.
Royal College of Occupational Therapists (2004) Professional standards for occupational therapy practice. London: RCOT. Available at: https://proceduresonline.com/trixcms/media/6394/professional-standards-for-occupational-therapy-practice.pdf (Accessed: 9 September 2025).
Whalley Hammell, K.R. (2020) Engagement in living: critical perspectives on occupation, rights, and wellbeing. Ottawa: CAOT Publications ACE.
World Federation of Occupational Therapists (2012) Definitions of occupational therapy. Available at: https://fabble.cc/uploads/attachment/content/14089/WFOT_Definitions_2017_updated_June_2017.pdf (Accessed: 9 September 2025).
World Federation of Occupational Therapists (2025) Definition of occupational therapy. Available at: https://wfot.org/about/about-occupational-therapy (Accessed: 9 September 2025).
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