29 Occupational Therapy Quotes!
Looking for occupational therapy quotes to share on social media, pin up in your office, or just refresh your OT spirit?
These OT quotes are for you.
As occupational therapists, we often have difficulty describing and defining our work. This is where quotes come in.
They give us the language to articulate what we intuit and build our practices on—like the essential value of daily activities or the necessity of engaging the heart as part of the healing process.
Enjoy!
(And feel free to share the images, whether for OT month or just everyday inspiration.)
Quotes from the Early Years of OT
I found these gems while conducting research for my post, “10 Amazing Moments in the History of OT.”
“It’s not enough to give a patient something to do with their hands. You must reach for the heart as well as the hands. It’s the heart that really does the healing.”
— Ora Ruggles, a pioneer in occupational therapy
“In your chosen field, a part of the noblest work of man—the care and relief of weak and suffering humanity—may you realize in increasing measure the value of certain spiritual things which are the making of life, but which we call by many common names. Kindness, humanity, decency, honor, good faith—to give these up under any circumstances would be a greater loss than any defeat, or even death itself.”
— Thomas Bessell Kidner, from a 1929 OT graduation speech
“Reverently and earnestly do I pledge my whole-hearted services in aiding those in my care.
To this end that my work for the sick may be successful, I will strive for greater knowledge, skill, and understanding in the discharge of my duties in whatsoever position I may find myself.
I solemnly declare I will hold and keep whatever I may learn of the lives of sick.
I acknowledge the dignity of the cure of disease and the safe-guarding of human health, in which no act is menial or inglorious.
I will walk in up-right faithfulness and obedience to those under whose guidance I am to work, and I ask for patience, kindliness and strength in the holy ministry to broken minds and bodies.”
— AOTA Pledge, adopted 1926
The Value of Daily Activities
From Laura Ingalls to Ana Tijoux (a French-Chilean hip-hop artist), assertions of the value of daily activities pop up across literature and art.
Here are some of my favorites:
“As the years pass, I am coming more and more to understand that it is the common, everyday blessings of our common everyday lives for which we should be particularly grateful. They are the things that fill our lives with comfort and our hearts with gladness—just the pure air to breathe and the strength to breathe it; just warmth and shelter and home folks; just plain food that gives us strength; the bright sunshine on a cold day; and a cool breeze when the day is warm.”
— Laura Ingalls Wilder, Writings to Young Women from Laura Ingalls Wilder
“I think we live in a world where the most important thing is daily life: sharing a space with your family, making meals, being with your people. It’s not only the idea of privacy, it’s the beauty of the moment, at a time in the world when everything goes really fast—too fast.”
— Ana Tijoux
“A man’s motive in the small actions of daily life, like resting a moment on his pitchfork in the sun and listening intently, may be the most important thing about that man.”
— Haniel Long
“It is neither wealth nor splendor; but tranquility and occupation which give you happiness.”
— Thomas Jefferson, Personal letter to his sister
This next quote from Joan Didion might need some context. It comes from her memoir about the sudden death of her husband and concurrent illness of her daughter. It is the best articulation I could find of a sentiment that I have encountered from both clients and friends—that daily tasks can serve as anchors in times of grieving and loss.
“I learned to find equal meaning in the repeated rituals of domestic life. Setting the table. Lighting the candles. Building the fire. Cooking. All those soufflés, all that crème caramel, all those daubes and albóndigas and gumbos. Clean sheets, stacks of clean towels, hurricane lamps for storms, enough water and food to see us through whatever geological event came our way. These fragments I have shored against my ruins, were the words that came to mind then. These fragments mattered to me. I believed in them. That I could find meaning in the intensely personal nature of life as a wife and mother did not seem inconsistent with finding meaning in the vast indifference of geology and the test shots.”
— Joan Didion, The Year of Magical Thinking
“Care asserts that as difficult and painful as life can be, it is worth something to be in the present, alive, and doing one’s daily bit.”
— Kathleen Norris, The Quotidian Mysteries
“How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives.”
— Annie Dillard, The Writing Life
Occupational Therapy Treatment
The Mary Reily quote below is the most famous one I could find from an occupational therapist. It is derived from the 1961 Eleanor Clarke Slagle Lecture, titled “Occupational Therapy Can Be One of The Great Ideas of 20th Century Medicine.” The title in itself is an inspiration.
“Man, through the use of his hands, as they are energized by mind and will, can influence the state of his own health.”
“Tell me and I forget.
Teach me and I remember.
Involve me and I learn.”— Chinese Proverb
“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”
— African Proverb
“You treat a disease: you win, you lose.
You treat a person, I guarantee you win—no matter what the outcome.”— Patch Adams
The Art of Being an Occupational Therapist
I tend to overanalyze the exact language I use in difficult situations. On a near-daily basis, I wish I had chosen my words differently. I came upon the Maya Angelou quote below back in college, and it helps me focus on making people feel cared for. The Eleanor Brownn quote reminds me to also take time to care for myself.
“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
— Maya Angelou
“Rest and self-care are so important. When you take time to replenish your spirit, it allows you to serve others from the overflow. You cannot serve from an empty vessel.”
— Eleanor Brownn
Making Progress
All three of these quotes emphasize the importance of breaking tasks down into small pieces—and then taking things one step at a time.
“The secret of getting ahead is getting started. The secret of getting started is breaking down complex overwhelming tasks into small manageable tasks, and then starting on the first one.”
— Mark Twain
“You need to be content with small steps. That’s all life is. Small steps that you take every day so when you look back down the road it all adds up and you know you covered some distance.”
— Katie Kacvinsky
“I long to accomplish a great and noble task; but it is my chief duty to accomplish small tasks as if they were great and noble.”
— Helen Keller
The Art of Play
Our training gives us a unique perspective into the holistic value of play across the lifespan. While play is usually associated with pediatric OT, I love seeing OTs advocate for play opportunities from infancy through old age.
“Watching a child makes it obvious that the development of his mind comes through his movements.”
— Maria Montessori
“You can discover more about a person in a hour of play than a year of conversation.”
— Plato
Quotes from our Instagram
We periodically share inspirational quotes on our Instagram account. Many of them come from the amazing OT experts we’ve interviewed on the OT Potential Podcast. Here are a few of my favorites.
“We don’t use nature for therapy. We co-facilitate therapy with nature.”
“As someone goes through the difficulty of cancer, remember (as an OT) you’re able to be a light and provide hope and comfort that will make a difference.”
“You are the detective of your own body and I’m just here to help you find the map.”
“The most important time with parents is when they’re present and actively participating in the session—not so much about what I’m doing, but what I’m teaching the parents and what they’re able to do with their child.”
“How are we (as OTs) decreasing barriers and increasing access?”
“In the future, I would love to see OTs in mental health help to design the systems, programs, and environments that support occupational health and well-being.”
“Artificial intelligence is the partner OT needs to shift healthcare towards prevention.”
“I know if I can change somebody’s heart, I can help change their head.”
—Dr. Victoria Wilburn, State Representative, Indiana House District 32
Contributors
Sarah Lyon
OTR/L
Sarah Lyon, OTR/L, is the CEO of OT Potential. Sarah earned her BA from St. Olaf College and her master’s degree in occupational therapy from New York University. Her diverse clinical background spans multiple settings, including critical access, acute trauma, and state inpatient psychiatric hospitals. In 2011, she founded OT Potential to fulfill the industry's need for reliable, high-quality occupational therapy resources and continuing education.
As a recognized content creator, Sarah has collaborated with top healthcare brands like VeryWell Health, WebPT, and MedBridge. She blends her clinical expertise with a talent for creating clear, action-oriented content that empowers practitioners to excel. Passionate about elevating the OT profession, she has been featured on numerous industry podcasts. Sarah ultimately returned to her roots, running OT Potential and raising her family in her hometown of Aurora, Nebraska.