Existentialism in Occupational Therapy: Implications for Practice, Research, and Education

As the profession of occupational therapy enters a second century, its growth in an increasingly complex and globalized world requires an adaptive and diverse philosophical foundation. The existentialist school of thought offers a complementary focus, which enhances existing philosophical foundations of the profession and supports two major tenets: (1) humans as self-making beings always in the process of becoming and (2) emotions and feelings as foundations for being-in-the-world. This article explores these two themes both in the context of existentialism and occupational therapy, and then provides an examination of existentialist utility in occupational therapy practice, research, and education.