Question by Noa Bach: I have a question on being an occupational therapy assistant?
I was accepted into the occupational therapy program, someone recommended it to me because I am empathetic, compassionate, and always looking for ways to heal and lessen the suffering of others. I was wondering what I would be doing on a daily basis. Is the program hard? Also would I make a great salary to live very comfortably?

The other career I was thinking about is preschool teaching but many people in my family discourage me because they say the pay is low and occupational therapy is better since I have a counseling type persona and I can help people with their problems.

Best answer:

Answer by Simpson G
Do you understand what Occupational Therapy is? You aren’t licensed to or set up to counsel patients. While you do listen to their concerns and hear stories about their lives, you have to be very careful about getting overly personal with a patient.

I glanced through some of your past questions and it seems that you are a thoughtful person really searching to understand the human condition. Maybe you can look into a naturopathic counseling education. It will take more time, but it will enable you to work with similarly minded individuals to build strengths and overcome weaknesses. You can draw from philosophy, medicine (of all kinds), and psychology to help people that enjoy a more holistic approach to personal wellness.

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