Client-centered & Evidence-Based Practice

In occupational therapy, client-centered and evidence-based practice are two important themes.

Client-Centered Practice

Occupational therapy is a client-centered practice that focuses on commitment to the individual person.  With this in mind, the therapist creates a specifically tailored intervention plan in collaboration with each and every client.  In order to be client-centered " practitioners must be willing to enter the client's world to create a relationship that encourages the other to enhance his or her life in ways that are most meaningful to that person"

(Crepeau, Cohn, Boyt-Schnell, 2009).  Practitioners must view their client as a person and must aim to understand them at a personal level, keeping their motivations, goals, and ideas in mind.

Evidence-Based Practice
Occupational therapy uses research to guide its practice. Research is essential in providing clients with the most up to date and effective intervention techniques available. Evidence-based practice "entails being able to integrate research evidence into the clinical-reasoning process to explain the rationale behind interventions and predict probable outcomes (Crepeau, Cohn, Boyt-Schnell, 2009, p 219).   After this research is obtain, OT's must be able to communicate findings to clients in a way in which they understand.