OT Talk and the Language We Use

I am choosing to write my first blog post on the importance of "people/person-first language." Before I started this program, I was told by a practicing occupational therapist that I was shadowing to never say, "an autistic person." Instead, she told me to say, "a person with autism." She said that would get me good points in an interview or with faculty if I understood that you always say the person first, not the disease or disorder. I knew what she meant, but I didn't know there was a term, definition, and entire concept based around that one little phrase I would redirect myself to say. I also didn't put two and two together to realize that mindset and way of speaking referred to all other disabilities and/or disorders. For example, you would say "patient who has had a stroke," not "stroke patient."

Anyway, with each day that passes in OT school, I realize more and more about the profession and what makes it so great. One of those things that makes it so great is using person-first language and never describing a person by their disability. After all, they are a person, not a disability. One of the major foundations and pillars of occupational therapy is that it is client-centered. I can't imagine a client wishing to be referred to as anything other than their name or who or what they see themselves to be.

I think this knowledge of how to speak to clients is extremely important in terms of being an effective practitioner. I think one of the first things you'll do as a practicing clinician is build rapport with your clients. This can start with people-first language and it should never end. I think it is incredibly important to gain trust and build a relationship with your client. Disability referencing is not the way to do that.