Being a feral occupational therapist

Abstract

This case study explores the background and practice of a feral occupational therapist working in community mental health. The concept of feral occupational therapist is explained and the socio-economic and political climate of feral practice is described and considered. The practice began when unmet occupational and mental health needs in the community were identified and the opportunity for slow rehabilitation was found possible. The feral occupational therapist role, which is outside the restrictions of targets and time limits set by others, allows creativity in thinking drawn from the deep philosophy of occupational therapy, perhaps in some ways now lost in contemporary, mainstream practice.