ABSTRACT
This chapter introduces the concept of occupation, describes its complexity, and explains how the study of occupation became a science that emerged from occupational therapy practice. A brief history of how the use of occupation became known as an approach for healing and recovery in the early 20th century is presented. This is followed with a discussion of how the use of occupation personalizes intervention by bridging the detached and scientific aspects of health care to the everyday life of the individual. Other topics include what therapists should know about occupation, and how knowledge about occupation, if skillfully applied, can enhance occupational therapy practice. The chapter concludes with a brief overview of the topics to be presented in the chapters that follow.
