Toward a Balance of Work and Play

Abstract

When the occupational therapist meets the patient or client consumer of rehabilitation services, a therapeutic relationship is begun between persons who may have varying developmental backgrounds, value perspectives, social and physical environmental experiences, cultural ties, and lifestyle patterns. In order to develop significant evaluation and treatment strategies appropriate to the personal context of the consumer's life experience, it is the responslbility of the therapist to develop an understanding of the consumer's perspective. The following discussion describes a qualitative research project designed to explore the relationships of work, play, balance, and health in the life continuum of a 38-year-old woman who'suffered severe trauma at the age of 17 and regained control of her life through the development of a pattern of personal responsibility for her health. The study is discussed with regard to project procedures using tape-recorded interviews, outcomes, and applications to academic and clinical education.