Evolution of Occupational Therapy Practice: Life History of Janet Salzwedel

Objective. This life history is one of 29 life history interviews which are a part of a larger project, Life Histories of Individuals Who Have Been Influential in Developing Occupational Therapy (OT) in North Dakota and Wyoming. The purpose of this project is to gather information about the history and evolution of occupational therapy (OT) practice in North Dakota and Wyoming through life histories of individuals who have been influential in developing OT in these two states. Method. An in-depth interview was conducted with Janet Salzwedel in the comfort of her home. Categories and themes were synthesized from the interview to identify key turning points and trends that influenced her practice. Results. The predominant categories that represented Janet\u27s experience as an occupational therapist that were gathered through the interview were challenges, changes, clinical practice, and a good career. The findings indicate that Janet is a hard-working occupational therapist and has been able to overcome challenges within the profession to better serve clients. By collaborating with other health disciplines and using her therapeutic use of self, she has been able to help her clients recover and gain a greater quality of life