Creative practicality
Master’s student Mary Murphy explores creative approaches to occupational therapy.
Occupational therapists are routinely called upon to develop innovative methods to help individuals learn to manage their daily activities. Each client’s challenges are unique; therefore, the therapist’s methodology, type of support and measures of success are unique to the client.
This creative approach is what convinced Mary Murphy that she wanted to pursue her master’s degree in occupational therapy.
“ Occupational therapy enables individuals with a variety of health conditions to engage in the activities they desire most. I’m excited I can positively impact others through my profession. ”
Landing at Towson University was not an accident. Murphy did her research and was impressed that TU’s occupational therapy program was ranked 29th in the country.
Now fully invested in the occupational therapy program, Murphy appreciates the inspirational and highly skilled professors in the department who prepare emerging OT professionals. Murphy’s interests are in mental health and neurorehabilitation — interests fostered by TU’s faculty and their connections to external organizations that offer OT students opportunities to expand knowledge and practice. For example, Murphy completed fieldwork on traumatic brain injury at the University of Maryland Rehabilitation and Orthopedic Institute. Murphy says her professors have acted as the gateway to all of her pivotal OT experiences.
At TU, Murphy learned to use her creativity as a tool to produce interventions that increase client engagement and functioning. She notes that nearly any object or activity can be molded into a therapeutic tool, given the commitment and creative mindset of the therapist. Murphy is not short on either.
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