Occupational Therapy Month!

Dr. Terri Cassidy, Fitness to Drive CEO and OT, reflects on the 2026 OT Month theme - Enriching lives through meaningful engagement.

“You must be really brave."

”I hear this almost every time I give a presentation on driver rehabilitation. It always makes me smile—but I don’t think bravery is what defines this work.

While there is always risk on the road, I do this work because it allows me to use my clinical skills and decision-making experience to help clients achieve one of their most meaningful goals: driving. It’s hard to think of a more impactful daily activity—one that opens the door to independence, connection, and opportunity.

For some, that means learning to drive for the first time. For others, it’s returning to driving after a pause. And for many, it’s navigating the transition from driver to passenger after a lifetime behind the wheel. In every case, we are practicing at the top of our occupational therapy license to enrich people’s lives. We also help older adults see that stepping away from driving can still lead to a full and socially connected life, with new forms of meaningful engagement.

In honor of Occupational Therapy Month, I want to recognize the broader community of occupational therapy practitioners. Occupational therapy is often underrecognized, and many practitioners rarely hear just how much their work matters. Yet every day, OTPs help clients build the foundational skills needed for independence—including the very skills that make driving possible.

To those working in schools, clinics, rehabilitation settings, and community practice—thank you for the impactful work you do. And to our clients—the truly brave ones in this story—thank you for your perseverance, your trust, and your resilience. You remind us every day why this work matters.