If Occupational Therapy Had a Theme Song (or Playlist)

Every profession has a vibe.

Occupational therapy has several.

If OT had a theme song or honestly, a full playlist, it would not be one genre, one tempo, or one mood. It would be layered, a little chaotic, surprisingly emotional, and incredibly purposeful.

Kind of like us.

For context, my musical taste is all over the place. I can go from Billy Joel to Eminem, from 60s girl groups to Broadway soundtracks, and then straight into Disney movies like Descendants or Zombies, 90’s pop princesses and 80’s hairbands depending on the day. My playlist shifts with my mood, my workload, and sometimes the phase of the moon. There is no single genre that defines it, which honestly feels very on brand for occupational therapy.

The Song That Still Defines OT for Me

When I was in OT school, my physical disabilities professor, Dr. Bonnie Napier, made a joke one day that stuck with me far longer than any exam content ever did.

She referenced the Kenny Rogers song The Gambler and said,
“You have to know when to hold them, know when to fold them, know when to walk away, and know when to run.”

She was talking about clinical reasoning.

Knowing when to push.
Knowing when to pause.
Knowing when to adapt.
Knowing when to stop.

At the time, we all laughed, but that line stayed with me.

Years later, when I have had fieldwork students of my own, I passed it along. I told them the same thing. OT is not about forcing progress. It is about judgment, timing, and reading the room.

The last few years, though, there has been a twist.

They did not know the song.

I would mention The Gambler and get blank stares. So I did what any seasoned OT would do and pulled up the video on YouTube, making it part of the lesson.

Not exactly in the syllabus, but very on brand for OT.

The “I Love My Job” OT Anthem

This is the song that plays on the drive to work when things are going well.
Your clients are progressing.
Your schedule feels manageable.
You remember why you chose this profession.

It is grounding. Empowering. Quietly confident.

The Documentation Playlist

This one is purely functional.

Steady background music to survive notes, billing rules, and chart reviews. It is not exciting, but it supports the task at hand. Very OT-approved.

The Problem-Solving Groove

This playlist shows up when Plan A fails.

When equipment does not fit.
When the home setup throws you a curveball.
When the referral only tells half the story.

This is where OT shines. Adjusting in real time. Making things work in the real world.

The “No One Really Understands What I Do” Track

This one is reflective.

It plays after explaining OT for the hundredth time.
After hearing, “So you help people exercise?”
After realizing how much of our work still goes unseen.

It is not frustration. It is quiet resilience.

The End-of-the-Day Decompression Song

This one matters.

It plays when you sit in your car at the end of the day and finally take a breath. When you release everyone else’s needs and come back to your own.

OTs give a lot. We have to know when to hold space and when to fold the day up and leave it at work.

Why This Still Matters

Music connects to routines, habits, emotions, and identity. The exact things occupational therapy is built on.

OT is not one song.
It is a playlist.
Different tempos.
Different moments.
Different decisions.

And sometimes, it is an old Kenny Rogers song reminding you that good clinical reasoning is about knowing when to push and knowing when to stop.

That lesson has aged better than most.

Happy OT Month.