According to the World Federation of Occupational Therapy, “occupational therapy is a profession concerned with promoting health and well being through engagement in occupation." Occupational therapy (also abbreviated as OT) is a holistic health care profession that aims to promote health by enabling individuals to perform meaningful and purposeful activities across the lifespan. Occupational therapists use treatments to develop, recover, or maintain the daily living and work skills of their patients with a physical, mental or developmental condition. Under the supervision of occupational therapists, occupational therapy assistants may contribute to the treatment process. Occupational therapy is a client-centered practice in which the client has an integral part in the therapeutic process. The occupational therapy process includes an individualized evaluation during which the client/family and occupational therapist determine the individual’s goals; a customized intervention to improve the person’s ability to perform daily activities and reach his/her goals; and an outcomes evaluation to monitor progression towards meeting the client’s goals. Occupational therapy interventions focus on adapting the environment, modifying the task, teaching the skill, and educating the client/family in order to increase participation in and performance of daily activities.

Die Ergotherapie (v. griechisch , altgriechische Aussprache érgon, „Werk“, „Arbeit“ und , griech. Aussprache therapeía, „Dienst“, „Behandlung“) ist ein medizinisches Heilmittel und wird bei gesundheitlich beeinträchtigten Menschen mit motorisch-funktionellen, sensomotorisch-perzeptiven, neuropsychologischen, neurophysiologischen oder psychosozialen Störungen vom Arzt verschrieben.

L'ergothérapie est une profession de santé évaluant et traitant les personnes au moyen d'activités significatives pour préserver et développer leur indépendance et leur autonomie dans leur environnement quotidien et social.

Arbetsterapi är den vetenskap som studerar människans aktivitetsförmåga vid skada, sjukdom eller annan funktionsnedsättning. Även friska människors aktivitetsförmåga kan sjunka och de kan uppleva en beteendeförändring eller brist på utveckling i sina aktiviteter. Arbetsterapi är därför en vetenskap där aktivitetsförmåga sätts i fokus men också ett sätt där man finner individers motivation och vilja.

Terapia zajęciowa (warsztaty terapii zajęciowej) najogólniej jest to usprawnianie psychiczne, fizyczne i preorientacja zawodowa (przezawodowienie lub przekwalifikowanie).