Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists

Enabling Occupation Publications

Enabling Occupation II: Advancing an Occupational Therapy Vision for Health, Well-being & Justice through Occupation
Enabling Occupation: An Occupational Therapy Perspective
Enabling Occupation: A Learner-Centred Workbook
Spirituality in Enabling Occupation: A Learner-Centred Workbook
Enabling II and CMOP & OPPM Figures cd


Enabling Occupation II: Advancing an Occupational Therapy Vision for Health, Well-being & Justice through Occupation

This publication is the latest guidelines for the client-centred practice of occupational therapy. Authored by Dr. Elizabeth Townsend and Dr. Helene Polatajko, with over 60 contributing authors from across Canada, this publication captures the latest developments in occupational therapy practice, research, education and strategic directions.  Enabling Occupation II is a companion to classic CAOT publications which continue to guide practice: Occupational Therapy Guidelines for Client-centred Practice (1991), Occupational Therapy Guidelines for Client-Centred Mental Health Practice (1993), and Enabling Occupation: An Occupational Therapy Perspective (1997, 2002).

This latest publication is a study and practice guide published by CAOT that honours the past, affirms the present, and profiles a future for occupational therapy focused on occupation-based enablement; and addresses the age-old question ‘What is occupational therapy?’ We offer an updated response to this question by providing a new definition of occupational therapy.

Enabling Occupation II advances the core concepts of occupation and enablement, and their application in practice with clients, education and research. It raises complex sociocultural issues, such as diversity, individualism and collectivism, language, economy and regulation.

Several significant developments are captured in these guidelines, including a deeper discussion of occupation, clear specification of enablement, the practical characterization of occupation-based enablement, and an emphasis on scholarship, accountability, funding and workforce planning as leadership strategies.

The publication can be considered the ‘triple model’ guidelines:

  • the Canadian Model of Occupational Performance and Engagement (CMOP-E) portrays an occupational perspective that includes and extends beyond occupational performance; and
  • the Canadian Model of Client-Centred Engagement (CMCE) captures the profession’s historical concern for client-centred practice, now linked to the broader concept of enablement.
  • and the new Canadian Practice Process Framework (CPPF) portrays eight action points for the process of occupation-based, client-centred enablement. 

ISBN: 978-1-895437-76-8 | 418 pages 
Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists (2007)

Enabling Occupation II Updates 2010: Figure errata

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Purchase English | French |Enabling Occupation I and II Kit from the CAOT online store


Enabling Occupation: An Occupational Therapy Perspective


Written and researched for CAOT by ten leading occupational therapists and edited by Elizabeth Townsend, Enabling Occupation is considered a landmark document that will lead the profession into the 21st century.  

This book is strongly consumer oriented in advocating client-centred practice with individual, group, agency, organization and government clients and also outlines societal trends influencing occupational therapy.

ISBN: 1-895437-21-0 | 210 pages 
Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists (2002)

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Purchase English | French from the CAOT online store


Enabling Occupation: A Learner-Centred Workbook

A companion workbook is available for Enabling Occupation to help incorporate this new book into everyday practice. Use the workbook as a self-study, in groups with other occupational therapists or with clients. Twelve exercises guide learners through 6 modules that address questions about enabling occupation and client-centred practice in occupational therapy.

ISBN: 1-895437-27-X | 44 pages
Elizabeth Townsend • W. Alan Wright (1998)

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Purchase English | French from the CAOT online store


Spirituality in Enabling Occupation: A Learner-Centred Workbook


Readers will be able to reflect on the interplay between their own spiritual beliefs and their practices, describe collaborative approaches for attending to spirituality with individuals and groups, and examine how spirituality is embedded in the organization of their practice. Interwoven throughout the workbook are exercises, discussions and the presentation of ideas about spirituality in enabling occupation.

ISBN: 1-895437-34-2 | 66 pages 
Elizabeth Townsend • Denise De Laat • Mary Egan • Rachel Thibeault • W. Alan Wright (1999)

Click here to see the Table of Contents

Purchase English ebook from the CAOT online store


Enabling II and CMOP & OPPM Figures cd

Are you teaching the Enabling Occupation II: Advancing an Occupational Therapy Vision for Health, Well-being & Justice through Occupation? Then this is a teaching tool that you shouldn't be without. This cd includes 19 figures from the new Enabling Occupation II as well as the Canadian Model of Occupational Performance and Occupational Performance Process Model from the original Enabling Occupation: An occupational therapy perspective. These figures are in an easy to use jpeg format.

For a list of these figure click here. To purchase this cd click here.

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