For Jessie Devillier, the path to becoming an occupational therapist wasn't straightforward -- but it was the right choice.

"As an undergraduate, I struggled to decide what to do with my life," she recalled. "I wanted a career that would hold my interest, fulfill and challenge me, and not ultimately feel like a dead end."

She found her answer in occupational therapy -- a field that offers both depth and flexibility.

"We're trained to help people adapt to life at any stage, and we can choose to focus on any age group," she explained. "That variety was, and still is, so appealing."

Devillier works in an acute care setting at Lafayette General and Ochsner University Hospital, where occupational and physical therapists are often among the first to help patients regain mobility after trauma, illness or surgery.

"We're trained to move our bodies without injuring ourselves so we can safely help others move theirs," she said.

Even something as simple as helping a patient sit upright after days or weeks in a hospital bed can be a turning point.

"Just that step can take days -- especially for patients recovering from a stroke or prolonged ICU stay," Devillier said.

Where physical therapy typically focuses on mobility and strength, occupational therapy emphasizes function -- particularly the kind that supports independence.

"We target recovery based on essential needs -- ADLs, or Activities of Daily Living," Devillier explained. "Getting dressed, feeding yourself, going to the bathroom -- these are the basic things you need to be able to do to return home."

The impact goes beyond the physical.

"When your therapist comes in and tells you today is the day you can stop using a bedpan and get up to the toilet, it's a pretty sweet relief," she said.

For many patients, regaining these small daily routines becomes a huge psychological shift.

Occupational therapists tailor their therapy to real-life, personal goals. For one person, it may mean brushing their teeth at a sink instead of in bed. For another, it might involve cooking again, returning to work or modifying their home environment with adaptive tools.

"We want to know what's important to them," she said.

That individualized approach is especially vital in stroke recovery. After a neurological event like a stroke, occupational therapy often involves neuromuscular re-education -- retraining the brain and body to work together again.

According to the American Occupational Therapy Association, occupational therapy practitioners can help those that have had a stroke regain function and learn new ways to perform everyday activities.

Devillier pointed to evidence-based techniques like task-specific, repetitive motion therapy, which studies show can improve upper-limb function and independence when linked to patient-driven goals.

Twelve years ago, a 28-year-old Lafayette woman experienced a stroke shortly after giving birth, believed to be caused by a clot following a C-section. She was unable to move the right side of her body.

With a combination of therapies -- particularly occupational therapy -- over three years, she worked diligently to reclaim her independence. Today, she functions at nearly 100%, and most wouldn't notice a difference between who she is now and who she was before.

In outpatient settings, occupational therapists also support people recovering from orthopedic injuries like rotator cuff repairs or carpal tunnel surgery.

Beyond physical healing, occupational therapy can touch every corner of a person's daily life -- helping stroke survivors regain fine motor control in their hands, or teaching someone with a neurological condition how to adapt their routine safely.

The work goes far beyond hospitals.

"OTs are doing really cool therapy you might not even realize is OT," Devillier said.

She highlighted local colleagues like Simonne Boullion Saab at One On One Physical and Occupational Therapy Services, who is certified in neurodevelopmental treatment and vestibular rehabilitation. Susan Mouton at Rise Therapy combines diet and lifestyle coaching with a Rock Steady Boxing program designed to support those with Parkinson's disease -- all in Lafayette.

The reaches of occupational therapy are broad, from pediatrics to geriatrics to mental health and chronic illnesses.

"It's a career that's hard to summarize in one sentence -- which is exactly what makes it rewarding," Devillier said. "Most OTs I know genuinely love what they do. It's a profession that's provided me with variety, challenge and the kind of fulfillment I couldn't find anywhere else."