Spotlight: Dr. Camille Dieterle
Dr. Camille Dieterle (OTD, OTR/L) is an Associate Professor of Clinical Occupational Therapy at the University of Southern California with experience teaching, practicing, and researching the promotion of sustainable occupations. We were lucky enough to chat with her to learn more about her thoughts and work.
Current Work: Creating a Sustainable Lifestyle Course
At USC, Dr. Dieterle is teaching an undergraduate elective course about sustainability through an occupational therapy lens. Students of all majors and years are welcome to enroll, expanding the awareness of environmental sustainability issues to future professionals who are interested. Dr. Dieterle points out that all fields and professions, from chemistry to film, will face challenges related to climate change. Thus, she emphasizes the importance of understanding and action, sharing, “One of my goals of this class is to help students become more literate in the world of current issues” and asking questions such as, “How does this all affect our health, habits, and routines? What are the things that we might be able to do both as an individual and collectively?”. In contemplating such questions, students can evaluate their own relationship with the natural environment on a personal and emotional level. When climate change begets destruction of their surroundings, how will they be affected physically, mentally, and emotionally? Diving into these thoughts, students both in and out of the occupational therapy world can consider the role of human occupation in environmentally sustainable efforts and the relevance of occupational therapy in promoting such action.
Why Now? Acknowledging Sustainability in OT
Occupational therapists consider health, quality of life, meaning, and occupational justice on a daily basis, all of which are unequivocally threatened by climate change. Dr. Dieterle underscores the clarity of this relationship, stating, “Our sustainability problems are a significant health threat”. She references the rise of asthma in children due to polluted air, the inaccessibility of outdoor physical activity due to forest fires, the psychological trauma due to such climate-related stressors, and the environmental injustices arising in communities across the world. Such examples jeopardize meaningful occupations, from Activities of Daily Living (like breathing) to leisure and recreation. As Dr. Dieterle simply put it, “Our sustainability issues are health and quality of life issues”.
Advice for Practitioners: What Can You Do?
While taking on the macro-level issues of pollution and injustice can seem daunting, Dr. Dieterle acknowledges the importance of local and individual action. During her time as a clinician, she took it upon herself to incorporate an environmentally-informed lens in her sessions with interested clients. One client wanted to increase their physical activity and knew many people who rode bikes. Unfamiliar and uncomfortable with this occupation, Dr. Dieterle decided to practice bike riding during their sessions to improve confidence and encourage this sustainable method of transportation and recreation. Other clients managing Type 2 Diabetes and hypertension wanted to change their eating habits, so Dr. Dieterle helped them adopt a heart-healthy diet, which mirrors a sustainable diet. Consuming less animal products, incorporating more fruits and vegetables, and thinking about where food comes from promotes both hearth and planetary health. In these sessions, Dr. Dieterle advocated for more sustainable behaviors, for they undeniably supported the health and well being of the client. She hopes that practicing occupational therapists will be bold and do the same in their own creative ways.
For current practitioners hoping to incorporate sustainable practices in their work, Dr. Dieterle suggests the following:
Consider the type of occupations your population wants to engage in and brainstorm more sustainable versions of them
Suggest sustainable changes in your work setting (getting rid of styrofoam, promoting reusables over disposables for appropriate items, building a garden in unused space)
Utilize the angle of health promotion and wellness to increase buy-in. Environmentally-informed action (i.e. promoting greenspaces and healthier food) as prevention and community outreach can all be worth the investment.
With occupational therapists like Dr. Camille Dieterle in the field, current students and practitioners are inspired to take action in their profession as well as their personal lives. We thank her for setting an example for clinicians and educating future generations of the importance of environmentally sustainable occupations.
Spotlight written by Madelyn Yoo, OTS