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Background.Work-related stress and burnout have been found to lead to job dissatisfaction, low-organizational commitment, absenteeism, and high turnover. Purpose.The purpose of this study was to examine the burnout experiences of occupational therapists practicing in Ontario and to describe the practice implications and coping strategies employed. Methods.Data for this mixed methods study were collected using the Maslach Burnout Inventory-General Survey, Areas of Worklife Survey, focus groups, and interviews in the hermeneutics tradition. Findings.High levels of emotional exhaustion were reported by 34.8% of participants, high levels of cynicism by 43.5%, and low professional efficacy by 24.6%. Practice issues included excessive demands on time, conflict, and lack of autonomy and respect. Coping strategies included spending time with family and maintaining professional/personal balance, control of work responsibilities, maintaining a sense of humor, and self-awareness/self-monitoring. Implications.This study contributes to understanding the practice challenges for occupational therapists, factors that contribute to therapist burnout, and strategies employed to maintain competent practice.

Background.Despite occupational therapy's theoretical commitment to community development (CD) approaches, current practice models focus on individual interventions rather than community issues.Purpose.This research examined three cases of Canadian occupational therapists working in CD to conceptualize CD from an occupational therapy perspective.Method.Data collection occurred over 12–14 days at each site and included observations, document reviews, and interviews with 14 colleagues and program participants. Constructivist grounded theory informed data analysis.Findings.A conceptual framework was developed that describes the contextual background to CD initiatives and the strategies used: nurturing community partnerships, building community capacity, influencing health services, and linking sectors. Underlying these strategies was the strategic use of self, which allowed the sharing of power and legitimacy to create opportunities for meaningful occupational engagement.Implications.The conceptual framework helps articulate CD's underlying processes and can be used to understand and guide practice.