We are pleased to officially announce the launch of the Guided Hands® Occupational Therapy Guide (OT Guide), a comprehensive clinical resource developed to support occupational therapists in expanding the use of Guided Hands across a wide range of therapeutic goals and client presentations.
Created with intention, collaboration, and community at its core, this guide reflects the evolving ways Guided Hands is being used in practice, providing therapists with a structured and flexible framework to support participation, self-expression, and independence.
Developed in collaboration with OTs for OTs.
The OT Guide was developed in close collaboration with Ana-Maria C. and Taylor L. of SMILE Therapy for Kids and Beyond Paediatric Occupational Therapy. Both clinicians have incorporated Guided Hands into their practice since the earliest stages of its development and played a central role in shaping the content of this guide.
Their clinical expertise, creativity, and commitment to client-centred care are foundational to this resource. The guide is grounded in practical application and informed by hands-on experience across diverse client needs.
While Guided Hands was originally designed to support writing, drawing, painting, and touchscreen access, this OT Guide extends its application beyond these traditional uses. In response to feedback from the occupational therapy community, the guide explores additional therapeutic activities and goal areas, encouraging clinicians to think creatively and holistically about how Guided Hands can be integrated into intervention.
This approach allows therapists to align Guided Hands use more closely with individualized goals, functional outcomes, and participation across environments. The result is a resource that supports clinical reasoning while enabling flexibility and fun in practice.
The guide begins with an introduction to Guided Hands, explaining its purpose and therapeutic value, followed by a discussion of Guided Hands as a versatile occupational therapy tool. Therapists are guided through steps for identifying client goals and understanding each client’s presentation, taking into account motor, sensory, cognitive, and postural factors. Practical strategies for set-up, positioning, and adaptations ensure clients can access Guided Hands comfortably and successfully. The guide also provides an activity pairing framework to help therapists match interventions to client needs, along with a selection of ten therapy-tested activities that demonstrate creative and effective ways to use Guided Hands®. Finally, additional resources offer inspiration and guidance to support ongoing clinical practice and professional development.
This resource was created not only to guide implementation, but also to encourage innovation within OT practice. We are proud to share this guide with the occupational therapy community and look forward to seeing how it supports OTs and the clients they serve.
Occupational therapists can download a copy of the Guided Hands® Occupational Therapy Guide here.
