When injured soldiers returned from the First World War and needed to convalesce from severe injuries and trauma, a group of women were ready to help. Then known as "ward aides," these women - many of whom were artists or teachers - used simple craft activities to raise morale, build self-esteem, and teach skills. Restoring the Spirit illuminates the origins of occupational therapy in Canada and shows how the profession became an indispensable part of modern health care.

Tracing the influence of popular political and social movements of the time, including the Mental Hygiene, Arts and Crafts, and Settlement House movements, Judith Friedland tells the stories of pioneering women in the field and describes how they established professional associations, workshops, and educational programs. She highlights the help they received from male physicians, which gave them access to those with decision-making power, and examines their work in both rural and urban environments with those from different economic and ethnic backgrounds.

An informative look at the origins of a field that now has over thirteen thousand practitioners in Canada, Restoring the Spirit is also the compelling story of the rise of working women and their crucial contributions to the history of health care.