Just recently I attended the NJOTA Annual Conference in Edison, NJ. During the conference, I attended a workshop on origami and other paper activities given by Scott Gold, a master origami-maker and occupational therapist. Scott and I know one another from our board meetings, where he serves as multicultural committee chair, but I did not realize that his skills lay in this direction. I should have known.

As we worked, the conversation turned to past experiences with origami. Scott recalled a time when he instigated a meeting of occupational therapists at the Montreal WFOT conference some years ago; a group of therapists from all over the world met at the convention center to work on origami projects. What neither Scott nor I realized is that we had met before at that very locale. I remembered having seen a notice on the bulletin board for the meeting, and I went. We both remembered that the meeting was so informally convened that we found a space on the floor and sat there among the group folding away. It was a lot of fun, and clearly had international appeal.

Scott's presentation at our NJOTA conference was about multiculturalism and the role of origami and other paper crafts in addressing multicultural issues. Scott works in a multicultural environment with behaviorally challenged youngsters, and his talk dealt with techniques he has used to elicit cooperative and creative behaviors in a group of difficult adolescents. He went on further to explore a variety of therapeutic uses for paper activities.

I particularly tapped Scott's memory for lots of information about origami-some for clinical uses and some for personal uses. My grandson, age 12, is very interested in and gaining a great deal of skill in paper-folding. He has mastered many items, and is now growing his repertoire of folded animals. He made a koala bear for me last week that was beautiful. He is working on memorizing a 41-step construction which he can only do as yet by looking at the directions.

At the conference, Scott shared that the American Museum of Natural History in New York City hosts an origami group that meets regularly, and sponsors a conference that is held each June. Scott also turned me on to BARF, a Boston-based group of folders. This was of particular interest since my grandson lives in the Boston area. Origami seems to be a compelling activity that gives delight to many people of varying ages.

I asked about supplies and was directed to Kim's Cranes origami supplies which can be found on the Web. He also mentioned www.oriland.com, which is an incredible site that I have barely begun to explore.

My own intentions are to master three or four constructions so that I can teach them to my clients without needing to look for the directions. Origami is a fine-motor craft that is good for strengthening the muscles of the hands. A number of children that I see who have handwriting problems would benefit from learning this activity, if I could only remember the steps.

Clearly children with handwriting problems are not the only ones with hand weakness. Many others also can benefit from origami. Some who come to mind are those with hand injuries, arthritis and stroke, for addressing physical problems. But not to be ignored are the benefits of paper-folding for building social skills, reducing stress, learning to sequence and building spatial orientation.

At Scott's workshop, I learned a variety of tricks by which one can grade this activity. One can change the size of the paper, reducing it over time to increase finger dexterity. Or one can change the thickness of paper to alter the physical demands required. It never occurred to me before that one can fold paper bags. We learned how to pre-fold a project, or use cement to tack down corners for those having difficulty being precise. Of course, the complexity of projects can be graded as well, as competency improves.

Paper is a remarkable therapeutic tool. It should be a part of every therapy bag.

Estelle Breines, PhD, OTR, FAOTA, is nationally known for her study of the creative process in therapy. Her latest book is the 2nd Occupations and Activities from Clay to Computers. She is currently president of the New Jersey Occupational Therapy Association and has a private practice, Geri-Rehab Inc, in Lebanon, NJ. Readers may e-mail Dr. Breines at elka@blast.net or go to her new Web site at www.grbookpublishers.com.