--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I volunteered at UCLA's occupational…" description: "\"I volunteered at UCLA's occupational therapy ward, where there are lots of kids with autism and emotional problems. I just wanted to prove to myself th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a5/fiona-apple-1912_autism_i-volunteered-at-ucla-s-occupational-the_1602647.jpg" --- # I volunteered at UCLA's occupational therapy ward, where… ![“I volunteered at UCLA's occupational therapy ward, where there are lots of kids with autism and emotional problems. I just wanted to prove to myself that I could not break down and cry at everything, and that I could just help somebody else. The one thing I really remember was that when we would…” quote by Fiona Apple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a5/fiona-apple-1912_autism_i-volunteered-at-ucla-s-occupational-the_1602647.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a5/fiona-apple-1912_autism_i-volunteered-at-ucla-s-occupational-the_1602647.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a5/fiona-apple-1912_autism_i-volunteered-at-ucla-s-occupational-the_1602647.jpg) > “I volunteered at UCLA's occupational therapy ward, where there are lots of kids with autism and emotional problems. I just wanted to prove to myself that I could not break down and cry at everything, and that I could just help somebody else. The one thing I really remember was that when we would take them out of the hospital for a walk around campus, they would freak out the most when we were waiting for the elevator. I remember the guy at the elevator said to himself, "Transitions are the hardest." And I said to myself, "Transitions are always the hardest."” [Fiona Apple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-apple/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Helping others tests personal resilience; confronting emotional limits while assisting vulnerable children. **In simple terms:** Helping others shows you can stay strong. Key Takeaway Seek purpose through service. Themes empathy resilience service growth Mood reflective hopeful Type personal inspirational When to use this quote - volunteering - hospital work - supporting autistic youth - handling transitions Key Concepts psychology caregiving emotional intelligence Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance self-care with helping others? - What strategies help manage stressful transitions? A Different Perspective Emotional strain may persist despite altruism. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Autism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/autism/) [Breaking down](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/breaking-down/) [Cry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cry/) [Emotional](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emotional/) [Emotional problems](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emotional-problems/) [Kids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kids/) [Mental health](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mental-health/) [Problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem/) [Therapy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/therapy/) ## Related quotes > [“I’m an occupational therapist, an obscure profession if there ever was one. We are few and far between, maybe because we have chosen to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-thibeault/i-m-an-occupational-therapist-an-obscure-profession-if-there-ever-was/) Rachel Thibeault > [“Consider the whole thing as occupational therapy. Power as cottage industry for the mad. The shepherd is slave to the sheep. A gardener is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-dunn/consider-the-whole-thing-as-occupational-therapy-power-as-cottage/) [Katherine Dunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-dunn/) > [Cooking is the best occupational therapy for me. And when I cook, everybody comes to eat. It's the greatest thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pamela-adlon/cooking-is-the-best-occupational-therapy-for-me-and-when-i-cook/) [Pamela Adlon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pamela-adlon/) > [I always felt like I could be funny, but there was a part of me that always judged actors so harshly...I thought all actors…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-kudrow/i-always-felt-like-i-could-be-funny-but-there-was-a-part-of-me-that/) [Lisa Kudrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-kudrow/) > [If you have a good spine, the gods will chase you. Nobody has psychological or emotional problems, everyone has a bad spine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bikram-choudhury/if-you-have-a-good-spine-the-gods-will-chase-you-nobody-has/) [Bikram Choudhury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bikram-choudhury/) > [“Sometimes we transgress because we like to rebel. For example, a teenager may drink because he likes to break the rules. Sometimes we transgress…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-cloud/sometimes-we-transgress-because-we-like-to-rebel-for-example-a/) [Henry Cloud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-cloud/) > [You don't need to drink if you have emotional problems.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradford-cox/you-don-t-need-to-drink-if-you-have-emotional-problems/) [Bradford Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradford-cox/) > [Money can get rid of your financial problems, but it won't get rid of your emotional problems.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/money-can-get-rid-of-your-financial-problems-but-it-won-t-get-rid-of/) [Sonya Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) > [ “ME/CFS has a greater negative impact on functional status and well-being than other chronic diseases, e.g., cancer or lung diseases\[8\], and is associated with… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-twisk/me-cfs-has-a-greater-negative-impact-on-functional-status-and-well/) Frank Twisk > [I think it's a little simplistic to explain a work through the psychology of its author. In other words, that Haneke has emotional problems,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-haneke/i-think-it-s-a-little-simplistic-to-explain-a-work-through-the/) [Michael Haneke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-haneke/) > [“It is unwise to think that marriage will bring an end to your emotional problems.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ugochi-oritsejolomisan/it-is-unwise-to-think-that-marriage-will-bring-an-end-to-your/) Ugochi Oritsejolomisan > [I suspect that some apparently homosexual people are really heterosexuals who deeply phobic about the opposite sex or have other emotional problems.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-vos-savant/i-suspect-that-some-apparently-homosexual-people-are-really/) [Marilyn vos Savant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-vos-savant/) > [This would be a vastly better world to live in if Matt Drudge decided to handle his emotional problems more responsibly, and set himself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-weigel/this-would-be-a-vastly-better-world-to-live-in-if-matt-drudge-decided/) [David Weigel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-weigel/) > [“Neglecting them leads to spiritual and emotional problems; having them met, however, frees us to meet the needs of others cheerfully and without resentment.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-cloud/neglecting-them-leads-to-spiritual-and-emotional-problems-having-them/) [Henry Cloud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-cloud/) > [Everybody knows what they were kind of drawn towards or what they're gifted at and it's more of courage and looking at yourself and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-greene/everybody-knows-what-they-were-kind-of-drawn-towards-or-what-they-re/) [Robert Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-greene/) ## More by Fiona Apple > [Everybody acts like I'm nuts. I'm not nuts I just want to feel it all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-apple/everybody-acts-like-i-m-nuts-i-m-not-nuts-i-just-want-to-feel-it-all/) [Fiona Apple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-apple/) > [“Go with yourself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-apple/go-with-yourself/) [Fiona Apple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-apple/) > [Nothing that you do will ever feel good if you let people convince you that you have no choice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-apple/nothing-that-you-do-will-ever-feel-good-if-you-let-people-convince/) [Fiona Apple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-apple/) > [I got a lot of problems, but I'm really good at intuiting what I need to do to be happy with whatever I create.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-apple/i-got-a-lot-of-problems-but-i-m-really-good-at-intuiting-what-i-need/) [Fiona Apple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-apple/) > [I got into therapy in the fifth grade because I said in a sarcastic way that I was going to kill myself, and they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-apple/i-got-into-therapy-in-the-fifth-grade-because-i-said-in-a-sarcastic/) [Fiona Apple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-apple/) > [I didn't want to be precious about things. Of course, the idea is to make great music, but if you have great musicians up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-apple/i-didn-t-want-to-be-precious-about-things-of-course-the-idea-is-to/) [Fiona Apple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-apple/) > [Through the media, we've establishes this standard of what every human being should look up to: somebody who always looks right; who always has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-apple/through-the-media-we-ve-establishes-this-standard-of-what-every-human/) [Fiona Apple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-apple/) > [My derring-do allows me to dance the rigadoon around you but by the time I'm close to you I lose my desideratum.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-apple/my-derring-do-allows-me-to-dance-the-rigadoon-around-you-but-by-the/) [Fiona Apple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-apple/) > [Home is where my habits have a habitat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-apple/home-is-where-my-habits-have-a-habitat/) [Fiona Apple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-apple/) > [If I have one success in my relationship history, it's with the people who listen to my music. I think that they'll be there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-apple/if-i-have-one-success-in-my-relationship-history-it-s-with-the-people/) [Fiona Apple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-apple/) > [I wasn't very ambitious as a child. I'm still not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-apple/i-wasn-t-very-ambitious-as-a-child-i-m-still-not/) [Fiona Apple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-apple/) > [The worst pain in the world is shame. I spend a lot of time trying to not do anything bad to anyone, but you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-apple/the-worst-pain-in-the-world-is-shame-i-spend-a-lot-of-time-trying-to/) [Fiona Apple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-apple/) > [Hunger hurts, but starving works, when it costs too much to love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-apple/hunger-hurts-but-starving-works-when-it-costs-too-much-to-love/) [Fiona Apple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-apple/) > [He goes along just as a water lily Gentle on the surface of his thoughts his body floats Unweighed down by passion or intensity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-apple/he-goes-along-just-as-a-water-lily-gentle-on-the-surface-of-his/) [Fiona Apple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-apple/) > [Let me know the way, before there's hell to pay.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-apple/let-me-know-the-way-before-there-s-hell-to-pay/) [Fiona Apple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-apple/) [Explore all 199 Fiona Apple quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-apple/) ## More Autism quotes > [“We know that children with autism like order, that they are often very visual and that they can be quite literal. They deserve beautiful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adele-devine/we-know-that-children-with-autism-like-order-that-they-are-often-very/) [Adele Devine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adele-devine/) > [In fact, when we as neuro-typical people encounter a person with autism spectrum syndrome who's always been that way it is that we have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamlyn-tomita/in-fact-when-we-as-neuro-typical-people-encounter-a-person-with/) [Tamlyn Tomita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamlyn-tomita/) > [If you give us a safe vaccine, we'll use it. It shouldn't be polio versus autism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-mccarthy/if-you-give-us-a-safe-vaccine-we-ll-use-it-it-shouldn-t-be-polio/) [Jenny McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-mccarthy/) > [Autism is a big continuum, going from someone who remains nonverbal, all the way up to geniuses on Silicon Valley. And some kids are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/autism-is-a-big-continuum-going-from-someone-who-remains-nonverbal/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [Metaphor isn't just a fancy turn of speech. It shapes our thoughts and feelings, reaches out to grasp new experience, and even binds our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-richardson/metaphor-isn-t-just-a-fancy-turn-of-speech-it-shapes-our-thoughts-and/) [James Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-richardson/) > [The position of Autism Speaks has been for quite awhile that we need to find out what's happening. We know there's a genetic component,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-emken/the-position-of-autism-speaks-has-been-for-quite-awhile-that-we-need/) [Elizabeth Emken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-emken/) > [Some people with autism who don't talk, all they hear are vowel sounds. Like if I said 'cup,' they might just hear 'uh.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/some-people-with-autism-who-don-t-talk-all-they-hear-are-vowel-sounds/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [Children must be taught how to think, not what to think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mead/children-must-be-taught-how-to-think-not-what-to-think/) [Margaret Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mead/) > [Mild autism can give you a genius like Einstein. If you have severe autism, you could remain nonverbal. You don't want people to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/mild-autism-can-give-you-a-genius-like-einstein-if-you-have-severe/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [“The autistic mind is not the wave at the surface of the ocean, but the whole world that exists below.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krissy-bells/the-autistic-mind-is-not-the-wave-at-the-surface-of-the-ocean-but-the/) Krissy Bells > [In the person with autism, the brain may already be seeing the part and be less distracted by the whole, and in the person…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-baron-cohen/in-the-person-with-autism-the-brain-may-already-be-seeing-the-part/) [Simon Baron-Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-baron-cohen/) > [I think that the definition of autism is too broad. You got to remember, autism definition is a behavioral profiling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/i-think-that-the-definition-of-autism-is-too-broad-you-got-to/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [There is a small segment of people with autism that have savant skills, where they can memorize entire maps of whole entire city. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/there-is-a-small-segment-of-people-with-autism-that-have-savant/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [When you have autism or aspergers, it's so hard to get a social life but trust me, in the end everyone can achieve at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lia/when-you-have-autism-or-aspergers-it-s-so-hard-to-get-a-social-life/) Lia > [“Unfortunately, by this time it didn't matter. Self-diagnosed autistics and fakers were asking diagnosed autistics whether or not they had a diagnosis, and if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-d-taylor/unfortunately-by-this-time-it-didn-t-matter-self-diagnosed-autistics/) [Thomas D. Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-d-taylor/) [Browse all 621 Autism quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/autism/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I volunteered at UCLA's occupational therapy ward, where there are lots of kids with autism and emotional problems. I just wanted to prove to myself that I could not break down and cry at everything, and that I could just help somebody else. The one thing I really remember was that when we would take them out of the hospital for a walk around campus, they would freak out the most when we were waiting for the elevator. 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