New PossibilOTs is back with the first episode of 2024! Hosts Mahek Bansal and Larissa Ferrari are also back, exploring the practice of parent coaching. Parent coaching is a method to empower and educate parents to best support their child and facilitate success across different environments and daily routines. 

The discussion revolves around the various scenarios where parent coaching becomes crucial, such as when families face challenges accessing services in remote areas or when children require support to apply learned skills in their home environments. Mahek and Larissa outline the significance of tackling objectives, providing strategies and their tops tips make a return for 2024.

Resources:

The use of coaching in occupational therapy: An integrative review https://ourarchive.otago.ac.nz/bitstream/handle/10523/16422/2015%20Kessler%20&%20Graham.%20CoachingIntegrativeReview.pdf?sequence=1

More Episodes & Info: 

Our website: https://www.occupationaltherapy.com.au/

Transcript: https://www.occupationaltherapy.com.au/podcasts/parent-coaching-in-paediatric-ot-benefits-barriers-and-success-strategies/

Instagram: @NewPossibilOTsPodcast

Welcome back to the New Possibilities podcast! In this episode, Mahek Bansal and Larissa Ferrari continue to explore the expanding realm of telehealth in paediatric occupational therapy (OT). Building on their previous discussion, they dive into practical tips and strategies for successful telehealth sessions. They cover key considerations, from choosing the right platform with features like screen sharing, to preparing for sessions by understanding client goals and adapting activities to home environments. They discuss adaptability, creativity, and the ongoing learning curve of telehealth in paediatric OT.

In this insightful episode, Mahek and Larissa provide a comprehensive guide to telehealth in paediatric OT, addressing platform selection, session preparation, and creative solutions for potential challenges. Their forward-looking perspective highlights the transformative potential of telehealth, making therapy accessible and flexible while fostering engagement and collaboration.

Resources:

• Telehealth Platform Guide: https://ahpa.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Allied-Health-Telehealth-Platforms-FINAL.pdf
• Shifting to Telehealth is More than Just the Camera and Speakers: https://otaus.com.au/blog/shifting-to-telehealth-is-more-than-just-the-camera-and-speakers

More Episodes & Info: 

Our website: https://www.occupationaltherapy.com.au/

Transcript: https://www.occupationaltherapy.com.au/podcasts/telehealth-in-paediatric-ot-practical-tips-and-strategies/

Instagram: @NewPossibilOTsPodcast

In a world where technology is rapidly evolving and transforming the way we live, this episode of New PossibilOTs sees Mahek Bansal and Larissa Ferrari explore the dynamic landscape of paediatric OT through the lens of telehealth. 

They discuss the benefits, barriers and strategies associated with this evolving practice. Mahek and Larissa highlight the advantages of telehealth, emphasising its ability to provide therapy in a client's natural environment, offering accessibility to rural areas, and ensuring consistency during unforeseen circumstances such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mahek and Larissa also acknowledge the challenges but despite these obstacles, they express optimism about the continuous development and integration of telehealth in pediatric occupational therapy.

 In their engaging conversation, Makek and Larissa share personal experiences and insights, and invite you to join the discussion by sharing your telehealth experience.

Resources:

• What are the perspectives of speech pathologists, occupational therapists and physiotherapists using telehealth videoconferencing for service delivery to children with developmental delays? A systematic review of the literature https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/ajr.12843
• OTA Telehealth Guidelines, Checklist and Consent Form Template: Occupational Therapy Australia - Telehealth (otaus.com.au)
• Therapist perceptions of barriers to telehealth uptake in children's occupational therapy: Therapist perceptions of barriers to telehealth uptake in children's occupational therapy - PubMed (nih.gov)

More Episodes & Info:

Our website: https://www.occupationaltherapy.com.au/

Transcript: https://www.occupationaltherapy.com.au/podcasts/telehealth-in-paediatric-ot/

Instagram: @NewPossibilOTsPodcast

Welcome back to the New PossibilOTs podcast! In this episode, Mahek and Larissa are again delving into the intricacies of collaboration.  This episode centres around working with other health professionals. Building on their previous discussions about collaboration, they highlight the unique dynamics involved in teaming up with health professionals compared to educators. Mahek and Larissa explain the holistic nature of their work with children. They emphasise the need to align goals and understand the complementarity of diverse approaches within the team and the importance of gaining insights into the perspectives of other health professionals whilst acknowledging the absence of a one-size-fits-all solution, and fostering an open-minded attitude to enhance collective learning.

 Mahek and Larissa’s signature tips are back and they’re not to be missed.

Resources:

• ThePerception of Allied Health Professionals on Occupational Therapy https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8926477/
• Using a Multidisciplinary Approach with Children Diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder Using a multidisciplinary approach with children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder - ScienceDirect
• Improved Patient-Reported Outcomes after Interprofessional Training in Mental Health: a Nonrandomized Intervention Study Improved patient-reported outcomes after interprofessional training in mental health: a nonrandomized intervention study | BMC Psychiatry | Full Text (biomedcentral.com)

More Episodes & Info:

Our website: https://www.occupationaltherapy.com.au/

Transcript: https://www.occupationaltherapy.com.au/podcasts/working-with-health-professionals/

Instagram: @NewPossibilOTsPodcast

Due to the popularity of Episode 8, Community Based OT, Mahek Bansal and Larissa Ferrari have decided to delve further into this and chat specifically about working collaboratively with educators.  And whilst they stress the importance of building collaborative relationships with educators, they also emphasise that everyone involved with the client – parents, educators and occupational therapists, are part of a team. This collaborative approach allows for a more comprehensive understanding of a client's needs and challenges, particularly in their natural environment. Collaborating with educators helps occupational therapists gather vital information and observations that contribute to more effective strategies. The hosts also share their signature practical tips for fostering these relationships, such as using inclusive language, understanding the educator's daily routine and available resources, and offering different communication options. They highlight the importance of collaboration in benefiting both the child and the entire team working towards common goals.

Resources:

• Enhancing Collaboration Between Occupational Therapists and Early Childhood Educators Working with Children on the Autism Spectrum https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Juliet-Hart-Barnett/publication/275043514_Enhancing_Collaboration_Between_Occupational_Therapists_and_Early_Childhood_Educators_Working_with_Children_on_the_Autism_Spectrum/links/55a981c108aea3d086804168/Enhancing-Collaboration-Between-Occupational-Therapists-and-Early-Childhood-Educators-Working-with-Children-on-the-Autism-Spectrum.pdf
• Collaboration between occupational therapists and teachers: Definitions, implementation and efficacy https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1440-1630.2011.00934.x
• Teachers' Perceptions of the Role and Effectiveness of Occupational Therapists in Schools https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/000841749306000404
• Reported Experiences From Occupational Therapists Interacting With Teachers in Inclusive Early Childhood Classrooms https://research.aota.org/ajot/article-abstract/62/3/289/5160/Reported-Experiences-From-Occupational-Therapists
• Crossing Borders: A Qualitative Study of How Occupational Therapy Educators and Scholars Develop and Sustain Global Partnerships Crossing Borders: A Qualitative Study of How Occupational Therapy Educators and Scholars Develop and Sustain Global Partnerships - Witchger Hansen - 2015 - Occupational Therapy International - Wiley Online Library

More Episodes & Info:

Our website: https://www.occupationaltherapy.com.au/

Transcript: https://www.occupationaltherapy.com.au/podcasts/strategies-to-foster-collaboration/ ‎

Instagram: @NewPossibilOTsPodcast

In this episode of New PossibilOTs, Mahek Bansal and Larissa Ferrari explore the realm of community-based OT. They draw on their experience working in settings such as schools, preschools, and clients' homes, discussing not only the merits but also the challenges of this approach. 

Their discussion about the crucial role of collaboration, effective communication, and observation in community settings, highlights the value of building partnerships with parents, teachers, and other professionals to understand and support children's development.  

Mahek and Larissa also offer their signature practical tips for success and they would love for you to get in touch via the website or Instagram links below to offer up some of yours.

Resources: 

• Investigating the experiences in a school-based occupational therapy program to inform community-based paediatric occupational therapy practice https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24325325/
• AOTA – Practice settings resources: Community Based Services https://www.aota.org/practice/practice-settings/community-based-services
• Statement that presents WFOT's position on Occupational Therapy and Community-Centred: Occupational Therapy and Community-Centred Practice | WFOT

More Episodes & Info:

 Our website: https://www.occupationaltherapy.com.au/

Transcript: https://www.occupationaltherapy.com.au/podcasts/community-based-ot/

Instagram: @NewPossibilOTsPodcast

It is becoming increasingly important that practitioners implement evidence-based practice. In this episode of the New PossibilOTs, Mahek Bansal and Larissa Ferrari dive into the world of evidence-based practice. They define evidence-based practice as having three key dimensions: external scientific evidence, the practitioner's experience and training, and the client or family's situation and values. They stress the importance of aligning these components to provide the best service to clients. They discuss the challenges and barriers to implementing evidence-based practice and offer practical tips for clinicians, including becoming familiar with research papers, participating in clinical discussions, seeking supervision or study groups, attending conferences, and critically evaluating information sources.

The episode is a must-listen for anyone who wants to learn more about the importance of evidence-based practice and practical tips of how to implement evidence-based practice.

Resources

• PROTOCOL: Evidence-informed practice versus evidence-based practice educational interventions for improving knowledge, attitudes, understanding, and behavior toward the application of evidence into practice: A comprehensive systematic review of undergraduate students https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/cl2.1015
• Evidence-based Practice vs. Evidence-informed Practice: What’s the Difference? https://www.woundscanada.ca/docman/public/wound-care-canada-magazine/2014-vol-12-no-1/510-wcc-spring-2014-v12n1-research-101/file
• EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICE IN OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1569186109700142
• What is Evidence-Based Practice? https://www.otseeker.com/resources/WhatIsEvidenceBasedPractice.aspx
• Evidence-Based Practice Position Statement https://otaus.com.au/publicassets/90977488-f433-e911-a2c2-b75c2fd918c5/ebppositionstatement.pdf

• The Evidenced-Based Practitioner: Applying Research to Meet Client Needs (2017): by Catana Brown, 256 pp. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/07380577.2017.1420277

Transcript go to: https://www.occupationaltherapy.com.au/podcasts/Ep-Name / 

 Connect with our guest:

Add guest details of where to find them where appropriate

Connect with us:

Our website: https://www.occupationaltherapy.com.au/ 

Instagram: @NewPossibilOTsPodcast

Welcome back to the New PossibilOTs podcast! Mahek and Larissa explore the crucial concept of child engagement within the realm of paediatric occupational therapy. They discuss how engagement serves as the fundamental cornerstone for achieving therapeutic goals and supporting both the child and their family. Mahek and Larissa define engagement as a dynamic, reciprocal interaction, even when not face-to-face, where the child and therapist maintain a strong connection and collaboratively pursue common objectives.  They emphasise the importance of engaging not only the child but also parents and caregivers in the therapeutic process for comprehensive support. Make sure you tune in, this is an episode not to be missed.

 Mahek and Larissa would love for you to connect with them via social media and their website to share your thoughts on this episode and suggest future podcast topics.

Resources:

The Engaged Child in Occupational Therapy https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0008417420905708

Parent Engagement and Disengagement in Paediatric Settings: an Occupational Therapy Perspective https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09638288.2019.1574913

Strategies Occupational Therapists use to Engage Children and Parents in Therapy Sessions https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/1440-1630.12670

Transcript: https://www.occupationaltherapy.com.au/podcasts/

Connect with us:

Our website: https://www.occupationaltherapy.com.au/

Instagram: @NewPossibilOTsPodcast

In this episode of the New PossibilOTs Podcast, hosts Mahek Bansal and Larissa Ferrari delve into the critical aspect of building rapport in paediatric occupational therapy. They stress the value of the initial parent sessions as an opportunity to discuss a child's strengths, interests, and concerns, which guides the planning of the first session and advocating for open conversations with parents, as rapport building extends to caregivers and collaborative teamwork in achieving the child's developmental goals.

Mahek and Larissa also emphasise the child-led approach, allowing children to explore their environment while maintaining therapist-guided opportunities aligned with their strengths and interests.

Join Mahek and Larissa for another thought-provoking and informative episode of NewPossibilOTs.

Resources:

• Strategies Occupational Therapists Use to engage children and parents in therapy sessions https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/data/UQ_e808772/UQe808772_OA.pdf?Expires=1695346621&Key-Pair-Id=APKAJKNBJ4MJBJNC6NLQ&Signature=PGjDQa-WSJ1c215zem-YkLNK7MfEShw4zLDKkhnfY3jCYru3aYtN1lMnROWKVbca~Mf-BqU3dkdKIDib9x2eKZzh1gc0NH8jP96APwza1rvtPKVj8nAMvXDiveOFiS1PROF34bJTagVHIvoTFkIANTaWLqtb8DxLdjZaTx3NoqIhttUsXf1nmYBMtAqBuOeUwKGrkcdZ5yY5DdR7NVCs9d6SzXZdMUJRUkRw0QZ62wy~Uv2mElQgw41mScVYWyNbp7MApsXeq6DwiPwsLJWxNzFhq5sHSg8ZxEiV5bQ0v~0HGnPBm8cQjXkfKmoMtpAb65GfcTidDOxup7xlzqvdRg__
• Developing Procedures to improve therapist-child rapport in early intervention: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5711732/
•   Effective parent consultation in play therapy: Effective parent consultation in play therapy. (apa.org)
• Therapists’ behaviour and youths’ therapeutic alliance during trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy:Therapists’ behaviors and youths’ therapeutic alliance during trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy. (apa.org)

 Transcript: https://www.occupationaltherapy.com.au/podcasts/building-rapport/

Connect with us:

Our website: https://www.occupationaltherapy.com.au/

Instagram: @NewPossibilOTsPodcast

In this episode of the New PossibilOTs podcast, Mahek and Larissa explore the world of assessments in paediatric occupational therapy, specifically focusing on standardised assessments and their best practices. They categorise the assessments into three main types: self-reported assessments, observational assessments, and skill-based assessments with standardised scores.

Mahek and Larissa also discuss the evolving use of assessments in paediatric OT, moving from a traditional approach of setting goals based on standardised assessments to a more function-based model, highlighting the importance of using assessments to guide clinical reasoning and intervention.

Tune in to this episode of the New PossibilOTs podcast to gain valuable insights into the world of assessments in paediatric occupational therapy. Mahek and Larissa's exploration of standardised assessments and their best practices, along with their discussion on the shift towards a function-based model, offers a comprehensive view of how assessments can inform and enhance paediatric OT practice.

Resources:

• List of Paediatric Occupational Therapy Assessment tools: https://australiaot.com/en/ot-paediatric-assessment-tools/
• Standardised Tests: An appropriate way to measure the outcome of paediatric occupational therapy? https://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/document?repid=rep1&type=pdf&doi=cf3189475f6dfa650c6e51a43ce33dd24a9bf58e
• Principles of Assessment and Outcome Measurement for Occupational Therapists and Physiotherapists Principles of Assessment and Outcome Measurement for Occupational Therapists ... - Alison Laver Fawcett - Google Books
• Our website: https://www.occupationaltherapy.com.au/

Transcript go to: https://www.occupationaltherapy.com.au/podcasts/the-use-of-standardised-assessments-in-occupational-therapy/

Connect with us:

Our website: https://www.occupationaltherapy.com.au/

Instagram: @NewPossibilOTsPodcast