Jonathan Miller, OTD, OTR/L, holds a BS in Interdisciplinary Studies and Doctorate in Occupational Therapy from Arkansas State University. Jonathan has practiced clinically for five years in a variety of setting to include outpatient hand therapy, long-term acute care, skilled nursing facilities, inpatient rehab, and acute care. Jonathan began working as an adjunct professor in the Spring of 2023 to teach a clinical reasoning and skills course at his alma mater, which led to transitioning full-time into academics at Arkansas State University in the Fall of 2023. Jonathan considers himself a generalist as a clinician with a focus on the adult/older adult population. Jonathan’s research is currently focused on perceived stress and coping strategies of OT students in higher education and on the potential of burnout with clinical practitioners. Jonathan was recently elected as Vice-President of the Arkansas Occupational Therapy Association.

On this episode of On The Air, Jonathan discusses strategies for use by OT practitioners and OT/OTA students for coping with stress and potential burnout.

On this episode, occupational therapy practitioner Cindy Molnar, COTA/L, talks about the role of occupational therapy (OT) in working with people diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) - also referred to as Lou Gehrig's Disease. Cindy has been a second career OT assistant for over 10 years, primarily working in a sub-acute rehabilitation hospital setting. Her previous career was in Human Resources as a Corporate Talent Acquisition. 

Recommended resources
Books: 

• A Life Impossible by Steve Gleason
• Eyes to the Wind by Ady Barkan
• Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom
• Until I Say Goodbye: A Year of Living with Joy by Susan Spencer-Wendel

Films:

• Transfatty lives 
• For Love and Life: No Ordinary Campaign
• Not Going Quietly
• Tuesdays with Morrie

Websites and More:

• Team Gleason Foundation - teamgleason.org
• I am ALS - iamals.org
• Bridging Voice - bridgingvoice.org
• Synapticure - synapticure.com
• Living While Dying [podcast]
• Limbroozkit with Brooke Eby [IG account]   

On this episode, occupational therapist Amberlynn Slavin and her husband Ben Slavin share information about SnapType, an app created based on an idea Amberlynn had on a Level I fieldwork clinical rotation while she was in occupational therapy school at Springfield College. The goal of SnapType is to help students complete their schoolwork even when their handwriting, literacy, or vision holds them back.

Amberlynn is a pediatric OT who has practiced in California and New Hampshire. She has experience working in a sensory clinic with children with Autism Spectrum Disorder, ADHD, Sensory Processing Disorder, Down’s Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, mental health disorders, and other developmental disorders. When she’s not working, you can find her coaching gymnastics, working on all sorts of creative projects, and spending time with her husband and their two young boys. 

• Learn more about SnapType here: https://snaptypeapp.com or on Instagram @snaptypeot
• Check out Amberlynn's Instagram account which is dedicated to OT activity ideas: @creative_cheap_crafts
• Contact Amberlynn via email at [email protected]

Liz Grace is the pen name of an occupational therapist living from southwestern Ontario, Canada. She lives and works with a mental illness called schizoaffective disorder. She navigates the OT world despite profound hearing loss and cochlear implants. Liz has been working in homecare since 2015 after graduating from school. Her primary clientele is older adults and adults with severe physical disabilities. Liz enjoys community activities and curling in the winter. She has a service dog from the Lions Foundation of Canada Dog Guides in Oakville, Ontario.

On this episode of the podcast, Liz talks about her experiences as a person with mental illness as well as profound hearing loss and shares about the autobiographical account she has written in a book entitled "Resilient: Surviving My Mental Illness," which is available on platforms such as Amazom and Audible.

Connect with Liz via social media through the account @lizgraceauthor or via email at [email protected]

On Episode 130, Sarah Zera, OTD, OTR/L, shares the story about how she discovered and fell in love with occupational therapy and discusses her work as a mobile- and community-based practitioner and insight about how to bring moxie to one's OT practice.

Growing up, two of Sarah’s primary caregivers were people with disabilities. Her background has provided her with first-hand knowledge of what is possible when living with a disability. These experiences also showed her the many barriers people with disabilities face on a daily basis. Sarah has been working as an occupational therapist since 2002. Throughout her career she has been proud to support her clients in their rehabilitation journey. As Sarah has grown as an occupational therapist she has realized that we can do better. Traditional rehabilitation services are vitally important. However, many people “graduate” from rehabilitation but do not return to doing the things in life that matter to them most. In 2013 she returned to school to study the most effective approaches to help her clients return to their most life-affirming activities. Her doctorate in occupational therapy propelled her to open Moxie OT.

Sarah can be reached via email at [email protected], and you can find information about her work including her podcast at https://www.moxieot.com/

Read her article in the British Journal of Occupational Therapy: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/03080226211008713

Read her Blog Post for the ICANCOOP website: https://icancoop.org/blogs/first-hand-account/goal-plan-do-check-supporting-community-participation-through-adult-group-sessions

Other resources mentioned on this episode:
Chappell, I. et al. (2006). Enabling Occupation in Children: The Cognitive Orientation to Daily Occupational Performance (CO-OP) Approach. CAOT Publications ACE
Dawson, D. (2017). Cognitive Orientation to Daily Occupational Performance in Occupational Therapy: Using the CO-OP Approach (TM) to Enable Participation Across the Lifespan. AOTA Press

Occupational therapist Amy Coopersmith, MOT, OTR/L, MAEd, has worked as an educator and OT for more than 25 years. She currently works as a lecturer on topics related to children’s independence and positive mental health. For 17 years, she worked as an OT Supervisor, clinician and evaluator for the NYC Department of Education. Amy is passionate about promoting children’s self-determination through AOTA workshops as well as national/regional conferences and online learning communities. In 2020, she created Captain Me®, a video-based musical self-determination program for all children. Through the evidence-informed use of guided questioning, role play, music, puppets and video modeling, Amy helps practitioners learn how to best utilize their pediatric sessions to promote motivation, engagement and independence. Currently, she is pursuing her OT doctorate at Temple University. Previously, Amy taught Pediatric Assessment and Treatment at Mercy College and worked as a teacher in New York City. Her favorite hobby is writing songs about self-determination and mental health to promote children’s independence.

On this episode, Amy shares about her journey into the profession of OT and introduces listeners to Captain Me®, the program she developed to promote self-determination in children, and to Cappy, the star of that program. Here's a link to a sample of her work: https://www.seekfreaks.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Cappy-Lesson-Plan-Setting-Goals.pdf

To connect with Amy, email her at [email protected]

Also check out the continuing education courses she has developed through the company Apply EBP: https://www.applyebp.com/

Occupational therapy assistant Amy Mahle is passionate about promoting the occupational therapist/occupational therapy assistant (OT/OTA) collaboration, uniting and motivating OT practitioners, advocating for occupational therapy, and finding solutions. She is the founding OTA Program Director at Rowan-Cabarrus Community College in Salisbury, NC and co-author/co-editor of the comprehensive textbook, Adult Physical Conditions: Intervention Strategies for Occupational Therapy Assistants. Amy has been an active member of AOTA and the North Carolina Occupational Therapy Association for her entire career and has served in leadership roles in both, including President of NCOTA. She is currently pursuing her EdD in Community College Leadership at NC State University. Prior to her career as an OTA, she was a small business owner and worked in the social service sector.

Connect with Amy:
Via email at [email protected]
Via her website - www.amymahle.com
On Instagram: @amyjanemahle
On Twitter @AmyMahleCOTA
On Facebook: Amy J. Mahle (professional page)

Resources:
The textbook Amy co-authored and co-edited: https://tinyurl.com/MahleBook
Dallas Herring lecture series: https://belk-center.ced.ncsu.edu/our-impact/executive-leadership-programs/dallas-herring-lecture/

Vikram Pagpatan, MS, OTRL, ATP, CAS, BCTS, EdDc is a practicing Asian-American occupational therapist from New York City. He is a full time Assistant Professor and Admissions Coordinator at SUNY Downstate’s MSOT program as well as an adjunct lecturer at York College. Prior to beginning his work as an OT, Vikram served the city he loves as a paramedic and found the profession of OT on his graveyard shift through one of his patients. Vikram's clinical interests are in the areas of assistive technology and seating and mobility systems within pediatric practice. He presently serves on the AOTA DEI committee, as the social media chair of the Asian-Pacific Heritage Occupational Therapy Association, and as a cohort member of the 2021 AOTA Academic Leadership Institute.

On this episode, Vik shares about the influence of diversity - and diversity of thought - within the OT profession- diversity of thought, his path into the profession, what OT has allowed him to do personally and professionally, and more - including his bid for a seat on the AOTA Board of Directors.

Connect with Vikram:
Via email: [email protected]
On Instagram @ VikramPagpatanOTRL
On LinkedIn @ Vikram Pagpatan

For more about the AOTA election:
https://www.aota.org/community/get-involved/elected-and-appointed-positions/elections/2022-elections

Mike Jankowski has been an occupational therapist since 2011 and has spent the majority of his career working with the pediatric population in start-up therapy clinics. In November of 2020 Mike started working at the EMR company SimplePractice as their Occupational Therapy Clinical Specialist. At SimplePractice, Mike brings together his knowledge of OT and private practice and works with SimplePractice's product and marketing teams to continue to enhance SimplePractice for its OT users.

Resources mentioned:
•Entrepreneuership FB groups –
oEntreneurship4OT - https://www.facebook.com/groups/otentrepreneurs
oOT Entrenpreurs - https://www.facebook.com/groups/536469659833481
•AOTA Private Practice Essentials - https://www.aota.org/Conference-Events/summer-series/schedule.aspx

Connect with Mike:
•Email - [email protected]
•Twitter - @MikeTheOT1
•LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-jankowski-otrl/
•Website/blog - https://www.simplepractice.com/mike-j/

Laura Simmons is the CEO and Founder of Theratrak, a company that offers a digital platform enabling allied health professionals including occupational therapy practitioners to more efficiently track participant progress in between treatment sessions. She is also a passionate pediatric occupational therapist working with families of children living with a range of disabilities in early intervention. Laura has worked in the private health sector in Australia for almost 10 years, and in this time she has noticed a distinct lack of innovative technology solutions targeting the ongoing care of clients outside of direct therapy and how this is impacting the client’s overall treatment. As a leader of a team of occupational therapists, Laura wants to improve the healthcare system from the inside out to support the growth of younger therapists everywhere.

As mentioned in the interview, TheraTrak is looking for partners in the United States to pilot their HIPAA certified digital tracking system. On this episode, we talk about Laura's work in the field and how she developed TheraTrack as well as how COVID-19 impacted pediatric therapy practice in Australia as compared to in the U.S.

To connect with Laura:
Email - [email protected]
Twitter - https://twitter.com/laura1simmons
Facebook Page - https://www.facebook.com/theratrak
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/theratrak/
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/theratrak/
Website/blog - https://www.theratrak.co/ https://www.theratrak.co/