While many therapists dream of private practice, the risk of hitting a legal landmine holds many back. 

In this episode, we are going to zoom in on one OT who is looking to partner with a doctor who is providing concierge dementia services. 

We’ll use this as a case example to talk through what legal considerations OTs need to make when starting a practice: from choosing the right legal entity, to partnering with a specific provider, to navigating Medicare, to understanding anti-trust and anti-kick back laws. 

Yes. We are getting in the weeds. But, this is essential. 

We’ll welcome back two returning podcast guests,  Monika Lukasiewicz, OTR/L (who is looking to start her practice) and Alyson Stover, MOT, JD, OTR/L, BCP (a pediatric occupational therapist/private practice owner, who also has a degree in health law.) 

You can find more details on this course here:
https://otpotential.com/ceu-podcast-courses/legal-considerations-for-ot

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Here’s a question I can’t stop thinking about: 

Is “sense of purpose” the true secret ingredient that makes occupational therapy unique and effective? 

I ran a survey of my OT peers earlier this year, and I was shocked that 17% of respondents selected “sense of purpose” as the main treatment area they address—second only to “daily activities,” which is what I traditionally think of as our bread and butter. 

This tells me that, on the ground, a surprising number of therapists see “addressing sense of purpose” as their most effective intervention. 

The article we are looking at today reveals why sense of purpose may be such a profound lever to pull. (Hint: It is associated with many health benefits!) 

After we review the article, we are excited to welcome to the podcast one of occupational therapy’s leading thinkers about our role in sense of purpose: Dr. Alix Sleight. Together, we’ll unpack the science behind sense of purpose—and the small and large ways you can address it in your OT sessions. 

You can find more details on this course here:

https://otpotential.com/ceu-podcast-courses/ot-and-purpose

Support this show by using the The OT Potential Medbridge promo code (code: OTPSummer) which gives you the BEST discount available. The code will be active June 23-July 9th, 2025. You’ll get the best savings possible of $126 off individual plans and 10% off group plans. Learn more here: 

https://otpotential.com/blog/promo-code-for-medbridge

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You know that sinking feeling you get before walking into a patient room, when you suddenly think: 

“Wait.. what exactly am I going to do with this patient?” 

Creating a treatment plan entails a complex synthesis of the patient’s needs, the available evidence, and your expertise. It’s no wonder it can be hard to pull all this information together on the spot. 

So, it’s easy to see why therapists are starting to utilize AI tools as a brainstorming assist for treatment planning. 

But, this also raises SO MANY questions. Which tools should I trust? What are the limitations? What are the ethical considerations? 

In this webinar, we are talking with a practicing PT, Cody Lee,  about the benefits he has found from using AI as a treatment planning companion. And, practical ways you can get started doing the same, so you can begin riding this wave that is going to transform healthcare. 

You can find more details on this course here:
https://otpotential.com/ceu-podcast-courses/ai-and-treatment-planning

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Far too often, people are not referred to occupational therapy until their disease course has progressed to a level of high complexity.

But, what if we could start seeing our clients sooner? 

Ideally, we receive the referral at the first sign of trouble. In some cases, we could prevent the full expression of a condition. In other cases, we could work with the client so their condition presents in a less severe way. These services are low cost and high impact. 

While it feels obvious that this is the direction we should be heading, there are policy, payment and mindset barriers to overcome. 

In this one hour live discussion Alyson Stover, MOT, JD, OTR/L, BCP and Sarah Lyon, OTR/L will discuss the practical steps we can be taking to shift our care towards prevention. Our goal is that you will leave inspired to take steps in your own context. 

You can find more details on this course here:
https://otpotential.com/ceu-podcast-courses/occupational-therapy-and-prevention 

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Stroke rehab is an area where we have some of the most abundant research to draw on as occupational therapists. 

But, this can also make it feel difficult to synthesize it all into the right actions steps for your clients. 

In this Ask Me Anything style episode, we will be answering your questions on chronic stroke assessment, goal-setting and treatment. We’ll have a full clinical decision support for you reference during the episode, and then plan to keep it up to date. 

Our guest Christopher Gaskins, PhD, OTR/L, CSRS is uniquely poised to tackle this topic. Not only has he worked at Walter Reed as a neuro OT, run his one neuro private practice, and consulted with US military as a health consultant. He has also has a particular interest in mental workload…both in understanding what our patients can take on…but also how to ease your mental workload as a therapist as you tackle this complex topic. 

You can find more details on this course here:
https://otpotential.com/ceu-podcast-courses/pediatric-sleep-and-ot

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Between 20-30% of typically developing children experience sleep difficulty in childhood. The percentage of neurodiverse children  with considerable sleep problems is even more staggering at 40-80%.  

On one hand, it is sobering to consider the impacts of sleep difficulties on children and adolescents. As you’ll hear in this week's article review: 

Sleep difficulties are linked with everything from poorer health, education outcomes and social outcomes. They can also exacerbate common conditions like ADHD.

But on the other hand, this means that improving sleep is one of the most powerful levers that occupational therapy professionals can address with our clients. 

I know many of you are already at least touching on this foundational ADL with your clients—but I’m hoping today we will upskill you even further, through my conversation with Dr. Amy Gore Hartman. Amy is an occupational therapist and sleep scientist specializing in supporting families with sleep and emotion regulation.

You can find more details on this course here:
https://otpotential.com/ceu-podcast-courses/pediatric-sleep-and-ot

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While many OTs work in a fee for service model, the reality is that we are undergoing a seismic shift towards value based care. 

In fact it's estimated that 238.8 million Americans receive healthcare in a value-based care model. These already large numbers are expected to grow significantly in the coming years.

OTs has tremendous potential in value-based care models. 

But, the reality is we are missing the boat.  

That’s because becoming involved in a value based care model involves a contracting process that can feel complicated. There has been MUCH written to support doctors and other medical providers in the value-based care process, and they are outpacing us.  

But, in today’s episode we break this information down for OTs. Our favorite value-base care expert, Dana Stauss, PT, DPT  is going to walk private practice owner Carlin Reaume through: identify value-based care opportunities locally, crafting a proposal, and ultimately drafting a contract. 

Let’s be honest. This feels dense. But, this is exactly what we need to be learning, and we are here to set you up for success!

You can find more details on this course here:
https://otpotential.com/ceu-podcast-courses/value-based-care-contracts 

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Nearly one third of people experience sleep disturbances. 

And, about 23% of adults experience mental health illness. 

These high percentages mean that both sleep and mental health are global, public health challenges in their own right. 

However, emerging research suggests we should not think of these challenges separately. They are more intertwined than we realize. Sleep difficulties aren’t just a sign of mental health challenges, sleep problems can contribute to mental health problems. But, then the inverse is also true: when we improve a person's sleep, we can improve their mental health.  

What this means for OT is profound:

This means sleep interventions are one of the most powerful tools we have to impact mental health. 

Today, we will zoom in on one diagnosis: anxiety. 

We’ll get deep into the biology of how sleep and anxiety are intertwined. And, the interventions (that are in your OT-wheel house) to improve both. 

To help us make sense of how profound the impact of sleep is on health—and, how potentially profound it would be for OT to tackle this essential ADL— we will welcome to the podcast, Dr. Amanda Carroll, an OT sleep researcher, who also runs a sleep private practice in Montana. 

You can find more details on this course here:
https://otpotential.com/ceu-podcast-courses/sleep-mental-health-and-ot

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Starting a side hustle private practice is one of the best ways to safeguard your career, pursue a niche interest, and meet some of the many unmet needs in your community. 

But, let’s be honest: the process of getting going can be daunting. 

In this Ask Me Anything (AMA), we are welcoming Carline Reaume, OTD, OTR/L, DipACLM, PMH-C, PCES back to the podcast. Carlin has steadily grown her private practice over the course of several years, and has experienced the ups and downs of private practice management. Also on our panel is Sarah Lyon, a business owner in her own right, Sarah has carefully watched the trends in private private practice for almost a decade now. And, is author of the ever-popular post “Start and Grow Your Therapy Practice.” 

You can find more details on this course here:
https://otpotential.com/ceu-podcast-courses/starting-an-ot-private-practice

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Carpal Tunnel Syndrome affects quality of life in 1-5% of people. 

The first step in treatment of carpal tunnel should be non-surgical treatment, which includes education, often a steroid injection, and therapy. 

But what should that therapy look like? 

In this live webinar, we will discuss carpal tunnel education, assessment and treatment with Rachel Egan, OTR/L, MS, CHT, COMT-UE.  Rachel is a Certified Hand Therapist, a Certified Orthopedic Manual Therapist, and currently manages operations for 13 NovaCare clinics across Minnesota.

Participants in this course will have access to our full clinical decision support page for carpal tunnel treatment that will be updated on an ongoing basis. 

You can find more details on this course here:
https://otpotential.com/ceu-podcast-courses/carpal-tunnel-and-ot 

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