In this episode, we will be learning about an occupational therapy practitioner who works in Academia and So Much More. You will hear from the personal and professional experiences of Naomi Aaronson, MA OTR/L CET. Naomi has been an occupational therapist for over 31 years. Presently, she teaches in an OTA program and writes continuing education courses. Previously, she worked in many different settings and with varied populations from children to adults specializing in hand therapy and breast cancer. In addition, Naomi is a retired CHT and still uses Pilates in her work with cancer survivors. As co-author of the book Pilates for Breast Cancer Survivors: A Guide to Recovery, Healing, and Wellness, Naomi has sought to bring the Pilates principles as well as occupational therapy insights to the breast cancer population. Joseph Pilates stated, “change happens through movement, and movement heals.” Another gem that Pilates stated was, “ It's the mind that shapes the body.” Naomi believes that as occupational therapists we can be wonderful role models for our patients to live happier, healthier, and more productive lives.

Show Key Points:

·      Naomi gives us a glimpse of her background and interests

·      Naomi describes The Uncommon OT work that she does, the setting and population serves

·      Naomi describes what drew her to this type of work and how she got there

·      Naomi describes a typical day on the job

·      Naomi dispels some myths about the profession

·      Naomi provides her contact information on how she can best be reached

RESOURCE LIST:

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29451666/

Her Book, written for OTs:

https://awomanshealth.com/fitness/pilates-for-breast-cancer-survivors

This is not her 1st podcast: This one is focused on her Breast Cancer work

https://seniorsflourish.libsyn.com/ot-breast-cancer-pilates-w-naomi-aaronson-ot-cht

As always, I welcome any feedback from all of you or if you are interested in being a guest on future episodes, please do not hesitate to contact Patricia Motus at [email protected] or DM via Instagram @transitionsot

 I hope you will continue to LISTEN, FOLLOW, DOWNLOAD & SHARE

The Uncommon OT Series Podcast with all your friends and colleagues! Also. don’t forget to REVIEW!

Q & A only available at:

https://www.wholistic-transitions.com/the-uncommon-ot-series

Happy Listening Everyone! 

Big OT Love!

All views are mine and guests own.

Be a Patron to support The Uncommon OT Series Podcast project via Patreon. 

In this episode, we will be learning about an occupational therapy practitioner working in Maternal Health.  You will hear from the personal and professional experiences of Lisa Westhorpe, MSc, OTR/L, PCES. Lisa is a masters-level qualified occupational therapist and mum of two who has a passion for supporting women during their transition to motherhood. Originally from the UK, she moved to California in 2014, where she lives with her husband and two young daughters. She founded Nurture Occupational Therapy in 2019 after her (not always positive!) experiences in the postnatal period, to provide evidence-based support for the physical and mental health challenges new moms can face. She provides 1:1 Mom Mentoring sessions, and her innovative Growing Together maternal wellness mom & baby groups, where moms can connect and gain confidence in their new parenting role. Lisa is passionate about supporting more occupational therapists to work in maternal health, and is currently training OTs to deliver groups through her online course, OTs In Maternal Health: How To Run Mom & Baby Groups As An OT. She also provides 1:1 mentoring for OTs in maternal health, including business start-up coaching and support; her passion is supporting OTs who are moms themselves to get started in this area of practice, in a way that feels manageable and not overwhelming. Lisa is currently involved in advocacy to ensure occupational therapists are included in maternal health services, and is collaborating with Dr. Carlin Reaume on www.OTsinMaternalHealth.com; a resource for therapists who are interested in supporting new and expectant moms, with a collaborative membership coming soon.

Show Key Points:

·      Lisa gives us a glimpse of her background and interests

·      Lisa describes The Uncommon OT work that she does, the setting and population serves

·      Lisa describes what drew her to this type of work and how she got there

·      Lisa describes a typical day on the job

·      Lisa discusses salary, compensation, and career advice for interested listeners

·      Lisa dispels some myths about the profession

·      Lisa provides her contact information on how she can best be reached

RESOURCE LIST:

www.nurtureot.com

www.instagram.com/nurture.ot,

www.facebook.com/nurtureOT

Clubhouse: @lisawesthorpe

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisawesthorpe/

https://nurtureoccupationaltherapy.vipmembervault.com (Video Course for Maternal Health practice)

www.otsinmaternalheath.com

As always, I welcome any feedback from all of you or if you are interested on being a guest on future episodes, please do not hesitate to contact Patricia Motus at [email protected] or DM via Instagram @transitionsot

 I hope you will continue to LISTEN, FOLLOW, DOWNLOAD & SHARE

The Uncommon OT Series Podcast with all your friends and colleagues!

Q & A only available at:

https://www.wholistic-transitions.com/the-uncommon-ot-series

Happy Listening Everyone! 

Big OT Love!

All views are mine and guests own.

Be a Patron to support The Uncommon OT Series Podcast project via Patreon. 

In this episode, we will be learning about an occupational therapy practitioner working in Telehealth with Refugees & Immigrants in Schools.  You will hear from the professional experiences of Angela Fuentes, OTR/L, BCTS, Angela is a Board Certified Telepractice Specialist and has a Practice Area of Emphasis in Schools from the National Board of Certification for Occupational Therapy. Most of her OT experience has been with diverse populations and she is currently developing her practice with refugees and immigrants. She is a scholar of the Framework of Occupational Justice and is committed to evidence-based practices in diversity, equity, & inclusion, and teletherapy. Angela is currently working towards certification as an Assistive Technology Professional from the Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of North America to better help students with learning differences leverage technology for reading and writing. She holds a Master’s in Occupational Therapy, a Bachelor’s in Psychology, and a Bachelor’s in Health Science from Cleveland State University.

Show Key Points:

·      Angela gives us a glimpse of her background and interests

·      She describes The Uncommon OT work that she does, the setting and population serves

·      She describes what drew her to this type of work and how she got there

·      She describes a typical day on the job

·      She discusses career advice for interested listeners

·      She dispels some myths about the profession

·      She provides her contact information on how she can best be reached

RESOURCE LIST:

The Kawa Model: Culturally Relevant Occupational Therapy by Michael Iwama, 2006 https://www.kawamo del.com/v1/about/ 

WFOT online module, Occupational therapy: working with displaced persons https://www.wfot.org/resources/occupational-therapy-working-with-displaced-persons  

IBCCES Board Certified Telepractice Specialist https://ibcces.org/certifications-telepractice/ 

AOTA Webinar, Local IS Global: Occupational therapy in U.S. Refugee Committees and Abroad, presented by Yda J. Smith, PhD, OTR/L https://www.aota.org/AboutAOTA/Membership/join-webinars-contact-hours.aspx

University of North Dakota Occupational Therapy Capstone, A Home Away from Home: An Occupational Manual for Working with Refugee Populations by Katherine Erickson and Keri Kjergaard, 2017 https://commons.und.edu/ot-grad/349  

Mentors: 

· Dr. John Bazyk, MS, OTR/L, Professor Emeritus at Cleveland State University 

· Dr. Sue Bazyk, PhD, OTR/L, FOTA, Professor Emeritus at Cleveland State University ("LeBron James of School-based OT") 

· Dr. Karen Keptner, PhD, OTR/L, Associate Professor/Doctoral Capstone Coordinator for OTD Program at Cleveland State University 

As always, I welcome any feedback from all of you or if you are interested in being a guest on future episodes, please do not hesitate to contact Patricia Motus at [email protected] or DM via Instagram @transitionsot

We hope you will continue to LISTEN, FOLLOW, SHARE & REVIEW

The Uncommon OT Series Podcast with all your friends and colleagues!

Q & A only available at:

https://www.wholistic-transitions.com/the-uncommon-ot-series

Happy Listening Everyone!

All views are mine and guests own.

Be a Patron to support The Uncommon OT Series Podcast project via Patreon. 

Big OT Love!

In this episode, we will be learning about an occupational therapy practitioner working in Employment and Vocational Services.  You will hear from the personal and professional experiences of Judith Mulder, COTA, CYT, who is a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant with a degree from Mountain Mary College in Yankton, South Dakota. Judith has over 40 years of experience working in mental health OT and started her career working in state hospitals in South Dakota for a wide population of patients including supervising level one and level two students. After moving to New York City, Judith has been working at Mount Sinai Hospital where she provided job coaching services at an integrated continuing day treatment supported employment program. Four years ago, Judith was offered a position as a project coordinator at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai to develop a Vocational Services Program at the Selikoff Centers for Occupational Health. Judith is also a certified Hatha level one yoga instructor, and a certified yoga therapist with over 15 years of experience, teaching mat, chair, and restorative yoga. Judith has provided yoga classes, relaxation, and meditation while working with her patients.

Show Key Points:

·      Judith gives us a glimpse of her background and interests

·      She describes The Uncommon OT work that she does, the setting and population serves

·      She describes what drew her to this type of work and how she got there

·      She describes a typical day on the job

·      She discusses the highs and the lows of the job

·      She discusses salary, compensation, and career advice for interested listeners

·      She dispels some myths about the profession

·      She provides her contact information on how she can best be reached

RESOURCE LIST:

Guest Email: [email protected]

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/judithmulder27/

https://www.mountsinai.org/care/occupational-health

As always, I welcome any feedback from all of you or if you are interested in being a guest on future episodes, please do not hesitate to contact Patricia Motus at [email protected] or DM via Instagram @transitionsot

We hope you enjoyed this episode and that you will continue to LISTEN, FOLLOW & SHARE

The Uncommon OT Series Podcast with all your friends and colleagues!

Q & A only available here at:

https://www.wholistic-transitions.com/the-uncommon-ot-series

Happy Listening Everyone!

Become a Patron to support The Uncommon OT Series Podcast project via Patreon. 

In this episode, we will be learning about the role of Occupational Therapy in Prison Mental Health, an Uncommon OT practice setting for Occupational Therapy practitioners.  You will hear from the professional experiences of Giselle Craswell, OTR/L, an occupational therapist working for the federal prison system in Canada. She has been practicing in prison mental health for over 12 years, and, has a passion for developing and delivering recovery-oriented mental health services in the prison system. Her scholarly focus is in the areas of occupational justice, emotional regulation, sensory intervention, trauma-informed care, and trauma recovery. She has a recent publication in the journal Occupational Therapy in Mental Health (An Integrative Review of Sensory Approaches in Adult Inpatient Mental Health: Implications for Occupational Therapy in Prison-Based Mental Health Services; DOI: 10.1080/0164212X.2020.1853654) Her interests also include aging in prison, mental health interventions for clients with intellectual disabilities in the prison system, and post-traumatic stress in prison workers. She has developed and delivered several mental health programs for the prison hospital where she works, and she provides ongoing education and support to prison staff on trauma, trauma-informed care, recovery-oriented mental health services, emotion regulation, and sensory intervention.

Show Key Points:

·      Gisele gives us a glimpse of her background and interests

·      Gisele describes The Uncommon OT work that she does, the setting and population serves

·      Gisele describes what drew her to this type of work and how she got there

·      Gisele describes a typical day on the job

·      Gisele discusses the highs and the lows of the job

·      Gisele discusses salary, compensation, and career advice for interested listeners

·      Gisele dispels some myths about the profession

·      Gisele provides her contact information on how she can best be reached

RESOURCES:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gisele-craswell-27459009 

Journal Publication: Occupational Therapy in Mental Health (An Integrative Review of Sensory Approaches in Adult Inpatient Mental Health: Implications for Occupational Therapy in Prison-Based Mental Health Services; DOI: 10.1080/0164212X.2020.1853654)

 As always, I welcome any feedback from all of you or if you are interested in being a guest on future episodes, please do not hesitate to contact Patricia Motus at [email protected] or DM via Instagram @transitionsot

We hope you will continue to LISTEN, FOLLOW & SHARE

The Uncommon OT Series Podcast with all your friends and colleagues!

Q & A only available here at:

https://www.wholistic-transitions.com/the-uncommon-ot-series

Happy Listening Everyone!

Become a Patron to support The Uncommon OT Series Podcast project via Patreon. 

In this episode, we will be learning about the role of Occupational Therapy in Domestic Violence Programs, an Uncommon OT practice setting for Occupational Therapy practitioners.  You will hear from the professional experiences of Simone Allen, born on the island of Jamaica. Simone migrated to the United States as a young child. She has always had an interest in the health professions, dreaming of becoming a pediatrician. Having witnessed multiple family members become nurses, she initially thought she would follow suit, until her aunt encouraged her to look into another field. Her interest in occupational therapy piqued as an undergrad, after first hearing about the profession from a fellow classmate. From there, Simone began her research, which led to volunteering at a sensory clinic in New York City. A few years after graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in English, she entered the Occupational Therapy Graduate Program at Mercy College, where she earned a Master of Science degree. Since graduating, Simone has worked in a variety of settings, including early intervention, school, hospital, and home care, working with individuals of all ages and backgrounds. Her interest in and eventual love for mental health developed during a level I observation, which led to a request to continue her level II training at the same facility. Simone worked on an in-patient psychiatric unit for over six years, developing her skills and supervising a number of both level I and II occupational therapy interns. Simone was also the Clinical Fieldwork Coordinator for Beth Israel’s Department of Psychiatry’s Occupational Therapy Program for a number of years, which ultimately led to her first teaching experience as an adjunct faculty member at New York University, where she co-taught the mental health lab course for one semester. In late 2019, Simone became the Occupational Therapy Program Manager at Barrier Free Living, Inc., where she consults to oversee OT programming throughout the agency and supervises OT interns from across the country in providing support and education to survivors of domestic/intimate partner violence and individuals with a variety of disabilities and support staff. One of her greatest passions is mentoring fieldwork students in developing and honing the skills that they will utilize with their clientele, despite the setting they will work in as entry-level practitioners. Simone’s current interests include pelvic floor trainings for occupational therapists, as well as utilizing her OT training to become a future doula!

Show Key Points:

·      Simone gives us a glimpse of her background and what brought her to OT

·      Simone describes The Uncommon OT work that she does, the setting and population serves

·      Simone describes OT groups and a typical day on the job

·      Simone discusses salary, compensation, and career advice for interested listeners

·      Simone dispels some myths about the profession

·      Simone provides her contact and information on how she can be reached

RESOURCES:

Guest Email: [email protected]

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sallenotr

Barrier Free Living www.bflnyc.org

PESI www.pesi.com

Montreal Occupational Therapy Assessment www.mocatest.org

As always, I welcome any feedback from all of you or if you are interested on being a guest on future episodes, please do not hesitate to contact Patricia Motus at [email protected] or DM via Instagram @transitionsot

We hope you will continue to LISTEN, FOLLOW & SHARE

The Uncommon OT Series Podcast with all your friends and colleagues!

Full Q & A only available here at:

https://www.wholistic-transitions.com/the-uncommon-ot-series

Happy Listening Everyone! 

Become a Patron to support The Uncommon OT Series Podcast project via Patreon.   

In this episode, we will be learning about Occupational Therapy in community-based settings and more. You will hear from the professional experiences of Patricia Motus, OTR/L, RYT a Filipina-American occupational therapist, a native New Yorker and a registered yoga teacher with 20 years of direct care experience working in community-based mental health programs in New York City focused on serving those impacted by trauma, domestic violence, homelessness, lack of access and resources, and individuals diagnosed with HIV/AIDS, and co-existing health conditions.  Patricia’s clinical experience includes work with clients with mental health concerns in a variety of settings, models and programs such as hospitals, vocational rehabilitation settings, homeless and domestic violence shelters and programs, sheltered workshops, the school-based settings, adult and geriatric home care services, group homes, and other supported residential settings.  Her experience and passion also extends to academia where she is currently an Adjunct Instructor at Stanbridge University’s OTA program and teaches weekly healing yoga classes at Wholistic Transitions, her Holistic OT Private Practice. 

Show Key Points:

·      Patricia gives us a glimpse of her background and interests

·      Patricia describes The Uncommon OT work that she has done over the years, the settings and populations she served

·      Patricia acknowledges and names OT pioneers in each setting

·      Patricia describes how each position led to the other

·      Patricia describes OT treatment activities and types of groups

·      Patricia discusses what she’s taken away from each position

·      Patricia discusses the thriving OT internship program 

RESOURCE LIST:

[email protected]

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patricia-motus-otr-l-ryt-a26a999/

Website: www.transitionsot.com

Facebook: Transitions OT

Twitter: transitionsOT

IG: @transitionsot

United Cerebral Palsy

https://www.adaptcommunitynetwork.org/

Mount Sinai Medical Center https://www.mountsinai.org/care/occupational-health/services-programs/patient-services/careers-vocational-services

New York Presbyterian Hospital

https://www.nyp.org/psychiatry

Barrier Free Living https://www.bflnyc.org/

Village Care https://www.villagecare.org/

Project Renewal https://www.projectrenewal.org/how-we-innovate-occupational-therapy

Stanbridge University https://www.stanbridge.edu/

Wholistic Transitions www.wholistic-transitions.com 

Therapeutic Play Foundation https://www.therapeuticplayfoundation.org/mommy-matters.html

As always, I welcome any feedback from all of you or if you are interested in being a guest on future episodes, please do not hesitate to contact Patricia Motus at [email protected] or DM via Instagram @transitionsot

We hope you will LISTEN, FOLLOW & SHARE

The Uncommon OT Series Podcast with all your friends and colleagues! You can find us on Spotify, Stitcher, Apple & Google Podcasts.   

Happy Listening Everyone!

Become a Patron to support The Uncommon OT Series Podcast project Via Patreon.   

Hello, friends, my name is Patricia. I'm the transitions OT, and I'm your host for the Uncommon OT Series podcast. I just wanted to come in and introduce myself and tell you a little bit about what inspired me to start this podcast. Now, like many other OTS out there, I'm always curious and excited to hear about what colleagues were doing where and with whom. And really having been an uncommon OT myself for most of my career, I have gravitated to those who are in similar unconventional shoes. I was fortunate to find an amazing community in New York City where I practiced for the past 20 years, a group of innovative and supportive mental health clinicians from all specialties. You've probably heard of their work, and read some of their publications. Seriously though, what a luxury. So, after moving across the country, the pandemic made it really difficult to connect and meet new OT colleagues in person. It, however, offered me the opportunity to extend my reach virtually, and really connect with fellow OTPs across the globe, exposing me to other Uncommon OTs, bravely soloing it out there, worldwide. So, what I quickly realized was that I was not alone and that there were others out there who might benefit from the exposure, the guidance, the support, and the community. And that, I also learned that these OTS wanted to share their stories. So this really inspired me to have conversations with these remarkable individuals, and to create a safe space, which cultivates, inspires, and informs OTPs and future OTPs of these unique roles and these unconventional practice settings. So many thanks for following me so far, on this fresh and exciting journey. I look forward to introducing you to these remarkable clinicians who work in these unconventional settings. Stay tuned!

As always, I welcome any feedback or if you are interested in being a guest on future episodes, please do not hesitate to contact Patricia Motus at [email protected] or DM via Instagram @transitionsot

We hope you will LISTEN, RATE, FOLLOW, SUBSCRIBE & SHARE The Uncommon OT Series Podcast with all your friends and colleagues! You can find the latest episodes here at www.transitionsot.com or on Spotify, Stitcher, Apple & Google Podcasts. 

Happy Listening Everyone!

Be a Patron & Support The Uncommon OT Series Podcast project via Patreon!

NOTE: This podcast was transcribed by a free AI transcription tool called Otter. Please forgive any typos or errors.

A Monthly Series where we feature & applaud the unique work of Occupational Therapists (OTs) currently working in emerging & non traditional practice areas…settings where OT is Uncommon. Listen to an up close and personal conversation, hear their stories, motivations, personal tips and advice on how to get started and even get a glimpse of a typical day in these settings.

Be prepared to be informed, inspired and motivated as you hear their journey to these unique OT roles in unconventional settings.