Ariana Gonzalez, OTD, OTR/L, CTP: OT with Justice-Involved Individuals
In this post, we will be learning about an occupational therapy practitioner working with justice-involved individuals. You will hear from the personal and professional experiences of Ariana Gonzalez, OTD, OTR/L, CTP. Ariana is the occupational therapist, executive director and founder of LAITR, LLC (Life After Incarceration: Transition and Reentry). She works solely with justice-involved individuals reentering the community post-incarceration. Dr. Gonzalez is Michigan-based although this work originated in St. Louis, Missouri. Ariana mentors and supervises level II fieldwork and DEC OT students, teaching them how to work with this population. Ariana also has experience working with program development for people experiencing homelessness and supervising the students in the clinic in St. Louis. Ariana has worked in various settings with her heart always bringing her back to working with underserved populations and fighting systems barriers.
Q & A with Ariana:
Please tell us a little about yourself and a few favorite occupations.
I love cats! I have two (Pickles and Peppers). I workout regularly and go on 2 mile walks every weekday morning, it helps keep me emotionally and physically ready for the day. I have become an avid reader lately and my friends and I have a monthly book club. I don't have a TV but when I do have access to one, I'm a fan of Schitt's Creek, Handmaids Tale and The Office. I also like to write poetry and I even published a book earlier this year. I like to hang out with my family, friends, partner and new baby niece Sophia.
What motivated you to contribute to this podcast series?
I love the idea of connecting uncommon OTs to each other and to the profession at large. I also really could have used something like this when I was a student. I was very passionate but it took me a few years in the field and going back to school to get the confidence to start my own "uncommon OT" practice, mostly due to lack of examples out there. I hope this inspires students to follow their passion.
Please describe the UncommonOT work that you do and the setting in which you work, the population you serve and the needs that you address.
I work with justice involved individuals (JII) transitioning back into the community from jail or prison. I work with people in the community as well as people who are currently incarcerated. We work with a lot of "life skills", IADLs and habits and routines.
What inspired you or drew you to this type of OT work?
I cannot pretend that a very personal experience growing up with someone in my family in and out of the justice system, homelessness and substance use did not significantly impact me. This experience opened my eyes to the trauma that usually underlies people taking the paths that lead to incarceration and it raised my awareness for the unmet needs of people suffering.
How did you get there? Can you describe your path?
I worked in the field for 2 years after getting my masters, taking PRN positions to try to find something that made me feel fulfilled, but nothing did it because I just kept seeing systems level barriers to quality care. I kept seeing people fall through the path. I lost my passion and decided I needed to change something. I went back to school for my post-professional doctorate with my focus on program development for underserved populations. This experience as well as the highly underdiscussed benefit of mentorship gave me the skills and confidence to follow my heart. I sought advice from my program director on how to enter this field and my doctoral project turned into the pilot for my business. The pilot went well, I decided it was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life and took a leap of faith in starting a business. It's still new and I'm still learning a lot every day. Still seeking more contracts and seeking to expand.
Please describe a typical day or OT session at your uncommon setting? What OT skills do you utilize?
Every day is very different because LAITR is a blend of different contracts. I usually have students so much of my day, I'm supervising them, providing feedback or insights. We work both via telehealth and in person when able. We ALWAYS focus on therapeutic use of self and use a trauma informed lens. Trust and rapport is by far the most important focus when working with this population. Until we gain trust, we cannot really help them make progress towards goals or get their buy-in to try new things.
Can you talk about some recent highs (successes) and lows (challenges) of your current role?
Highs: a recent breakthrough with a client where there was a noticeable shift in participation and rapport with me this week as compared to the last 3 weeks. It's an amazing feeling when you feel that breakthrough with the clients who have the hardest time trusting. Another high is that I'm in the process of talking with colleagues about starting a poetry/expression project here in the jail. Lows: LAITR recently (within this last month) lost a big contract very abruptly. This was significant not only financially but every single one of our clients were so upset, as were we. This was extremely difficult and not something I've shared with many people yet but it's important to share both the highs and the lows with future entrepreneurs so you know what to expect.
How do you continue to learn in order to stay on top of things within your role?
Students sort of force you to continue to stay connected to research, they bring good ideas and they ask thought-provoking questions. Additionally, I seek mentorship from OTs as well as an accountant to handle the business side of things. I strive to make connections with as many people as I can via networking to learn about what else is happening for this population in my area so I can stay up-to-date on resources as well as get ideas for how to better market what LAITR offers.
Can you share a little bit about salary and compensation in this setting? How do OT or the services you provide get funded?
I'm the only OT at this time and hoping to hire 1-2 by next year! I get paid from state or county departments who get paid through reentry grants. I am a contractor and contracts look different depending on the funder and what works best for the situation and need.
Any career advice for our followers and listeners on how to get started on this path?
Seek mentorship! Mentorship, mentorship, mentorship! Seriously. Also, please force yourself to network. As an introvert, I never wanted to accept the importance of this but it is everything when you're starting your own business.
What’s a common myth or misconception about your job/role you’d like to call out or demystify?
That people who go to jail or prison are bad people. I have not met one bad person yet. I have met the most resilient, strong and deeply hurt people doing this work. They also have to deal with a lot of oppression being in a system that takes away their voice and then expects them to know how to use it positively upon release. We have unrealistic expectations and not enough compassion for this population as a whole.
How do we find you , follow you, be in touch with you, and promote your unique work?
www.lifeafterincarceration.com is my website and you can contact me through there follow me on linked in as well as instagram to see and share important updates https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-ariana-gonzalez-she-her-0abb0781/
@laitrllc (instagram)
Lastly, although my book is unrelated to this (except for 1 chapter), it's called Slightly Burnt Toast and is available on amazon. https://www.amazon.com/Slightly-Burnt-Toast-Self-Acceptance-Relatable-ebook/dp/B08Y76YC8C
I'm launching a read along so if you end up buying it and connecting with it, find me on my personal instagram to participate.
RESOURCES:
Life After Incarceration: Transition and Re-Entry https://www.lifeafterincarceration.com/
Life Skills Workbook: https://www.lifeafterincarceration.com/life-skills-workbook
Interest profiler on ONET: https://www.mynextmove.org/explore/ip
As always, I welcome any feedback & ideas 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 transitionsot@gmail.com or DM via Instagram @transitionsot
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