Cheryl Albright, OTR/L, C-IAYT: OT in Yoga Therapy
In this post, we will learn from Cheryl Albright, OTR/L, C-IAYT an occupational therapist who specializes in Yoga Therapy. Cheryl grew up with an older brother with autism and an aunt with down syndrome. She began working with the disability community when she was 14 at Rotary Camp Onsewaya. She is a graduate of East Carolina University and has been an occupational therapist for 20 years. She began using yoga in clinical practice 13 years ago when she discovered Yoga for the Special Child ®. She is her brother’s legal guardian and advocate. Cheryl currently resides in Bradenton Florida and owns a yoga-based private practice, Soul To Soul Yoga.
Q & A with Cheryl:
Please tell us a little about yourself.
I am the CEO/founder of Soul To Soul Yoga located in Sarasota Fl. I grew up in a small farm town with an older brother on the profound end of the autism spectrum. He is nonspeaking as an adult. I am a science nerd at heart and enjoy making soap and sourdough bread. I also like garden, travel, and hang out with dogs.
What motivated you to contribute to this podcast series?
I listened to a few podcast episodes and enjoyed the interviews. I am currently practicing in uncommon OT work and have other OTs reach out how I am doing what I am doing. This way I can share the interview.
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 use yoga as a treatment modality. Some therapists use water or aquatic therapy. Other therapists use horses and call it HIPPO or equine-assisted. I am using yoga. I am most known for working with people that have a developmental disability, neurological disorders, and trauma.
What inspired you or drew you to this type of OT work?
2009 I took Yoga for the Special Child. I was about 6 years out of OT school and was looking for something. One week in Sarasota FL sounded like fun.
How did you get there? Can you describe your path?
After taking the course, I went back to the school that I was working for and tried the method with a few students. I started to see amazing progress. I was able to do traveling therapy for a number of years while I continued to take more training and tried the method in a variety of settings including SNF, outpatient/inpatient pediatrics, inpatient adolescent psychiatric, and acute care.
Please describe a typical day or OT session in your uncommon setting. What OT skills do you utilize?
My typical day is a mix of in-office and contract work in the community. We do provide some home visits and limit those to people who truly need it. There is a mix of small groups and individual sessions. The 8 limbs of yoga fit into all OT frames of reference.
Can you talk about some recent highs (successes) and lows (challenges) of your current role?
I am currently learning how to run the business versus just having given myself a job. The business side has both highs and lows. It is always hard when community partners don’t get their grant they were hoping for to include our services in their program. When we do take on contracts, it is always exciting.
How do you continue to learn in order to stay on top of things within your role?
I continue my yoga education anytime I can. I have to stay completely present when I am with clients. I also receive coaching for the business side and leadership skills.
Can you share a little bit about salary and compensation in this setting? How do OT or the services you provide get funded?
We get paid in a variety of ways. We have contracts with the local school district, adolescent psychiatric facilities, summer camps, and other corporations. For private sessions, we take government insurance- Medicare, Medicaid, and Tricare. We were taking commercial policies until April of this year and Atnea paid us 44 cents.
Any career advice for our followers and listeners on how to get started on this path?
Yoga is not just a physical practice. You have to be trained. I was interviewed by a PT once that kept saying he could teach just because of his PT training. This is not true. You also don’t need an MBA or SBA. Good business coaching to help set things up for success is invaluable.
What’s a common myth or misconception about your job/role you’d like to call out or demystify?
I am “just yoga”. I am not even sure what that means. The OT brain never turns off. I think it goes back to the western idea of yoga as only physical and used for fitness.
How do we find you, follow you, be in touch with you, and promote your unique work?
The easiest way to find me is through my website- www.soultosoulyogasrq.com or email at cheryl@soultosoulyogasrq.com. We are active on Facebook and Instagram @soultosoulyogasrq
Please list any resources you would like me to include with your Show Notes (courses, articles, assessments, tools, etc.)
https://www.wpspublish.com/qnst-3r-quick-neurological-screening-test-third-edition-revised
www.specialyoga.com (where I was trained)
https://soultosoulyogasrq.com/ceus/
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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