The Uncommon OT Series Podcast
Practicing Differently. Belonging Fully.
Every episode is a window into an OT practice that doesn’t follow the script — and that’s exactly the point.
These conversations highlight practitioners weaving OT into unexpected spaces: from justice work to tech, from somatic healing to community design. They reflect the values of trauma-informed storytelling — centering voice, autonomy, and meaning.
By listening, you not only gain inspiration — you also witness the evolving definition of what OT is and where it belongs.
These are the voices of occupational therapy practitioners applying their OT lens in role-emerging and non-traditional practice areas doing deeply needed work in places often underserved or misunderstood….settings where OT is uncommon.
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une in to feel seen, GET INSPIRED.
Kate Burke, OTR/L: OT in Emerging Practice Fieldwork Placement
In this episode, we will be learning about an occupational therapy practitioner working in an emerging practice fieldwork placement. You will hear from the personal and professional experiences of Kate Burke, OTR/L. Kate graduated with a BS in Occupational Therapy from Worcester State University and a Certificate of Gerontology Studies from the Colleges of the Worcester Consortium in 1998. She has worked in skilled nursing and acute rehabilitation for the past 20 years. Currently, she works as an Occupational Therapist on an acute rehab unit, serves as an adjunct faculty member at Bristol Community College, and frequently supervises fieldwork students. Kate is currently enrolled in the post-professional OTD program at the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences and is eagerly anticipating graduation in December of this year. As part of her Capstone project, Kate is completing a research study about emerging-practice fieldwork. It is her belief that occupational therapy should play a larger role in addressing social determinants of health, and that emerging-practice fieldwork is means of expanding the role of occupational therapy in community-based wellness. Outside of her work roles, Kate is mom to two teenagers, an avid reader and crafter, a rookie gardener, and a lover of naps!
Show Key Points:
• Kate gives us a glimpse of her background and interests
• Kate describes The Uncommon OT work that she does, the setting and population serves
• Kate describes what drew her to this type of work and how she got there
• Kate describes a typical day on the job
• Kate discusses salary, compensation, and career advice for interested listeners
• Kate dispels some myths about the profession
• Kate provides her contact information on how she can best be reached
RESOURCES:
Emerging-Practice Fieldwork Capstone: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1AzzSIQCheXk3BWkNUEKtGYxw_PQM_6M6B1Ykifw9Imc/edit?usp=sharing
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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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.
Clarice Grote, MS, OTR/L: OT in Policy & Advocacy
In this episode, we will be learning about an occupational therapy practitioner working in Policy & Advocacy. You will hear from the personal and professional experiences of Clarice Grote, MS, OTR/L. Clarice is the founder of Amplify OT and an occupational therapist with experience in acute care, outpatient, lymphedema, and home health. Clarice has served as the Missouri Occupational Therapy Association’s Director of Practice (‘19-’21), AOTA’s Home and Community Health Special Interest Section Advocacy and Policy Coordinator (‘18-’21) and currently serves as an American Occupational Therapy Political Action Committee (AOTPAC) Ambassador. Clarice is an accomplished speaker and author on Medicare policy, value-based care, and advocacy.
Show Key Points:
• Clarice gives us a glimpse of her background and interests
• Clarice describes The Uncommon OT work that she does, the setting and population serves
• Clarice describes what drew her to this type of work and how she got there
• Clarice describes a typical day on the job
• Clarice discusses salary, compensation, and career advice for interested listeners
• Clarice dispels some myths about the profession
• Clarice provides her contact information on how she can best be reached
RESOURCE LIST:
Amy, Vicky, and Andy Child Pornography Victim Assistance Act: https://www.aota.org/Advocacy-Policy/Congressional-Affairs/Legislative-Issues-Update/2018/Amy-Vicky-Andy-Act-Passed.aspx
My Pain Management article as a student: https://www.aota.org/Advocacy-Policy/Congressional-Affairs/Legislative-Issues-Update/2017/Pain-Management-Survey-CMS-Reimbursement.aspx
Amplifyot.com - they can sign up for my newsletter on my home page
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 transitionsot@gmail.com or DM via Instagram @transitionsot
We hope you will continue to LISTEN, FOLLOW, DOWNLOAD, REVIEW & 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.
Naomi Aaronson, MA, OTR/L, CET, CPI: OT in Academia and Much More
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 on being a guest on future episodes, please do not hesitate to contact Patricia Motus at transitionsot@gmail.com or DM via Instagram @transitionsot
We 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.
Lisa Westhorpe, MSc, OTR/L, PCES: OT in Maternal Health
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 transitionsot@gmail.com or DM via Instagram @transitionsot
We 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.
Angela Fuentes, OTR/L, BCTS: OT in Telehealth with Refugees & Immigrants in Schools
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 on being a guest on future episodes, please do not hesitate to contact Patricia Motus at transitionsot@gmail.com 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!
Judith Mulder, COTA, CYT: OT in Employment & Vocational Services
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 OT 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:
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 on being a guest on future episodes, please do not hesitate to contact Patricia Motus at transitionsot@gmail.com 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 at:
https://www.wholistic-transitions.com/the-uncommon-ot-series
Happy Listening Everyone!
Be a Patron to support The Uncommon OT Series Podcast project via Patreon.
All views are mine and guests own.
Gisele Craswell, OTR/L: OT in Prison Mental Health
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 OT 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 on being a guest on future episodes, please do not hesitate to contact Patricia Motus at transitionsot@gmail.com 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 at:
https://www.wholistic-transitions.com/the-uncommon-ot-series
Happy Listening Everyone!
Be a Patron to support The Uncommon OT Series Podcast project via Patreon.
All views are mine and guests own.
Simone Allen, MS, OTR/L: OT in Domestic Violence Programs
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 the highs and the lows of 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: s.allen.otr@gmail.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sallenotr
Barrier Free Living www.bflnyc.org
PESI www.pesi.com
Montreal Occupational Therapy Assessment www.mocatest.org
Certified Clinical Trauma Professional Training https://catalog.pesi.com/sales/bh_c_001376evg_treatingcomplextrauma_organic-127314
Certified Mental Health Integrative Medicine Provider (CMHIMP) Training Course: Nutritional and Integrative medicine https://catalog.pesi.com/sales/bh_c_afc001278evg_16_nimcert_012320_organic-113913
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 transitionsot@gmail.com 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 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.
All views are mine and guests own.
Patricia Motus, OTR/L RYT: OT in Community-Based Mental Health settings and more
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
RESOURCES:
Email: transitionsot@gmail.com
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 transitionsot@gmail.com 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.
All views are mine and guests own.
What inspired the Uncommon OT Series?
Podcast host Patricia Motus, OTR/L RYT welcomes listeners and followers to the show and talks about what inspired her to launch the Uncommon OT Series.
All views are mine.
Click below to support The Uncommon OT Series project via Patreon