In this episode, we will learn from Bill Wong, OTD, OTR/L and Occupational Therapist who is a speaker and producer of TEDx Events. Bill has been practicing occupational therapy for 10 years. His primary setting is in skilled nursing facility settings. He also is an adjunct instructor and thesis advisor for Stanbridge University's MSOT program as well as an active member of AOTA. He has served in the Representative Assembly in 2017-2020, Volunteer Leadership Development Committee in 2020-2022, and currently is a co-facilitator for the Autism community of practice group. Bill is also an OT conference junkie, as he has attended 50 OT conferences inside and outside of the United States thus far in his career. Finally, aside from having 3 TEDx talks under his name as a speaker, Bill has been an active TEDx event licensee since 2018. He has produced 23 TEDx talks as of this recording and is planning to produce more in the coming years.

Show Key Points:

• Bill tells us about some of his favorite occupations

• He describes his current uncommon OT work and whom he serves

• He describes his path and vision for occupational therapy

• He provides OT practitioners with valuable career advice

• He provides resources and his contact information

Resources & Contact:

TEDxHub- TED’s version of CommunOT. https://tedxhub.ted.com/login

Solving for x podcast- podcast on tips and tricks on organizing TEDx events. https://on.soundcloud.com/kvusd

TEDxCommunity Hangout recordings (you can access them once you are able to get into TEDxHub)- more tips and tricks on organizing TEDx events

Twitter: @BillWongOT

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bill-wong-24492a18

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

THANK YOU for LISTENING, FOLLOWING, DOWNLOADING, RATING, REVIEWING & SHARING “The Uncommon OT Series” Podcast with all your OTP friends and colleagues!

Full Episodes and Q & A only available at:

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

Sign Up NOW for the Transitions OT Email List to Receive the FREE

Updated List of Uncommon OT Practice Settings

https://www.wholistic-transitions.com/transitionsot

For Non-Traditional OT Practice Mentorship w/ Patricia:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeC3vI5OnK3mLrCXACEex-5ReO8uUVPo1EUXIi8FKO-FCfoEg/viewform

BIG THANKS to our sponsor Picmonic & Truelearn. Follow the link below and USE DISCOUNT CODE “TransitionsOT” to Score 20% OFF Your PICMONIC Membership today! https://www.picmonic.com/viphookup/TRANSITIONSOTLBL23

Happy Listening Friends!

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 learn from Joy Doll, OTD, OTR/L. Dr. Doll is an occupational therapist who specializes in Informatics. In 2023, she launched her own consulting firm to support organizations to bridge health care and social care, Hello Better Healthcare, LLC. She is Associate Professor and Program Director of Health Informatics at Creighton University. Prior to launching Hello Better Healthcare, Dr. Doll was the Vice President of Community Programs for CyncHealth. In this role, Joy supported cross-sector partnerships to build a social determinants of health ecosystem that includes community-based organizations, health information technology, 211 and health care organizations. She led the first EHR integration of health care and social care in the state of Nebraska. She is a passionate advocate for health equity supporting programs like the Health and Dwelling, a Medical Respite for the Homeless and the Greater Omaha Pathways Hub. 

Prior to joining CyncHealth, Joy served as the Inaugural Executive Director for establishing the Center for Interprofessional Education and Research (CIPER) where she was engaged with CHI Health to develop, establish, and study an interprofessional clinical learning environment. She was the Vice Chair of the Department of Occupational Therapy in the School of Pharmacy and Health Professions at Creighton University. During her time at the CU, she was also the director of a Post Professional OTD Program where she was responsible for recruitment and retention of students, managing student issues, and maintaining program excellence. 

Joy is author of the textbook Grant Writing and Program Development for Occupational Therapy Practitioners: Making the Connection and over 50 book chapters or peer reviewed journal publications. She is a sought after pocaster and speaker including the 2018 TEDx Talk entitled Cultivating Collaboration in Health Care: The Journey of an Accidental Expert. Joy earned her Doctor of Occupational Therapy degree in 2003 from Creighton University. In May 2022, she completed a miniMBA from University of Arizona as a recipient of the Common Spirit Equity Impact Scholarship.

Show Key Points:

• Joy shares about her background and some of her favorite occupations

• She describes what inspires her to do this work

• She describes her current uncommon OT work

• She describes her path and vision

• She provides OT practitioners with valuable career advice

• She provides valuable resources and her contact information

Resources & Contact:

Twitter: @joyot

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joy-doll-80581876

Website www.hellobetterhealthcare.com

Email me joy@hellobetterhealthcare.com

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

THANK YOU for LISTENING, FOLLOWING, DOWNLOADING, RATING, REVIEWING & SHARING “The Uncommon OT Series” Podcast with all your OTP friends and colleagues!

Full Episodes and Q & A only available at:

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

Sign Up NOW for the Transitions OT Email List to Receive the FREE

Updated List of Uncommon OT Practice Settings

https://www.wholistic-transitions.com/transitionsot

For Non-Traditional OT Practice Mentorship w/ Patricia:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeC3vI5OnK3mLrCXACEex-5ReO8uUVPo1EUXIi8FKO-FCfoEg/viewform

BIG THANKS to our sponsor Picmonic & Truelearn. Follow the link below and USE DISCOUNT CODE “TransitionsOT” to Score 20% OFF Your PICMONIC Membership today! https://www.picmonic.com/viphookup/TRANSITIONSOTLBL23

Happy Listening Friends!

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 learn from Ashley Reina, BSc. OT. Ashley is an Occupational Therapist in Health Technology who builds practice management and electronic medical record software. She is a graduate of Univ of Alberta in 2005. She has worked in pediatrics most of her career with a love for private practice. She is a visionary and lifelong learner with superpowers including awareness and vulnerability, which makes room for lots of self-reflections and growth opportunities in life. She is a mom to 3 littles, 2 boys 11, 8 and 1 girl - 8 months old. Throughout her day, she loves to build in moments of yoga, meditation, walking and swimming. She loves the water and being by the water, swimming, paddle boarding, and just watching.

Show Key Points:

• Ashley tells us about her background and some of her favorite occupations

• She describes what inspired her to do this work

• She describes her current uncommon OT work and whom he serves

• She describes her path and vision

• She provides OT practitioners with valuable career advice

• She provides valuable resources and her contact information

Resources & Contact:

FB - https://www.facebook.com/TherabyteApp

Insta - https://www.instagram.com/therabyteapp/

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashley-reina-03b811146/

LinkedIn -https://www.linkedin.com/company/therabyte/ https://therabyte.app

Email: ashley@therabyte.ca

6 minute demo - http://bit.ly/Therabyte-6-minute-demo

Connect for a discovery call - https://tidycal.com/therabyteapp/therabyte-discovery-call

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

THANK YOU for LISTENING, FOLLOWING, DOWNLOADING, RATING, REVIEWING & SHARING “The Uncommon OT Series” Podcast with all your OTP friends and colleagues!

Full Episodes and Q & A only available at:

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

Sign Up NOW for the Transitions OT Email List to Receive the FREE

Updated List of Uncommon OT Practice Settings

https://www.wholistic-transitions.com/transitionsot

For Non-Traditional OT Practice Mentorship w/ Patricia:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeC3vI5OnK3mLrCXACEex-5ReO8uUVPo1EUXIi8FKO-FCfoEg/viewform

BIG THANKS to our sponsors Picmonic & Truelearn. Follow the link below and USE DISCOUNT CODE “TransitionsOT” to Score 20% OFF Your PICMONIC Membership today! https://www.picmonic.com/viphookup/TRANSITIONSOTLBL23

Happy Listening Friends!

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 learn from Dr. Sakshi Tickoo (she/her). Sakshi is a brown, queer Occupational Therapist and Sexuality counselor from Mumbai, India working in the areas of sexuality, relationships, and mental health across the lifespan. She is the founder of Sex, Love, And OT—an inclusive, educational telehealth platform that focuses on sexual rights and liberation through education, centering pleasure, and facilitating freedom of occupational engagement in sexuality for people globally. She is also the author of SexCare—a self-help guide designed for solo and partnered pleasure through the use of sensations and self-care routine. Other aspects of her work include collaborating with other allies, advocates, educators, and NGOs around the world to advance sexuality education and research, sex worker and assault/abuse survivor healthcare, and advocating for sexuality in Occupational Therapy & Sciences across various practice areas and settings. In her spare time, she combines her love for technology, art, and sexuality through content creation, writing, and curating resources on Instagram.

Show Key Points:

• Sakshi tells us about her background and favorite occupations

• She describes what inspired her to do this work

• She describes her current uncommon OT work and whom he serves

• She describes her path and vision

• She provides OT practitioners with valuable career advice

• She provides valuable resources and her contact information

Resources and Contact:

The best way to connect with me is via my email: sex.love.andot@gmail.com.

Other ways to stay in touch or follow my work include:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sex.love.andot/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SexLoveAndOT/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sexloveandot

Website: https://www.sexloveandot.com/

Email: sex.love.andot@gmail.com

SexCare Book: https://www.amazon.com/SexCare-Dr-Sakshi-Tickoo/dp/9393809909

Horn OT Please (Podcast): https://anchor.fm/hornotplease

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

THANK YOU for LISTENING, FOLLOWING, DOWNLOADING, RATING, REVIEWING & SHARING “The Uncommon OT Series” Podcast with all your OTP friends and colleagues!

Full Episodes and Q & A only available at:

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

Sign Up NOW for the Transitions OT Email List to Receive the FREE

Updated List of Uncommon OT Practice Settings

https://www.wholistic-transitions.com/transitionsot

For Non-Traditional OT Practice Mentorship w/ Patricia:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeC3vI5OnK3mLrCXACEex-5ReO8uUVPo1EUXIi8FKO-FCfoEg/viewform

BIG THANKS to our sponsors Picmonic & Truelearn. Follow the link below and USE DISCOUNT CODE “TransitionsOT” to Score 20% OFF Your PICMONIC Membership today! https://www.picmonic.com/viphookup/TRANSITIONSOTLBL23

Happy Listening Friends!

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 learn from David Merlo, MS, COTA/L, CPRP, ROH. He is an OTP and is managing director of Restoration Society,Inc, a peer-operated community mental health agency Buffalo, NY founded upon the recovery vision that all individuals can lead active lives filled with hope and satisfaction and make valuable contributions to our community. For 8 years prior he was the founding director of the Occupational Therapy Assistant Program at Bryant and Stratton College in Rochester, NY. Prior to that, he was professor and academic fieldwork coordinator for over 18 years at Erie Community College in Buffalo, NY. Trained through Boston University Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation, David is a Certified Psychiatric Rehabilitation Practitioner (CPRP) in addition to being a licensed COTA. He completed graduate studies in assistive and rehabilitation technology at University at Buffalo OT Department and Center for Assistive Technology (CAT). He earned an MS degree at Buffalo State College, focusing on adult education with emphasis on technology and supporting students with disabilities. David has presented at numerous conferences and co-authored articles on psychiatric rehabilitation, mental health recovery, assistive technology, and the role of occupational therapy assistants in clinical and community practice. He currently serves on the board of Haiti Rehabilitation Foundation, an organization that supports the first and only school in Haiti with four-year degree programs in both OT and PT. He serves in a leadership capacity with the Consortium of Psychiatric Rehabilitation Educators, an interprofessional community of practice. He is a past director of AOTA Board of Directors, and a past representative of the AOTA Representative Assembly. He has served in numerous leadership and volunteer capacities within New York State Occupational Therapy Association.

Show Key Points:

• David tells us about his background and favorite occupations

• He describes what inspired him to do this work

• He describes his current uncommon OT work and whom he serves

• He describes his path and vision for occupational therapy

• He provides OT practitioners with valuable career advice

• He provides resources and his contact information

RESOURCES:

http://www.davidmerlo.com/ (my personal website)

https://www.haitirehab.org/ (I'm on the board of Haiti Rehabilitation Foundation) Haiti Rehabilitation Foundation (HRF) is a non-profit, 501c3 organization founded with the mission of educating Haitians in the art and science of Physical and Occupational Therapy.

https://cpr.bu.edu/ Boston University College of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences: Sargent College: Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation. This center has led much of the research and development of the Psychiatric Rehabilitation Model

https://helpinghandsandbeyond.org/ A nonprofit humanitarian organization established and dedicated to educate and promote wellness, by encouraging and stimulating healing and recovery. The organization's primary project is Clinic Du Nazareen which provides general health care services, rehabilitation, community development, and mobile clinics throughout Miragoane, Haiti and the surrounding villages. My friend Bergson Louis Jacques, OTR, is the director. I've traveled with him several times to Haiti to help with their clinic.

https://rsiwny.org/ Restoration Society, Inc. (where I serve as Managing Director). Restoration Society, Inc. programs are peer empowered rehabilitation communities founded upon the recovery vision that all individuals can lead active lives filled with hope and satisfaction and make valuable contributions to our community.

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

THANK YOU for LISTENING, FOLLOWING, DOWNLOADING, RATING, REVIEWING & SHARING “The Uncommon OT Series” Podcast with all your OTP friends and colleagues!

Full Episodes and Q & A only available at:

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

Sign Up NOW for the Transitions OT Email List to Receive the FREE

Updated List of Uncommon OT Practice Settings

https://www.wholistic-transitions.com/transitionsot

For Non-Traditional OT Practice Mentorship w/ Patricia:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeC3vI5OnK3mLrCXACEex-5ReO8uUVPo1EUXIi8FKO-FCfoEg/viewform

BIG THANKS to our sponsors Picmonic & Truelearn. Follow the link below and USE DISCOUNT CODE “TransitionsOT” to Score 20% OFF Your PICMONIC Membership today! https://www.picmonic.com/viphookup/TRANSITIONSOTLBL23

Happy Listening Friends!

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 learn from Amber Edwards, OTR/L, RKC (she/her) an occupational therapist who specializes in Fitness & Kettlebell Training. Amber graduated from Ithaca College from the BS/MS Occupational Therapy program in 2018 and 2019, respectively. Currently, she is a Travel Occupational Therapist in NYC working with the geriatric population in SNFs. In addition to being an OT, Amber is also passionate about fitness. At Ithaca College, Amber was a 2x All-American hurdler and captain on the Women’s Track and Field team and currently enjoys strength training with kettlebells as a Certified Russian Kettlebell Coach (RKC) and Dynamic Sports Performance Certified Coach (DSPCC). Amber is also a podcaster as she created her own podcast in 2020 called “Reaching your pOTential”. The initial mission of the podcast was to present her individual experiences as a new grad OT, but has transitioned now to empower and highlight other people of color (POC) in OT and beyond. Overall, the vision of the podcast is to engage and inspire all OTPs and others to reach their fullest potential in life.

Show Key Points:

• Amber tells us about her background and favorite occupations

• She describes what inspired her to do this work and her path

• She describes her uncommon OT work and whom she serves

• She provides OT practitioners with valuable career advice

• She provides direction, resources and his contact information

CONTACT & RESOURCES:

IG: @thick.amb.fit

Email: a.edwards.otrl@gmail.com

Website: www.thickambfit.com

Turkish Get Up Manual: https://www.thickambfit.com/shop/p/turkish-get-up-manual

Training Consultation: https://www.thickambfit.com/shop/p/training-consultation

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

THANK YOU for LISTENING, FOLLOWING, DOWNLOADING, RATING, REVIEWING & SHARING “The Uncommon OT Series” Podcast with all your OTP friends and colleagues!

Full Episodes and Q & A only available at:

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

Sign Up NOW for the Transitions OT Email List to Receive the FREE

Updated List of Uncommon OT Practice Settings

https://www.wholistic-transitions.com/transitionsot 

For Non-Traditional OT Practice Mentorship w/ Patricia:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeC3vI5OnK3mLrCXACEex-5ReO8uUVPo1EUXIi8FKO-FCfoEg/viewform

BIG THANKS to our sponsor Picmonic. Follow the link below and USE DISCOUNT CODE “TransitionsOT” to Score 20% OFF Your PICMONIC Membership today! https://www.picmonic.com/viphookup/TRANSITIONSOTLBL23

Happy Listening Friends!

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 learn from Cheryl Albright, OTR/L 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.

Show Key Points:

·      Cheryl tells us about her background and favorite occupations

·      She describes what inspired her to do this work

·      She describes her uncommon OT work and the individuals she serves

·      She describes a typical day in her non-traditional setting

·      She provides OT practitioners with valuable career advice

·      She provides direction, resources, and contact information

RESOURCES:

https://www.wpspublish.com/qnst-3r-quick-neurological-screening-test-third-edition-revised

www.specialyoga.com (where I was trained) 

https://soultosoulyogasrq.com/ceus/

www.specialsib.com

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

THANK YOU for LISTENING, FOLLOWING, DOWNLOADING, RATING, REVIEWING & SHARING “The Uncommon OT Series” Podcast with all your OTP friends and colleagues!

Full Episodes and Q & A only available at:

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

Sign Up NOW for the Transitions OT Email List to Receive the FREE

Updated List of Uncommon OT Practice Settings

https://www.wholistic-transitions.com/transitionsot 

For Non-Traditional OT Practice Mentorship w/ Patricia:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeC3vI5OnK3mLrCXACEex-5ReO8uUVPo1EUXIi8FKO-FCfoEg/viewform

BIG THANKS to our sponsor Picmonic. Follow the link below and USE DISCOUNT CODE “TransitionsOT” to Score 20% OFF Your PICMONIC Membership today! https://www.picmonic.com/viphookup/TRANSITIONSOTLBL23

Happy Listening Friends!

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 learn from Hannah Pugh, OTR/L an occupational therapist who specializes in Digital Health. Hannah has been a practicing occupational therapist for 5 years. She studied kinesiology at Michigan State University and then received her Master of Occupational Therapy from the University of Pittsburgh. She has traditional OT experience working in an outpatient setting, acute, and inpatient care but through that time she realized she was interested in helping people through a different lens. Early in her career, she realized she could have a greater impact on people's lives by leveraging technology to reach more people. She took a course in UX design and now works as the Head of Clinical Experience at Reactiv, a health tech startup that uses augmented reality to treat people with joint pain.

Show Key Points:

• Hannah tells us about her background and her path to her Uncommon OT work

• She describes what inspired her to do this work

• She provides OT practitioners with valuable career advice

• She provides direction, resources and his contact information

RESOURCES:

Here is the course I took through General Assembly: https://generalassemb.ly/education/user-experience-design

An article I wrote on the comparison between OT and UX: https://pughhann.medium.com/comparing-ot-and-ux-using-the-double-diamond-process-of-design-thinking-91ea0ad68462

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

THANK YOU for LISTENING, FOLLOWING, DOWNLOADING, RATING, REVIEWING & SHARING “The Uncommon OT Series” Podcast with all your OTP friends and colleagues!

Full Episodes and Q & A only available at:

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

Sign Up NOW for the Transitions OT Email List to Receive the FREE

Updated List of Uncommon OT Practice Settings

https://www.wholistic-transitions.com/transitionsot

For Non-Traditional OT Practice Mentorship w/ Patricia:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeC3vI5OnK3mLrCXACEex-5ReO8uUVPo1EUXIi8FKO-FCfoEg/viewform

Follow the link below and USE DISCOUNT CODE “TransitionsOT” to Score 20% OFF Your PICMONIC Membership today! https://www.picmonic.com/viphookup/TRANSITIONSOTLBL23

Happy Listening Friends!

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 learn from some of the founders and members of the Mental Health Task Force (MHTF). Anne Hiller Scott, OTR/L, PhD, FAOTA, Joan Feder MA, OTR/L, Diane Tewfik, MA, OT (Retired), Mabel Martinez-Almonte, OTR/L. The MHTF is a NYSOTA (New York State Occupational Therapy Association) community of practice that identifies, promotes, and supports occupational therapy practitioners in addressing the psychosocial aspects of occupational engagement in all practice settings through education, advocacy, and community.

Show Key Points:

• Members and founders briefly introduce themselves and tell us about their backgrounds and OT work

• The discuss their motivation to do the Podcast and the MHTF beginnings and summary of its history and goals

• They describe their Uncommon OT roles, projects and initiatives

• They describe some of MHTF’s recent highs and lows

• They provide OT practitioners with valuable career advice

• They provide us with resources, community and contact information

Anne Hiller Scott, OTR/L, PhD, FAOTA

In 1969 Dr. Scott began her career at St. Vincent’s during the community mental health movement. With the local NYSOTA MH Task Force (MHTF), she led initiatives in continuing education, resource development and publications on evaluation, practice, supervision, quality assurance and wellness. This pioneering service and advocacy were recognized with honors: FAOTA, NYSOTA Practice Award and the Abreu Award. An OTMH issue “New Frontiers in Psychosocial Occupational Therapy” which she edited, showcased innovations by MHTF members, therapists’ nationwide and included consumer and OTS perspectives. After teaching at Downstate for fifteen years, she launched the LIU OT Program in 1997 with a mission emphasizing wellness, health promotion and community service learning.

Diane Tewfik, MA, OT (Retired)

As one of the founding members of the MHOT Taskforce, Diane has had a career In Mental Health OT for over 30 years. Her practice has included outpatient programs, addiction, private practice as well as adult rehabilitation. She was also Associate Professor and Field Coordinator at York College of CUNY's OT Program. She received NYSOTA's Merit of Practice Award in 1997 and AOTA's Recognition of Achievement in 2003 for Preserving Occupational Therapy's Role in Mental Health.

Joan Feder MA, OTR/L

Joan has dedicated her 40 year career to peer-centered treatment, working in a wide range of settings from acute psychiatric in-patient settings to outpatient psychosocial rehabilitation programs. She received an advanced mental health OT degree from NYU and worked in designing and implementing programming at New York-Presbyterian Hospital –Cornell Medical Center. She had the unique opportunity of designing outpatient services for the SPMI population while overseeing a multidisciplinary team. Her programs were driven by the Recovery Model, with a focus on fostering function and independence, while responding to the ever-changing demands of external regulators. She collaborated over the years on CBT for Psychosis research and lectured at multiple OT schools in NY. She has published in AOTA SIS journals and has a chapter in APA – Textbook of Hospital Psychiatry. Most importantly she was one of the founders of the MNYD mental health task force and has played a key role in the group, over the last 26 years, while benefiting from the amazing professional support provided by all its members.

Mabel Martinez-Almonte, OTR/L

Mabel is a graduate from SUNY Downstate College of Health Related Professions, from the class of 1992. She has worked in mental health for 25 years, on the inpatient psychiatric unit NS-52 in which she supervised Occupational Therapy (OT) students for the past 21 years. She was nominated by her students for the "Supervisor of the Year" in 2000, 2007, 2010, and in 2009 was the recipient of this prestigious award. In addition, she was actively involved with educating the staff in the inpatient psychiatry unit (NS-52), on treatment modalities to decrease restraint and seclusion. She has served as an adjunct professor for the SUNY Downstate CHRP OT program since 1994. These experiences served as a springboard for other teaching opportunities. This spearheaded the initiative to give back to SUNY Downstate and work with professors who served as mentors in her profession as an Occupational Therapist, including getting involved with community service in the mental health arena. Since 1999, she has served in various capacities with NAMI East Flatbush (an affiliate of the National Alliance on Mental Illness) consumer and family support group held monthly at SUNY Downstate. She continued to do community service in a broad spectrum, which included conducting lectures and conference presentations to students at various schools (i.e., Long Island University, Columbia University, and Public School 274), and participated as a panelist for mental health Special Interest Group, and co-presented with psychiatry residents from DMC department of psychiatry at the Institute on Psychiatric Services in 2010 on the topic: "Discuss updates working with patients affected by mental illness at SUNY Downstate Medical Center and the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) towards mental health consumer empowerment and advocacy and the Metabolic Syndrome Screening Booth at the yearly NAMI Walks event." She has also worked closely with CHRP Occupational Therapy Program and the Department of Psychiatry to organize a yearly NAMI Walk event from 2008-2018, which included the involvement of SUNY Downstate trainees: occupational therapy and medical students, along with psychiatry residents; together with NAMI East Flatbush chapter members and their families, to set up a walk team (SUNY Downstate at NAMI East Flatbush) and provide a Metabolic Syndrome Screening Booth. She has co-presented the work that she does with NAMI and the yearly NAMI Walk events at the Department of Psychiatry Grand Rounds. She is an active Advisory Board Member since 2006, for the State University of New York/Health Science Center of Brooklyn - College of Health Related Professions -Occupational Therapy Program, now renamed State University of New York - School of Health Professions (SOHP). Mabel went on to complete graduate studies at Nyack Alliance Graduate School of Counseling and graduated with a master’s degree in Mental Health Counseling. She is currently employed at the Special Treatment and Research (STAR) Health Center at SUNY Downstate Medical Center as a mental health counselor since December 2014. She currently provides both individual and group mental health, substance abuse, and supportive counseling for patients receiving care at the STAR Health Center. Her love for educating the community at large on mental health literacy has taken her to pursue training and certification in Mental Health First Aid for adults, youth curriculums since 2012. She has continued to enrich her love for knowledge and service and became certified as a National Certified Counselor and an Evergreen Certified Dementia Care Specialist (ECDCS).

RESOURCES & IMPORTANT WORKS BY MEMBERS OVER THE YEARS:

Social Profile by Mary Donohue, AOTA Press

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/000841740507200304?journalCode=cjoc

OT’s Walk with Nami (Initiative and Protocol)

Let’s Get Organized Assessment

Sensory Modulation for pediatric inpatient

Suzanne White, MA, OTR/L, FAOTA

https://www.suzannewhiteotr.com/nami

Photography for those with mental illness- Joan Feder, MA, OTR/L

https://healthmatters.nyp.org./photography-program-mental-illness

Article Testimony: Advocacy in Action. OT Practice, Nov 8,2004 by Diane B. Tewfik, MA, OT and Richard Sabel, MA, MPH, OTR, GCFP -2-

Article published in September, 2022 issue in OT Practice: Highlighting OT’s Role in Mental Health , An Innovative Fieldwork Program for Community- Based Mental Health by Diane B. Tewfik, MA, OT and Anne Hiller Scott, OTR/L, PhD, FAOTA

https://www.aota.org/publications/ot-practice/ot-practice-issues/2022/community-based-mental-health

Dream Home Assessment (free download) by Emily Raphael-Greenfield https://www.vagelos.columbia.edu/education/academic-programs/programs-occupational-therapy/about-programs/faculty-innovations/dream-home-assessment

Bucket Drumming Group Article -Hard –Wired for Groups: Students and Clients in the Classroom and Clinic-Mental Health special Interest Section Quarterly, Volume 34, No. 3, September 2011.

SMART program (Supporting Many to Achieve Residential Transition, Gutman, S.A. and Raphael-Greenfield EI(2018).

https://www.vagelos.columbia.edu/education/academic-programs/programs-occupational-therapy/faculty-innovations/smart-program.

Scott, A., (Ed.) (1998). New Frontiers in Psychosocial Occupational Therapy (Ed). Binghamton, NY: Haworth Press.

Scott, A. (1999). Wellness works: Community service health promotion groups led by occupational therapy students. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, (53) 6, 566-574. https://doi.org/10.5014/ajot.53.6.566

Salem, Y., & Scott, A. (2011). A community-based aquatic program for individuals with systemic lupus erythematous: A community-based study. Journal of Aquatic Physical Therapy,19:30-31. DOI: 10.3109/09638288.2010.507855

Salem, Y., Scott, A., Karpatkin, H., Concert, G., Haller, L., Kaminsky, E., Weisbrot, R, & Spatz, E. (2011). Community-based group aquatic program for individuals with multiple sclerosis: A pilot study. Disability and Rehabilitation, 33:720-728. DOI: 10.3109/09638288.2010.507855

Scott, A., Scott, R., & Cole, M. (2016). Narrative reasoning in disability-themed films (pp. 117-143). In M. Cole & J. Creek (Eds.), Global Perspectives in Professional Reasoning. Thorofare, NJ: Slack.

Scott, A., Scott, R., & Cole, M. (2018/4/19-22). From reel to real: Illness narratives in disability-themed films. [Poster Presentation]. AOTA Annual Conference, Salt Lake City, Utah.

Brooklyn International Disability Film Festival and Wellness Expo

https://www.brooklynpaper.com › superwoman

Jul 22, 2005 — Brooke Ellison, who at age 11 was hit by a car and left paralyzed ... The free screening is part of the Brooklyn International Disability Film Festival…

How to Contact The MHTF:

Website: https://www.nysota.org/page/MHTF

https://www.nysota.org/page/MHTFBios

Mental Health Taskforce Listserv: OTmentalhealthtaskforce@gmail.com

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

THANK YOU for LISTENING, FOLLOWING, DOWNLOADING, RATING, REVIEWING & SHARING “The Uncommon OT Series” Podcast with all your OTP friends and colleagues!

Full Episodes and Q & A only available at:

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

Sign Up NOW for the Transitions OT Email List to Receive the FREE

Updated List of Uncommon OT Practice Settings

https://www.wholistic-transitions.com/transitionsot

For Non-Traditional OT Practice Mentorship w/ Patricia:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeC3vI5OnK3mLrCXACEex-5ReO8uUVPo1EUXIi8FKO-FCfoEg/viewform

Happy Listening Friends!

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 learn from Whitney Pendergrass, COTA/L. Whitney is a certified occupational therapy assistant whose role is titled, Clinical Education Assistant for The School of Occupational Therapy at Belmont University. Her job is to assist the fieldwork educators in the OTD and MSOT programs with all things fieldwork related. This role also includes creating more fieldwork placement options for when the OTD program increases to a cohort of 60 students because an increase in students means an increased need for fieldwork placement options.

Show Key Points:

• Whitney gives us a glimpse of her background and interests

• She describes her Uncommon OT role and her path

• She talks about what inspired her to contribute to the Uncommon OT Series Podcast

• She explains how her role and skill set benefits others

• She provides OT practitioners with valuable career advice

• She provides resources and her contact information

RESOURCES:

Belmont University

https://www.belmont.edu/health-sciences/graduate/occupational-therapy-doctorate/index.html

I would like to give a formal shout-out to my friend Cindy and list her official title for recognition.

Cindy Hickman OTD, OTR/L, SIPT, CLT, LANA OTD Fieldwork Coordinator for The School Of Occupational Therapy at Belmont University

All the forward-thinkers and amazing program directors from Belmont as well as Nashville State Community college (where I went to school) so they can all be recognized for their awesomeness!

- Camille Turner, MSOT, OTR/L

MSOT Fieldwork Coordinator at Belmont University

- Allison Koch, EdD, OTD, OTR/L

MSOT Program Director at Belmont University

- Tamara Lemmonds, EdD, MSOT, OTR/L

OTD Program Director, Department Chair at Belmont University

Nashville State Community College OTA Program

https://catalog.nscc.edu/preview_program.php?catoid=2&poid=156&returnto=601

- Piper Sesnan, OTD, OTR

OTA Program Director at Nashville State Community College

- Donna Whitehouse, MHA, OTR

Interim Dean of Healthcare Professions at Nashville State Community College

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

THANK YOU for LISTENING, FOLLOWING, DOWNLOADING, RATING, REVIEWING & SHARING “The Uncommon OT Series” Podcast with all your OTP friends and colleagues!

Full Episodes and Q & A only available at:

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

Sign Up NOW for the Transitions OT Email List to Receive the FREE

Updated List of Uncommon OT Practice Settings

https://www.wholistic-transitions.com/transitionsot

For Non-Traditional OT Practice Mentorship w/ Patricia:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeC3vI5OnK3mLrCXACEex-5ReO8uUVPo1EUXIi8FKO-FCfoEg/viewform

Happy Listening Friends!

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, you will learn about My Uncommon OT Year. I take a month-to-month account and highlight all of the non-traditional OT opportunities & collaborations I’ve been fortunate enough to be a part of in 2022. What a year! MANY THANKS to EACH of YOU for YOUR LOVE & SUPPORT throughout the year.

January

Great start to the year!

I had the privilege of releasing my inspiring conversation with Amy Lamb, enough said!

https://www.wholistic-transitions.com/the-uncommon-ot-series/inspiration-m56ww-b4d6e-k2jgx-ebldc-9eh3t-lyr8d-hazhm-y2ldg-k3j9h-wfgjr-9b79a

Amy J. Lamb, OTD, OT/L, FAOTA: OT in Executing Coaching — Wholistic Transitions

February

Started my virtual individual and group mentorship program.

I had to honor of being interviewed by my friend Sara Zera, OTR/L, OTD the host of @moxieotpodcast

Moxie OT Podcast (@moxieotpodcast) • Instagram photos and ...

https://www.instagram.com › moxieotpodcast

March

I had to honor of being interviewed by my friend Sara Lyon, OTR/L the host of The OT Potential Podcast

IG: @otpotential

https://www.audible.com/pd/27-Mindfulness-Chronic-Pain-and-OT-with-Patricia-Motus-Podcast/B09TZKTFT3?ref=a_pd_item-n_c1_lAsin_2_4

#27: Mindfulness, Chronic Pain, and OT with Patricia Motus | OT Potential Podcast | Occupational Therapy CEUs | Podcasts on Audible | Audible.com

April

WAS HUGE, to say the least!!!

First, I was invited to speak at the 2022 AOTA Conference in San Antonio, Tx on a Panel on Nurturing Resilience

Speakers | AOTA INSPIRE 2023

https://inspire.aota.org/inspire-sessions-types/inspire-speakers/

I loved being amongst my people at the conference IG: @kateburke @amplifyot

I was awarded COTAD’s 20220 Excellence in Mentorship award

https://www.cotad.org/

COTAD National

May

I was a speaker at the OT Entrepreneurs of Color Online Conference hosted by the lovely

Patrice Maynard OTR/L IG: @tricem_96

June & July

Invited to speak with various SOTAs and COTAD chapters across the country

August

I celebrated my 1 year podcast anniversary and Interviewed OT rockstars like Arameh Anvarizadeh, OTD, OTR/L, FAOTA @drArameh

https://transitionsot.squarespace.com/config/pages/60da8d598829b90f5cd01ff4

Arameh Anvarizadeh, OTD, OTR/L, FAOTA: OT in Grassroot Organization — Wholistic Transitions

September

Named Therapist Beyond Borders Ambassador

https://therapistsbeyondborders.org/

Home - Therapists Beyond Borders

October

Invited to speak with various SOTAs

Exploring a variety of Non-Traditional Job Openings in Los Angeles

November

Great News!! I accepted a full-time position in a non-traditional community-based setting. Super excited to share this journey with you this new year. Woot Woot!! Take a Sneak Peak at this fantastic new facility where OT Services will be offered.

https://spectrumnews1.com/ca/la-west/inside-the-issues/2022/11/04/la-county-opens-interim-housing-site-with-24-7-access

December

Ending the Year with a Bang!

Named @otpotential podcast’s Top 5 most listened to episodes in 2022!

Joined the Exodus Recovery team. Onboarding and training began for my new non-traditional OT gig!

Thanks for being an important part of my non-traditional 2022, on to my new and exciting uncommon OT role in 2023!

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

THANK YOU for LISTENING, FOLLOWING, DOWNLOADING, RATING, REVIEWING & SHARING “The Uncommon OT Series” Podcast with all your OTP friends and colleagues!

Full Episodes and Q & A only available at:

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

Sign Up NOW for the Transitions OT Email List to Receive the FREE

Updated List of Uncommon OT Practice Settings

https://www.wholistic-transitions.com/transitionsot

For Non-Traditional OT Practice Mentorship w/ Patricia:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeC3vI5OnK3mLrCXACEex-5ReO8uUVPo1EUXIi8FKO-FCfoEg/viewform

Happy Listening Friends!

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 learn about Mark Koch, OTD, OTR/L an occupational therapist and educator whose areas of interest include community-based practice, trauma-informed care, occupational in/justice, and the scholarship of teaching and learning. He received his Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy from the University of Missouri and his post-professional Occupational Therapy Doctorate from Saint Louis University. Prior to his appointment at Cedar Crest College, Dr. Koch was a Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of Arkansas/University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. As an OT educator and scholar, Mark is interested in understanding how relational approaches to teaching and learning can optimize learner inclusion, participation, and socialization in the profession.

Show Key Points:

• Mark gives us a glimpse of his background and interests

• He describes his Uncommon OT work and his path

• He describes what inspired him to do this work

• He explains how his services benefit others

• He provides OT practitioners with valuable career advice

• He provides resources and his contact information

RESOURCES:

Wood, W. (2011). Navigating the shifting sands of occupational therapy: Lessons from wise wayfinders. New Zealand Journal of Occupational Therapy, 58 (1), 14-20.

https://www.cedarcrest.edu/sage/otd/index.shtm

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

THANK YOU for LISTENING, FOLLOWING, DOWNLOADING, RATING, REVIEWING & SHARING “The Uncommon OT Series” Podcast with all your OTP friends and colleagues!

Full Episodes and Q & A only available at:

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

Sign Up NOW for the Transitions OT Email List to Receive the FREE

Updated List of Uncommon OT Practice Settings

https://www.wholistic-transitions.com/transitionsot

For Non-Traditional OT Practice Mentorship w/ Patricia:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeC3vI5OnK3mLrCXACEex-5ReO8uUVPo1EUXIi8FKO-FCfoEg/viewform

Happy Listening Friends!

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 learn about an occupational therapy practitioner who specializes in soft tissue & myofascial release in her rural OT practice. Tarsha Long, BSC, OT is a country girl from the bottom southwest of Western Australia, a beautiful Coastal town called Bremer Bay. She spent half of her life as a townie and the other half on the family farm, where she learned the beauty in hard work. She had a life-changing accident at 12 years old, which left her in the hospital for 6 months and using a wheelchair for another 6 months. This experience taught Tarsha the art of resilience, perseverance, and how to think outside the box (incoming OT in the making). Tarsha used a gardening chair as a chair to shower independently, she had to re-learn how to climb stairs, and sit to stand independently. Over time, recovered and is now fully functional. She began her studies as an OT at Edith Cowan University in Western Australia. She continued professional development with a two-day course in Soft Tissue and O and then proceeded to do her postgraduate work in Soft Tissue OT. Then, the birth of The OT Place happened, her private practice. Tarsha has a passion for helping people manage the symptoms as well as empowering and educating them to look after their bodies to manage it on their own and prevent future injuries or flare-ups via taking a holistic approach to her OT practice. Over the course of the last three years, Tarsha has completed more training in breath work, mobility, lymphatics, and the toxic load placed on the body. Her business has heavily expanded into the athletic and CrossFit space in Australia. She works at CrossFit competitions throughout Perth, and during the winter, works with sporting teams and alongside teachers and office workers as well.

Show Key Points:

• Tarsha gives us a glimpse of her background and interests

• She describes her Uncommon OT work and whom she serves and where

• She describes what inspired her to do this work and her path to entrepreneurship

• She explains her rare service in rural Australia and how it benefits others

• She provides OT practitioners with valuable career advice

• She provides resources and her contact information

RESOURCES:

Instagram @theotplace and @tarshajay (the unorthodox OT)

Email is tarsha@theotplace.com.au

*Ask to join the National Soft Tissue Interest group on Facebook! we hold meeting every 2 months.

My website has my “Soft Tissue Mastery” course details and heaps of information on it www.theotplace.com.au

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

THANK YOU for LISTENING, FOLLOWING, DOWNLOADING, RATING, REVIEWING & SHARING “The Uncommon OT Series” Podcast with all your OTP friends and colleagues!

Full Episodes and Q & A only available at:

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

Sign Up NOW for the Transitions OT Email List to Receive the FREE

Updated List of Uncommon OT Practice Settings

https://www.wholistic-transitions.com/transitionsot

For Non-Traditional OT Practice Mentorship w/ Patricia:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeC3vI5OnK3mLrCXACEex-5ReO8uUVPo1EUXIi8FKO-FCfoEg/viewform

Happy Listening Friends!

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 learn about an occupational therapy practitioner who utilizes adaptive martial arts in her OT practice. Amanda Lynn Piepgras, COTA is a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant since 2002 who moved to San Diego from New York in 2015. She has been working with children with special needs since 1999, beginning her career as a teacher assistant at the preschool her sister attended as a child with Spina Bifida. It has been her dream for years to combine her love of martial arts with her passion of working with children with special needs, whether it’s Autism, Down Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, Spina Bifida, learning disabilities, hearing/vision deficits, etc. She has studied karate, Muay Thai, and Jiu-Jitsu since 2006 and has competed in kickboxing and grappling on an amateur level. Coaching is her passion and Amanda believes martial arts has many benefits for all children, particularly children who have difficulties with sensory processing, maintaining attention span, focusing on tasks, impulse control, body awareness, and low muscle strength. Amanda has also taught adaptive martial arts and self-defense at South East Consortium for Special Services, Inc., We Rock the Spectrum, Gigi’s Playhouse, The Challenge Center and various martial arts gyms around San Diego.

Show Key Points:

• Amanda gives us a glimpse of her background and interests

• She describes her Uncommon OT work and whom she serves

• She describes what inspired her to do this work and her path to entrepreneurship

• She explains her service and how it can benefit others

• She provides OT practitioners with valuable career advice

• She provides resources and her contact information

RESOURCES:

Website: www.amandasmartialarts.com

Amanda's Adaptive Martial Arts Methods: A course for anyone who wants to start their own adaptive martial arts class.

IG: @amandas.adaptive.martial.arts

Facebook: Amanda’s Adaptive Martial Arts

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

THANK YOU for LISTENING, FOLLOWING, DOWNLOADING, RATING, REVIEWING & SHARING “The Uncommon OT Series” Podcast with all your OTP friends and colleagues!

Full Episodes and Q & A only available at:

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

Sign Up NOW for the Transitions OT Email List to Receive the FREE

Updated List of Uncommon OT Practice Settings

https://www.wholistic-transitions.com/transitionsot

For Non-Traditional OT Practice Mentorship w/ Patricia:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeC3vI5OnK3mLrCXACEex-5ReO8uUVPo1EUXIi8FKO-FCfoEg/viewform

Happy Listening Friends!

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 learn about an occupational therapist who specializes in pediatric pelvic health. Quiara Smith, MOT, OTR/L has been a practicing Occupational Therapist for over 11 years in both California and in Hawaii. She has worked in various settings including hospitals, schools, an equine center providing hippotherapy as a treatment tool, and outpatient clinics. Her pediatric experience encompasses serving infants, toddlers, children, and adolescents with various medical conditions and diagnoses. Realizing the social, emotional, and psychological challenges that pelvic floor dysfunction places on children and families, Quiara decided to niche down her private practice to exclusively treating children and adolescents with pelvic floor dysfunction and toileting challenges. Quiara utilizes a holistic and integrative approach to pediatric pelvic floor dysfunction. She partners with her canine assistant, Nelly, a Labrador/golden retriever cross, in guiding children toward continence with confidence.

Show Key Points:

• Quiara gives us a glimpse of her background and interests

• She describes her Uncommon OT work and whom she serves

• She describes what inspired her to do this work and her path to entrepreneurship

• She explains how she charges for her services

• She provides OT practitioners valuable career advice

• She provides pediatric pelvic health resources and her contact information

RESOURCES:

IG @alohaintegrativetherapy

Facebook Business Page: Aloha Integrative Therapy

Facebook Group (free group): Pediatric Pelvic Health Occupational Therapists

https://alohaintegrativetherapy.com/join-our-course/

https://linktr.ee/Alohaintegrativetherapy

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

THANK YOU for LISTENING, FOLLOWING, DOWNLOADING, RATING, REVIEWING & SHARING “The Uncommon OT Series” Podcast with all your OTP friends and colleagues!

Full Episodes and Q & A only available at:

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

Sign Up NOW for the Transitions OT Email List to Receive the FREE

Updated List of Uncommon OT Practice Settings

https://www.wholistic-transitions.com/transitionsot

For Non-Traditional OT Practice Mentorship w/ Patricia:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeC3vI5OnK3mLrCXACEex-5ReO8uUVPo1EUXIi8FKO-FCfoEg/viewform

Happy Listening Friends!

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 learn about an occupational therapist who utilizes equine movement & animal-assisted therapy in her OT practice. Nicole Raftis, Registered Occupational Therapist, Manager for the Pathways Ponies Occupational Therapy program, ( graduated from Queen’s University’s School of Rehabilitation Science’s Occupational Therapy Program and is a Registered OT in Guelph, Ontario, Canada. For the first 3 years of practice Nicole traveled and worked as an OT in 7 locations throughout the U.S.A and provided volunteer OT services in Guyana, Nepal, Thailand and India, taking in knowledge about the wide variety of roles OT’s play in various settings as well as culturally sensitive and environmentally appropriate ways to support clients. Upon her return to Canada, Nicole has spent the majority of her 27 years of practice in pediatrics, initially working at Vancouver’s Sunny Hill Health Center for Childern, on their Brain injury program, Autism Assessment Team and their Substance exposure team. Family brought Nicole to Ottawa where she provided school care services for a few years before taking her dream job at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario, on the child and adolescent mental health units, gaining experience with psychotherapy and mental health practice. It was during her time in Ottawa that she got to experience the magic of pet therapy for the first time, helping to facilitate the sessions for kids experiencing significant emotional, sensory and behavior dysregulation.

Aging parents inspired another move to Guelph, ON where Nicole has been working in private practice for the last 12 years. She continues to support children and teens to reach their full potential at home and school. The pandemic presented a unique opportunity for Nicole to become involved with a physical therapist who uses Equine movement and pet therapy to assist clients to reach their goals. Nicole was invited to develop an Occupational Therapy program at the barn and she has been thrilled to be a part of this initiative, integrating her mental health, sensory, motor and pet therapy experience to create a very holistic therapy program in a beautiful outdoor setting. Nicole has recently completed her American Hippotherapy Association Level 1 course and feels this latest adventure is a testament to the excitement and versatility that has been available over a 27-year career in Occupational Therapy.

Nicole also mentors a number of younger OTs and supervises students from McMaster University. Her desire to share information and resources has led her to partner with other OTs in Guelph to create TREEO Occupational Therapy, an online library of courses and resources meant to support parents, teachers and OT’s looking for pediatric resources. Their online platform launched in 2021 with their first course titled “Pandemic Parenting: Meaningful Tools for Health & Hope”. Their courses can be found at https://treeo-ot.thinkific.com

My sincere apologies to my Canadian friends for my poor pronunciation of your provinces!

Show Key Points:

• Nicole gives us a glimpse of her background and interests

• She describes her Uncommon OT work and whom she serves

• She describes what inspired her to do this work and her path to entrepreneurship

• She explains her holistic service and how it can benefit children

• She provides OT practitioners an example of a typical session

• She provides resources and her contact information

RESOURCES:

Email nicoleraftis@gmail.com

IG @nicoleraftis.ot

Check out my website www.nicoleraftis.ca

https://treeo-ot.thinkific.com/courses/pandemic-parenting-burnout-meaningful-tools-for-health-hope

Mims,D. & Waddell, R. (2016) Animal Assisted Therapy and Trauma Survivors. Evid Inf Soc Work. Sept-Oct 2016 13 (5). Young, C. & Horton, J. (2019). Canine and Equine Therapy for Mental Health: A Review of Clinical Effectiveness. Ottawa (ON): Canadian Agency for Drug & Technologies in Health 2019 August.

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

THANK YOU for LISTENING, FOLLOWING, DOWNLOADING, RATING, REVIEWING & SHARING “The Uncommon OT Series” Podcast with all your OTP friends and colleagues!

Full Episodes and Q & A only available at:

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

Sign Up NOW for the Transitions OT Email List to Receive the FREE

Updated List of Uncommon OT Practice Settings

https://www.wholistic-transitions.com/transitionsot

For Non-Traditional OT Practice Mentorship w/ Patricia:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeC3vI5OnK3mLrCXACEex-5ReO8uUVPo1EUXIi8FKO-FCfoEg/viewform

Happy Listening Friends!

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 learn about two occupational therapists who are both Captains in the United States Air Force, Capt. Andrew Antonio, OTR/L, CHT, and Capt. Alain Pierre Eloi, OTD, OTR/L.

Capt. Antonio is an occupational therapist at the Special Warfare Human Performance Squadron, Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M. He leads a multidisciplinary team of military and civilian personnel across six functional areas in support of the sole Pararescue pipeline for six commands. He supports the Human Performance Optimization Program, providing sports medicine consultation to providers, independent medical technicians, athletic trainers and embedded Squadron leadership. He runs the Special Operations Forces-centric Training Squadron Occupational Therapy Clinic, conducting same day evaluations and treatment in support of 138 staff, 135 trainees. He also integrates performance and injury data to optimize training, develops and executes policies with coordination for two Wings and three medical facilities. He is also the Occupational Therapy Career Recruitment Officer responsible for inspiring, engaging, and recruiting diverse, highly qualified occupational therapists to serve as officer candidates to sustain the combat capability of the United States Air Force. Capt. Antonio received his post graduate degree in occupational therapy at the University of St. Augustine in April 2015 and entered the Air Force in April 2017 through direct commission as a distinguished graduate. He also earned a board specialty certification as a Certified Hand Therapist in December 2020. Since then he has held a variety of positions within the medical treatment facility and line operations including directing the first Occupational Therapy/Orthopedics Post-operation Hand Clinic, leading the first KC-10 Pilot Ergonomic Program for the 6 Air Refueling Squadron, and drafting the inaugural Medical Group Instruction for Management of Emergent Suicide Risk Patients as the Group National Patient Safety Chair at Travis, AFB, Calif. He also served as the sole Surgical and Hand Therapy Fellow serving the Greater Philadelphia, Pa. area intra and post-COVID-19 shutdown. Prior to his current position, Capt. Antonio was a Surgical and Hand Therapy Fellow at the Philadelphia Hand to Shoulder Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Capt. Eloi is a native of Montreal, Canada who moved to California to study Occupational Therapy at Loma Linda University. After several years of working in various settings such as outpatient hand, home health, and SNFs, Capt. Eloi made the decision to go back to school in 2018 at Rocky Mountain University, where he obtained his OTD in the hand therapy track. During the pandemic, he made yet another life-changing decision; he decided to commission into the United States Air Force as an active-duty officer. Capt. Eloi is now stationed at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base since March 2022 as he currently sees a varied population of active-duty members, family members, and retirees.

Show Key Points:

• Capt. Antonio and Eloi give us a glimpse of their backgrounds and interests

• They describe their Uncommon OT work and whom they serve

• They shared what inspired them to do this work and their paths

• They explain their wide variety of services and benefits

• They provide OT practitioners with valuable career advice

• They provide resources and their contact info

RESOURCES:

Air Force Occupational Therapy Information

https://www.airforce.com/careers/detail/occupational-therapist

Air Force OT Facebook Page- Give us a LIKE :)

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064544897984

PUBLICATION: “Multidisciplinary Evaluation and Treatment of Necrotizing Fasciitis in a Type 1 Diabetic in a Community Military Hospital,” Journal of Orthopedics for Physician Assistants, April 2001

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

THANK YOU for LISTENING, FOLLOWING, DOWNLOADING, RATING, REVIEWING & SHARING “The Uncommon OT Series” Podcast with all your OTP friends and colleagues!

Full Episodes and Q & A only available at:

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

Sign Up NOW for the Transitions OT Email List to Receive the FREE

Updated List of Uncommon OT Practice Settings

https://www.wholistic-transitions.com/transitionsot

For Non-Traditional OT Practice Mentorship w/ Patricia:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeC3vI5OnK3mLrCXACEex-5ReO8uUVPo1EUXIi8FKO-FCfoEg/viewform

Happy Listening Friends!

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 therapist who works in kinship care. Angela Provenzano-Tobin, OTR/L, OTD is a recent graduate of The Ohio State University occupational therapy program. She has had her fair share of travels- as she is a Connecticut native and attended Mississippi State University, earning a bachelor’s degree in Educational Psychology with a Spanish minor. She started an online support group for kinship caregivers, Kinship Caregivers Connect, in June of 2020 at the height of the pandemic with the Albert Schweitzer Fellowship. She developed a passion for serving kinship caregivers due to personal and research experiences, seeing an acute need for this often-forgotten population. For Angela’s doctoral capstone project in January, she is partnered with the Ohio Statewide Family Engagement Center, a translational research center, to design and implement trainings for professionals in the school system to promote a better understanding and support of kinship families within this system. Angela’s support group has reached university-wide and state-wide recognition. She was recently awarded the Jane-Case Smith Outstanding Student Award from the Ohio Occupational Therapy Association, as well as the Engaged Scholars Grant, The Scholarship of Excellence Award, The Legacy Award, and the Hite Family Scholarship. Outside of these accolades, Angela finds continual passion and purpose in supporting such a special population and has embraced the idea of being an Uncommon OT!

Show Key Points:

• Angela gives us a glimpse of her background and interests

• She describes her Uncommon OT work and whom she serves

• She describes what inspired her to do this work and her

• She explains her service and how it can benefit others

• She provides OT students and practitioners with valuable career advice

• She provides resources and her contact information

RESOURCES:

Website: https://kinshipcaregiversconnect.com/

My email: angela@kinshipcaregiversconnect.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angela-provenzano-otd-149594149

Twitter: @Kincareconnect

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kinshipcaregiversconnect

Instagram: @kinshipconnections

Capstone project summary: https://youtu.be/8BJB0LJmxuA

Full capstone project presentation: https://ohiofamiliesengage.osu.edu/2022/03/25/webinar-recording-kinship-connections-how-schools-can-partner-with-kinship-families/

OhioKAN: https://ohiokan.jfs.ohio.gov/

Ohio Grandparent Kinship Coalition: https://ohiograndparentkinship.org/

Related article: Taylor, M. F., Marquis, R., Batten, R., & Coall, D. (2016). Understanding the mental health travails of custodial grandparents. Occupational Therapy in Mental Health, 32, 259-280.

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

THANK YOU for LISTENING, FOLLOWING, DOWNLOADING, RATING, REVIEWING & SHARING “The Uncommon OT Series” Podcast with all your OTP friends and colleagues!

Full Episodes and Q & A only available at:

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

Sign Up NOW for the Transitions OT Email List to Receive the FREE

Updated List of Uncommon OT Practice Settings

https://www.wholistic-transitions.com/transitionsot

For Non-Traditional OT Practice Mentorship w/ Patricia:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeC3vI5OnK3mLrCXACEex-5ReO8uUVPo1EUXIi8FKO-FCfoEg/viewform

Happy Listening Friends!

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 therapist who works in dementia care. Mary Osbourne, OTR/L, PAC has been an Occupational Therapist and certified positive care approach consultant for 10 years. She founded her consulting company, Your Dementia Therapist which is focused on helping family members and caregivers better care for their loved one who is living with dementia. She teaches family members and caregivers effective approaches, how to address difficult behaviors, and provides personalized activity recommendations.

Show Key Points:

• Mary gives us a glimpse of her background and interests

• She describes her Uncommon OT work and whom she serves

• She describes what inspired her to do this work and her path to entrepreneurship

• She explains her service and how it can benefit others

• She provides OT practitioners with valuable career advice

• She provides resources and her contact information

RESOURCES:

Your Dementia Therapist mary@yourdementiatherapist.com

www.yourdementiatherapist.com

IG: @yourdementiatherapist

Facebook: @yourdementiatherapist

TikTok: @yourdementiatherapist

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

THANK YOU for LISTENING, FOLLOWING, DOWNLOADING, RATING, REVIEWING & SHARING “The Uncommon OT Series” Podcast with all your OTP friends and colleagues!

Full Episodes and Q & A only available at:

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

Sign Up NOW for the Transitions OT Email List to Receive the FREE

Updated List of Uncommon OT Practice Settings

https://www.wholistic-transitions.com/transitionsot

For Non-Traditional OT Practice Mentorship w/ Patricia:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeC3vI5OnK3mLrCXACEex-5ReO8uUVPo1EUXIi8FKO-FCfoEg/viewform

Happy Listening Friends!

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 from 3 occupational therapists who work in therapeutic climbing. Jaisa Sulit, MsOT, Laura Burnett, MsOT & Laya Polowin, MsOT. With CACS, Canadian Adaptive Climbing Society, they run therapeutic programs that aim to use climbing to address physical, cognitive, emotional, and social aspects of the participant’s rehabilitation journey.

Show Key Points:

• Jaisa, Laura & Laya describes their Uncommon OT work and whom they serve

• They describe what inspired them to do this work and their paths

• They explain their service and how it can benefit others

• They describe a typical session and their payment structure

• They provide OT practitioners with valuable career advice

• They provide their contact information

RESOURCES:

Rehabteam@canadianadaptiveclimbing.com

https://canadianadaptiveclimbing.com/

CACS instagram: @canadian.adaptive.climbing

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

THANK YOU for LISTENING, FOLLOWING, DOWNLOADING, RATING, REVIEWING & SHARING “The Uncommon OT Series” Podcast with all your OTP friends and colleagues!

Full Episodes and Q & A only available at:

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

Sign Up NOW for the Transitions OT Email List to Receive the FREE

Updated List of Uncommon OT Practice Settings

https://www.wholistic-transitions.com/transitionsot

For Non-Traditional OT Practice Mentorship w/ Patricia:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeC3vI5OnK3mLrCXACEex-5ReO8uUVPo1EUXIi8FKO-FCfoEg/viewform

Happy Listening Friends!

Big OT Love!

All views are mine and guests own.

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