Lifestyle By Design: Helping You Solve Everyday Challenges | Occupational Therapy | Health and Well-Being | Self-Help

Dr. Shira Yalon-Chamovitz, Dean of Students at Ono Academic College in Israel, joins us to talk about her personal journey managing symptoms of "long-covid." As an occupational therapist with a focus on service and cognitive accessibility, Dr. Yalon-Chamovitz discusses how she is able to use OT practices to manage symptoms such as brain fog and fatigue.

Adrienne re-joins the podcast to talk about her latest book, “Six Angry Girls,” a story of mock trial, feminism, and the inherent power found in a pair of knitting needles. She also shares about upcoming projects that she is working on and shares more about her process and inspiration as a writer. You can view all of Adrienne's books on amazon in the link shared in the episode description and also here more from her on her previous appearances on Lifestyle By Design. https://www.amazon.com/Adrienne-Kisner/e/B074PJZFBG%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share

Quinn Tyminski joins us to talk about her experiences as an OT working in community mental health. In the discussion we explore concepts around Occupational Justice. Quinn’s writing on this topic also featured in a chapter she wrote for “Illuminating the Dark Side of Occupation,” a book that was covered in a previous episode.

Mathias Thorpe is a graduate student at the Boston University School of Social Work. Mathias shares about his background prior to Boston University and the path that ultimately led him towards pursuing his Masters in Macro social work and the possible career paths open to him when he graduates.

Dr. Ariana Gonzalez joins us to share about her work as an Occupational Therapist working with justice involved individuals through her company, Life After Incarceration: Transition and Reentry, also known as LAIRTR LLC. To learn more, visit lifeafterincarceration.com.

Daniel Osborn joins us to share about his new pdocast, “Joy and Conversation” launching April 11.  Joy and Conversation is a podcast about Jewish history and culture. It is propelled by curiosity and a passion for teaching and learning. Eclectic but accessible, it is like looking into a kaleidoscope and seeing the vibrant colors, complex shapes, and rich dimensions of Jewish life and identity–but for your ears. It illuminates Jewish diversity by focusing on under-told stories. It emphasizes vitality and dynamism by showcasing humanity and creativity. Centered on asking questions and dedicated to sharing knowledge, Joy and Conversation breaks silences, crosses borders, cultivates understanding, and encourages compassion. Finding joy in conversation is a mitzvah. Learn more at https://joyandconversationpodcast.com/ and join us in subscribing.

Gerald Oler shares how he is bringing Occupational Therapy to Botswana and the challenges and opportunities with doing so.

In this episode, we hear from Lisa Davis regarding her role as a CASA. A CASA  is a volunteer advocate who helps ensure a child is in a safe environment through monthly meetings with the child and regular contact with important people in his or her life. The CASA works with a team of people to help secure necessary services for the child’s well-being”. To find out more, contact Lisa lisa2mer@gmail.com or www.casanh.org

Karen interviews four occupational therapy students from Alvernia University, Antonia Trupio, Dana Richard, Marlena Metri, and Jenna Norris who are at Alvernia University in the  Master of Occupational Therapy '21program. They share their experience in starting their own COTAD Chapter at Alvernia. COTAD, The Coalition of Occupational Therapy Advocates for Diversity, is an organization whose mission is to empower occupational therapy leaders to engage in practices that increase justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion for a more transformative occupational therapy profession. Learn more at https://www.cotad.org/ and connect with the Alvernia students on this interview by emailing antonia.trupio@alvernia.edu.

Gabriella is a pediatric OT in Queens, NY, a BU alum, and an advocate for greater awareness and inclusion of culturally responsive approaches in OT education programs. She shares her experiences working with Spanish speaking populations in school environments and shines a light on the lack of access Spanish speaking populations face. She shares practical advice on how practitioners can close this gap, and how they can cultivate a culturally responsive approach in their work, as well as other ways OTs (or anyone receiving healthcare services) can advocate for greater diversity in and representation in health services fields.   You can learn more about Gabriella’s work in justice, equity and diversity on her Instagram account: @thelatinaot

Brookline Rotarians Susan Rack, Joyce Graff, and Elias Audy discuss the role of the service organization on a global scale as well as within the Brookline community. They also share information regarding their upcoming Thanksgiving fundraiser. To learn more about the Brookline Rotary and upcoming events please visit: https://brooklinerotary.org/ 

CW: This episode mentions sexual abuse, pornography and sex work during the conversation. Bex joins the podcast to discuss her new book “Illuminating The Dark Side of Occupation.” Bex defines the Dark Side of Occupation as occupations that have not yet been discovered or explored deeply and may range from the mundane to the extreme, risky or harmful. She discusses with Karen her motivations for researching and writing on this topic and they discuss in depth the chapter they collaborated on regarding looking to the future and the possibilities for furthering the understanding of peoples' occupations. To learn more about Bex’s work, visit: https://thedarksideofoccupation.wordpress.com/

Kathleen is a transportation and urban planner and is currently the Assistant Administrator for the Merrimack Valley Regional Transit Authority (MVRTA). She joins us to discuss how public transit is responding to and evolving with changing public safety needs as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

Catching up with Sarah Tuberty of “Disarming Disability” podcast Sarah Tuberty returns to the podcast to update us on what she’s been doing since she last appeared to talk about her podcast “Disarming Disability.” In additional to creating season 2 of the podcast, Sarah shared new ventures with us, including her new YouTube channel, “Sarah Lives Life.”. She also shared news about upcoming plan s to publish her writing regarding resources for parents raising children with congenital limb differences and other disabilities, and lastly announces her exciting cross country trip with Jessica Cox and Patrick Chamberlain to reach Washington DC for the Flight of Hope with former Senator Tom Harkin, the author and lead sponsor of the ADA to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the passage of the landmark ADA legislation. You can learn more about Sarah and all of her projects at sarahtuberty.com

After being diagnosed with degenerative disc disease and failing to find relief through traditional medicine, Arun ultimately found success to his pain challenges through exploration of the connection between mind and body. He has since started his own company, Remedy health, which offers tools and practices to support people on a journey of health recovery for their chronic pain. Learn more at Remedypain.co.

Moving to a different country may impact an individual’s ability to engage in familiar roles, routines, and habits. Such a transition influences occupational performance, occupational identity, relationships, and overall health and wellbeing.  Our guest, Dr. Inbal identified the profound need to support trailing spouses in the process of relocation and created a workshop called "Occupational Therapy Guide for Relocation" to address it.  Inbal volunteers as a team member at Inspire. Inspire is a network for accompanying partners to inspire, support, and motivate each other. Website: www.inspire-partners.org/  Facebook page: www.facebook.com/InspireRelocatedPartners/

Robert is the founding program director for the masters of OT program at Tennessee Wesleyan University in Knoxville, Tennessee. He wrote his recently published book serves as a guide and resource for those experiencing job loss during this time. It shares daily tasks and thought provoking questions to help guide the reader towards what they need to focus on not only to regain employment but meaningful employment. Robert can be reached at rmullaney@tnwesleyan.edu and his book can be purchased at lulu.com.

Brittany is an OT specializing in mental health and telehealth and is founder of “Simplicity of Health” which focuses on health literacy and giving people tools to make informed decisions about their health and be better able to advocate for themselves. She also shares with us an excerpt from her recent children’s book, “Why is there a person in my computer.” You can learn more at www.simplicityofhealth.com and reach Brittany at rsssferri@sbcglobal.net.

Vicki is an OT with decades of experience in the field. She focuses on a mind body system that she created called the ABC of prevention and fitness alignment breathing and centering. The ABC’s is a method that everyone, not just healthcare professionals, benefit from knowing. Vicki walks us through a few stories to demonstrate the power of this practice and walks us through a guided meditation. To learn more or reach Vicki, you can contact her at vicki@thera-fitness.com.

Katerina Dejkoska joins us from Macedonia. She is the director and producer of the documentary “Overcoming.” The documentary exposes how individuals cope with the consequences of traumatic brain injury that are different in any one of them, and most importantly, the documentary shows the possibilities of moving on with positivity after sustaining traumatic brain injury. To learn more, visit online and watch a trailer at overcomingtbi.com.

Sara Egglestion, a disability manager with over 30 years experience helping people be more comfortable in the workplace, joins us to talk about how to work in a more ergonomically correct posture and tips for us as we set up our home to be our workstation.

Jordan Fuller is a glass artist and owner of “The Glass Bar” in Needham, MA. The workshop offers different classes and lessons on how to make beautiful objects out of recycled glass, and they teach various glass making techniques, including stained glass, glass fusing, and dichromic glass. You can learn more and see examples at theglassbarboston.com.

Lindsey joins the podcast to share often overlooked but crucial for quality of life topics - pelvic health. She discusses the unique role OT can play with pelvic health as opposed to physical therapy. She is the author of the NYT Report “A Survival Guide for the Fourth Trimester: Practical suggestions for women dealing with the surprising things that happen to their bodies in the first months after childbirth.” She also offers online courses for other OTs and individuals. Learn more at kegelsthatwork.com

Associate Dean for Faculty Research and Development Associate Professor, Rhetoric Director of the Center for Interdisciplinary Teaching and Learning. She discusses her career studying and writing about children of incarcerated parents among other pursuits. She shares her powerful personal story behind her work and reads excerpts from her work. To learn more about Dr. Sullivan, visit http://www.megansullivansite.com/

Timisha discusses her career in Occupational Therapy, and how she became an author and motivator. Her book, 12 Case Studies: Treatments Intervention and Documentation Examples for Occupational Therapists Working in Skilled Nursing Facilities can be found on Amazon https://www.amazon.com//dp/0578435764/ The e-book copy can be found here at https://payhip.com/b/DlWa

Suzanne left a career in corporate America to become a flying trapeze artist and instructor. Through circus, she discovered the therapeutic power of her practices and eventually became an Occupational Therapist. She later founded Circus for Survivors and has done research as a part of Circus Up! studying circus as a therapy and intervention.

While at the Boston University IDEA Conference 2020, Karen met Max Bard, a master’s level BU graduate and an artist in residence. He created a sculpture while at the conference made out of all found materials. The annual IDEA Conference is a one-day event for college students and young alumni across New England to explore innovation and entrepreneurship through technology, social impact, and arts and culture. You can see examples of Max’s work at http://maxbard911.com/

Did you know that as many as 1 in 5 people have Dyslexia? We are joined by Gabrielle-Ann Torre, Ph.D., a Postdoctoral Fellow at Boston University in the Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences. Working in the lab of Tyler Perrachione, PhD Gabrielle’s research focuses on communication disorders, including dyslexia and autism. You can learn more at http://sites.bu.edu/cnrlab/.

We meet australian occupational therapist Brock Cook, who speaks about his journey to becoming an OT. Brock also hosts a podcast series in occupation and OT and interviews guests from all over the world. You can find more about him and his work at http://www.brockcook.com/

Dr. Raul Fernandez is the Associate Dean for Equity, Diversity & Inclusion at BU’s Wheelock College of Education & Human Development and a lecturer in Wheelock’s Higher Education Administration program. He is an accomplished educator, with thousands of people having attended his workshops at campuses, conferences and organizations around the country and internationally. He is an elected Select Board Member in Brookline, MA and an appointee to the Racial Imbalance Advisory Council of the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. He is also the co-creator of the popular Wide Lens film series at the Coolidge Corner Theatre, which seeks to explore underrepresented perspectives through film and conversation. Raul’s signature workshop Blind Spots challenges participants to examine their background, beliefs and biases while identifying areas where they can do the work and grow. He’s facilitated versions of Blind Spots and other workshops for deans, faculty and administrators, doctors and nurses, lawyers and social workers, teachers and tutors, resident assistants, campus activities boards and orientation leaders. Learn more about Raul at http://www.raulspeaks.com/

Ty is an award-winning children’s book author, literacy advocate, and captivating motivational speaker. In 2011 he founded Big Head Books, LLC, a literacy organization that aims to introduce children to the joys of reading. He is the co-founder of the Read or Else movement and Danny Dollar Academy. In this episode, Ty shares how helping his son start a lemonade stand led him to a career writing children's books on financial literacy. Learn more about Ty at tyallanjackson.com

Author Adrienne Kisner joins us again to share her latest YA novel, "The Confusion of Laurel Graham," in which A teen copes with her grandmother's coma by becoming obsessed with a mystery bird that she cannot identify. Adrienne shares the inspiration of her novel, as well as an excerpt. She also updates us on what she's been up to including some new projects in the works. To find out more about Adrienne and her books visit http://www.adriennekisner.com/.

Our guests Tamara Calhoun and Cynthia Abbott Gaffney discuss their work related to gunshot survivors and how they are meeting that and other health needs for their clients. They also discuss their experiences in a doctoral program in Occupational Therapy. Tamara Calhoun shares her work on engaging African American youth in rehabilitation following gunshot wound trauma. Cynthia Abbott Gaffney shares about her work in expanding the role of telehealth in client health management.

Gigi and David join us from Nashville to share their entrepreneurship journey. David is building a continuing education management platform and Gigi is building an online network that connects rehab therapists and consumers to connect with each other. The pair share how they started their journey of building a business and where they are now in the process.

Heidi shares her personal journey of coping with different challenges such as health and life transition and discussing how to figure out what love for yourself looks like in order to create a sense of well being and live life to its fullest. She also shares practical self care tips that anyone can do.

Kathryn Ellis is an OT, and Certified Sexuality Counselor. She runs a training program on Sex and Intimacy for Occupational Therapists. You can learn more at sexintimacyot.com or by following her at @sexintimacyOT on social media.

Anne Kim, Joyce Hu, and Ioana Moldovan join us and discuss their process for writing their children’s book “You Are So Brave.” You Are So Brave! follows a young girl named Ellie and her favorite toy, Leo the lion, as they visit the doctor for their yearly checkup. Together, they learn how to be brave as they use elements of mindfulness and understand that challenges are easier when you are with someone you love. You can order copies of the book online through Amazon.

Adrienne Kisner, author of Dear Rachel Maddow, joins us live in studo at Boston University to discuss her debut YA novel, about a high school girl who deals with school politics and life after her brother's death by drafting emails to MSNBC host Rachel Maddow. You can find copies of the book at your local bookstore, or online. 

Dr. David Bernstein and his wife Melissa join us to discuss his latest book, “The Power of 5: The Ultimate Formula for Longevity & Remaining Youthful. The duo discusses tips for aging gracefully, including healthy eating habits that are showcased in recipes on Melissa’s blog, “The Power of Five Test Kitchen.” For more information visit http://www.davidbernsteinmd.com/books/powerof5/.

In this episode we get to know Roberta Saphire, an attorney and Camille Baron, a financial advisor, both from the Boston/Providence area. Their show, The Law, Your Money, and You delves into practical advice and tips for managing your finances, and they share with us tips on how to avoid scams, planning for retirement, and how they are helping local communities. Find out more and watch episodes of their show on http://www.sharontv.com/program/law-money-you/.

This episode features a “Burns Night” celebration in honor of the Scottish poet, Robert Burns. He is best known for writing poem/song "Auld Lang Syne." Fiddles McGinty by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license. Artist: http://incompetech.com/.

This episode joins Karen on a service-learning trip to Morocco lead by Dr. Said Nafai and Dr. Mohamed Brahimi. Karen met occupational therapists and students from around the globe at the first Occupational Therapy conference in Morocco organized by Dr. Said Nafai and Elizabeth Stevens-Nafai. Said also joined our episode to discuss service learning and was present during a powerful visit to a transitional care home for women in breast cancer treatment. Find out more about Said’s work at otmorocco.org.

Nicole Kelly and Sarah Tuberty are the hosts of a new podcast launching this week called Disarming Disability. Their goal is to deconstruct social stigma on disability and to voice, educate, and empower individuals to generate a more knowledgeable, understanding, and inclusive society. Their weekly podcast will authentically discuss topics related to disability on the societal platform. You can find out more online at disarmingdisability.com, on Facebook at @disarmingdisaiblity, and on twitter at @disarmdisable.

Samora Kasmir joins us for a conversation at Boston University on how she became an Occupational Therapist with the US military as part of the US Public Health Service and how others can do the same.

In this episode, we meet Shelley Francis, an audiologist and author of No Child Left Unwrapped. Shelley has been practicing audiology for over 25 years and specializes in working with highly sensitive children. Shelley believes everyone is born with their own unique gifts that can go unnoticed or undeveloped due to developmental differences and societal beliefs. Shelley discusses how empathy and compassion can help sensitive children cultivate and develop their gifts.

While at the Assistive Technology of NE conference in RI, we meet Tracy Lee Allard, Mary Anne Lewis and Patrick Lewis. Tracey was the keynote speaker of the conference and is an actress with Asperger’s Spectrum Disorder who hopes to change misconceptions about Autism/Asperger’s. Tracy got her start public speaking at 8 years old and can be seen in Sam and Mattie's teen zombie movie. Patrick is a 27 year old who is blind/cognitively challenged. His mom, Mary Anne, who is an occupational therapist and his other family members helped him create a business called, Purely Patrick where he makes specialty food items. You can learn more at www.purelypatrick.com

Our guest Helene Vincent discusses her decision to run for City Council in Boston's 8th district.

In this episode we hear from Vanessa Grijalba on her personal and professional journey toward incorporating occupational therapy into the practice of treating obesity.

In this episode, we meet Richard Mangino. He was the first person in Massachusetts to obtain a hand transplant when he was 65.

In this episode, our guests, Rivka, Robie and Amy share their lived experiences living with or caring for someone with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME)/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS)/ and Fibromyalgia (FM). Often considered a hidden disease, these women are helping to shine a spotlight on the issue, for there is currently no treatment for those who suffer from its debilitating effects.

In this episode, we meet Nick Adkins, founder of the Pinksocks tribe. Pinksocks began as a viral movement and quickly evolved into a worldwide community united in changing the world from the ground up, with heart speak, hugs, and gifting. Learn more at pinksocks.life.