On The air

On Episode 130, Sarah Zera, OTD, OTR/L, shares the story about how she discovered and fell in love with occupational therapy and discusses her work as a mobile- and community-based practitioner and insight about how to bring moxie to one's OT practice.Growing up, two of Sarah's primary caregivers were people with disabilities. Her background has provided her with first-hand knowledge of what is possible when living with a disability. These experiences also showed her the many barriers people with disabilities face on a daily basis. Sarah has been working as an occupational therapist since 2002. Throughout her career she has been proud to support her clients in their rehabilitation journey. As Sarah has grown as an occupational therapist she has realized that we can do better. Traditional rehabilitation services are vitally important. However, many people “graduate” from rehabilitation but do not return to doing the things in life that matter to them most. In 2013 she returned to school to study the most effective approaches to help her clients return to their most life-affirming activities. Her doctorate in occupational therapy propelled her to open Moxie OT. Sarah can be reached via email at moxieot@moxieot.com, and you can find information about her work including her podcast at https://www.moxieot.com/ Read her article in the British Journal of Occupational Therapy: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/03080226211008713 Read her Blog Post for the ICANCOOP website: https://icancoop.org/blogs/first-hand-account/goal-plan-do-check-supporting-community-participation-through-adult-group-sessions Other resources mentioned on this episode:Chappell, I. et al. (2006). Enabling Occupation in Children: The Cognitive Orientation to Daily Occupational Performance (CO-OP) Approach. CAOT Publications ACE Dawson, D. (2017). Cognitive Orientation to Daily Occupational Performance in Occupational Therapy: Using the CO-OP Approach (TM) to Enable Participation Across the Lifespan. AOTA Press

Occupational therapist Amy Coopersmith, MOT, OTR/L, MAEd, has worked as an educator and OT for more than 25 years. She currently works as a lecturer on topics related to children's independence and positive mental health. For 17 years, she worked as an OT Supervisor, clinician and evaluator for the NYC Department of Education. Amy is passionate about promoting children's self-determination through AOTA workshops as well as national/regional conferences and online learning communities. In 2020, she created Captain Me®, a video-based musical self-determination program for all children. Through the evidence-informed use of guided questioning, role play, music, puppets and video modeling, Amy helps practitioners learn how to best utilize their pediatric sessions to promote motivation, engagement and independence. Currently, she is pursuing her OT doctorate at Temple University. Previously, Amy taught Pediatric Assessment and Treatment at Mercy College and worked as a teacher in New York City. Her favorite hobby is writing songs about self-determination and mental health to promote children's independence. On this episode, Amy shares about her journey into the profession of OT and introduces listeners to Captain Me®, the program she developed to promote self-determination in children, and to Cappy, the star of that program. Here's a link to a sample of her work: https://www.seekfreaks.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Cappy-Lesson-Plan-Setting-Goals.pdf To connect with Amy, email her at captainmekids@gmail.com Also check out the continuing education courses she has developed through the company Apply EBP: https://www.applyebp.com/

Occupational therapy assistant Amy Mahle is passionate about promoting the occupational therapist/occupational therapy assistant (OT/OTA) collaboration, uniting and motivating OT practitioners, advocating for occupational therapy, and finding solutions. She is the founding OTA Program Director at Rowan-Cabarrus Community College in Salisbury, NC and co-author/co-editor of the comprehensive textbook, Adult Physical Conditions: Intervention Strategies for Occupational Therapy Assistants. Amy has been an active member of AOTA and the North Carolina Occupational Therapy Association for her entire career and has served in leadership roles in both, including President of NCOTA. She is currently pursuing her EdD in Community College Leadership at NC State University. Prior to her career as an OTA, she was a small business owner and worked in the social service sector. Connect with Amy: Via email at amy.mahle.cota@gmail.comVia her website - www.amymahle.comOn Instagram: @amyjanemahleOn Twitter @AmyMahleCOTAOn Facebook: Amy J. Mahle (professional page)Resources:The textbook Amy co-authored and co-edited: https://tinyurl.com/MahleBookDallas Herring lecture series: https://belk-center.ced.ncsu.edu/our-impact/executive-leadership-programs/dallas-herring-lecture/

Vikram Pagpatan, MS, OTRL, ATP, CAS, BCTS, EdDc is a practicing Asian-American occupational therapist from New York City. He is a full time Assistant Professor and Admissions Coordinator at SUNY Downstate's MSOT program as well as an adjunct lecturer at York College. Prior to beginning his work as an OT, Vikram served the city he loves as a paramedic and found the profession of OT on his graveyard shift through one of his patients. Vikram's clinical interests are in the areas of assistive technology and seating and mobility systems within pediatric practice. He presently serves on the AOTA DEI committee, as the social media chair of the Asian-Pacific Heritage Occupational Therapy Association, and as a cohort member of the 2021 AOTA Academic Leadership Institute. On this episode, Vik shares about the influence of diversity - and diversity of thought - within the OT profession- diversity of thought, his path into the profession, what OT has allowed him to do personally and professionally, and more - including his bid for a seat on the AOTA Board of Directors. Connect with Vikram:Via email: vikram.pagpatan@downstate.eduOn Instagram @ VikramPagpatanOTRL On LinkedIn @ Vikram PagpatanFor more about the AOTA election:https://www.aota.org/community/get-involved/elected-and-appointed-positions/elections/2022-elections

Mike Jankowski has been an occupational therapist since 2011 and has spent the majority of his career working with the pediatric population in start-up therapy clinics. In November of 2020 Mike started working at the EMR company SimplePractice as their Occupational Therapy Clinical Specialist. At SimplePractice, Mike brings together his knowledge of OT and private practice and works with SimplePractice's product and marketing teams to continue to enhance SimplePractice for its OT users.Resources mentioned:•Entrepreneuership FB groups – oEntreneurship4OT - https://www.facebook.com/groups/otentrepreneurs oOT Entrenpreurs - https://www.facebook.com/groups/536469659833481 •AOTA Private Practice Essentials - https://www.aota.org/Conference-Events/summer-series/schedule.aspxConnect with Mike: •Email - mike@simplepractice.com•Twitter - @MikeTheOT1•LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-jankowski-otrl/ •Website/blog - https://www.simplepractice.com/mike-j/

Laura Simmons is the CEO and Founder of Theratrak, a company that offers a digital platform enabling allied health professionals including occupational therapy practitioners to more efficiently track participant progress in between treatment sessions. She is also a passionate pediatric occupational therapist working with families of children living with a range of disabilities in early intervention. Laura has worked in the private health sector in Australia for almost 10 years, and in this time she has noticed a distinct lack of innovative technology solutions targeting the ongoing care of clients outside of direct therapy and how this is impacting the client's overall treatment. As a leader of a team of occupational therapists, Laura wants to improve the healthcare system from the inside out to support the growth of younger therapists everywhere. As mentioned in the interview, TheraTrak is looking for partners in the United States to pilot their HIPAA certified digital tracking system. On this episode, we talk about Laura's work in the field and how she developed TheraTrack as well as how COVID-19 impacted pediatric therapy practice in Australia as compared to in the U.S.To connect with Laura:Email - laura@theratrak.coTwitter - https://twitter.com/laura1simmons Facebook Page - https://www.facebook.com/theratrak Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/theratrak/LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/theratrak/ Website/blog - https://www.theratrak.co/ https://www.theratrak.co/

For this interview, I brought back the guest from Episode 119 so we could dig deeper into the topic of time management for clinicians and clinical practice owners and managers.Jamey Schrier, P.T. is an author, former practice owner and founder of Practice Freedom U. PFU solely focuses on helping practice owners work less, earn more, and reignite their passion for patient care. His book, The Practice Freedom Method, has been an Amazon best-seller. Jamey is on a mission to help ambitious practice owners achieve their dreams of what he refers to as Practice Freedom.Resources mentioned during this interview:*The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Steven R. Covey - https://www.franklincovey.com/the-7-habits/*TEDs talk by Dr. Anne Zachry, PhD, OTR/L - "Be a Daydream Believer" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=omGbKQIzoWY To connect with with Jamey:Email - jamey@practicefreedomu.comTwitter - https://twitter.com/jameyschrier Facebook Page - https://www.facebook.com/PracticeFreedomU Instagram - https://instagram.com/practicefreedomu

Lydia Cremer Kite is an occupational therapist who has experience in a variety of settings including skilled nursing facilities, subacute rehabilitation, outpatient rehabilitation, long term acute rehabilitation, community based, along with ergonomics, injury and prevention. She has a focus in work rehab and is a certified aging in place specialist. She has been teaching at University of St. Augustine for several years and also practices OT at an outpatient clinic with a focus on return to work. Lydia earned her Bachelor of Arts with a major in psychology from Georgia Southern University and a Master's of Occupational Therapy from University of St. Augustine in 2015. She also has experience in not-for-profit organizations, day programs, group homes for adults with varying intellectual and developmental abilities.Lydia's sister, Kaitlyn Cremer, is also an occupational therapist and was featured on Episode 120 of On The Air. On this episode, Lydia talks about OT and community partnerships.

On this episode, we talk about the importance of the support provided by therapists during rehab and the incredible power of hope.Cindy Kolbe has been a lifelong disability advocate—even before her youngest daughter's spinal cord injury. In her memoir, Struggling with Serendipity, she shares about her battle with depression and guilt after her daughter's injury. Since the injury, Cindy and her daughter have shared many adventures which Cindy calls "unexpected," from during her daughter's time in rehab in their small town in Ohio to time they spent at Harvard, on Capitol Hill, and around the world. Cindy has now signed a movie contract with a producer/writer who is shopping Struggling with Serendipity to Hollywood movie studios. Her motto is: “If you never give up, hope wins.”To connect with Cindy:Email - cindy@strugglingwithserendipity.comTwitter - @cindy_kolbeFacebook Page - Struggling with SerendipityInstagram - @cindybkolbeWebsite/blog - www.strugglingwithserendipity.comYouTube Channel: Struggling with SerendipityResources and quotes from the episode:Spinalpedia - a social mentoring network and video archive about the experiences of individuals with spinal cord injuries - https://spinalpedia.com/Soul of a Citizen book – “La esperanza muere al ultimo” (p. 326). Hope dies last – never lose hope, never give up. Here's the author's website: https://www.paulloeb.org/soul-study/Dum spiro spero – as I breathe, I hope – there is always something for which one can hope.

Kimberly Kearney, COTA/L, has been an occupational therapy practitioner since 2003. She has worked in Skilled Nursing, Rehab, Memory Care, Acute Care, Home Health, Community Health, and Early Intervention settings. Most recently, Kim has been working in Home Health in Virginia. She has held licenses in Indiana, Florida, Colorado and now Virginia. Kim has been involved with AOTA serving on the Commission on Practice for over 5 years and assisted with the OTA Forum. She has also presented as a panel member at a few national conferences in these roles. She was involved with the topic of Driving and Community Mobility and worked with the ADED group in Colorado and presented at the Colorado OT Association Conference on the topic. Over the years, Kim has been happy to work with students in various aspects of their OT learning journey as a fieldwork educator. In addition, she views volunteering as a way of life after having worked with American Cancer Society, Girl Scouts, American Red Cross, the MS Society, Medical Reserve Corps, Make A Wish Foundation. She is an advocate for lifelong learning and enjoys a variety of challenges most recently exploring new occupations including meditative drumming, Cricut Maker projects, and solo camping in her teardrop trailer.Recommended resources:Everything is Figureoutable - book by Marie Forleo - https://www.amazon.com/Everything-Figureoutable-Marie-Forleo/dp/0525534997How to Get Involved (AOTA website) - including a link to update your COOL Profile - https://www.aota.org/Education-Careers/Students/Get-Involved.aspxOT-OTA Collaboration in Education - https://www.aota.org/-/media/Corporate/Files/Secure/Governance/RA/Minutes/RA%20Fall%20Online%202017%20Meeting/Importance-of-Collaborative-OT-OTA-Intraprofessional-Education-in-OT-Curricula-FINAL.pdf Guidelines for Supervision in OT Services - https://www.aota.org/-/media/Corporate/Files/Advocacy/State/Resources/Supervision/MSRSOTA.pdfGirl Camper website - https://girlcamper.com/Connect with Kim: Email: OTKimberly@gmail.comIG: @OTKimberlyTwitter: @OTKimberly

Kaitlyn Cremer, OTD, MOT, OTR/L, has been an occupational therapist for over 10 years. She has worked in a variety of settings including geriatrics, pediatrics, acute-care, acute-rehabilitation and in low vision and workplace wellness and ergonomics. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree from Florida Southern College and Master of Occupational Therapy and then Doctorate of Occupational Therapy from The University of St. Augustine. She is an onsite prevention specialist. She was awarded AOTA's specialty certification in low vision (SCLV). She is an advocate for interprofessional teamwork having presented at national conferences to advocate for OT's role in the interprofessional team. She is currently a consultant for a community-based long term support and service agency for adults with intellectual and developmental disability advocating for occupational therapy's role as well as clients' quality of life and employee support. Connect with Kaitlyn on Instagram -@OTsDoThat

Jamey Schrier, PT, is an author, former physical therapy practice owner, and founder of Practice Freedom U. PFU solely focuses on helping practice owners work less, earn more, and reignite their passion for patient care. His book, The Practice Freedom Method has been an Amazon best-seller. Jamey is on a mission to help ambitious practice owners achieve their dreams of what is commonly called Practice Freedom. On this episode, Jamey shares about how changing one's mindset can transform and in some cases even save a business including a private practice. Here's how to connect with Jamey:Email - jamey@practicefreedomu.comTwitter - https://twitter.com/jameyschrier Facebook Page - https://www.facebook.com/PracticeFreedomU Instagram - https://instagram.com/practicefreedomuLinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jameyschrier/

Hailey Scandin is a third-year student in the Occupational Therapy Doctoral Program at Belmont University in Nashville, TN. She is currently in her final semester of OT school and is working on completing her Capstone project with Ability App. Hailey has always had an interest in advocating for individuals with disabilities and is looking forward to continuing to do so as she starts her professional career as an OT practitioner. When she is not in school, you can find her outdoors hiking, biking, or on the water with family and friends!To connect with Hailey and to learn more about Ability App:Instagram - @hailbail16Website - https://theabilityapp.com/

Susan Mahipaul is an occupational therapist, an educator, a researcher, and a disability and health naviagator and advocate who completed a PhD from McMaster University in Hamilton, ON in Rehabilitation Science (2015) and a clinical Master's in Occupational Therapy from the University of Toronto (2004). She identifies as a disabled clinician and a critical disability scholar. Her doctoral work explored how her own reflections on living with spina bifida can be used to critique normative assumptions on disability within rehabilitation practices and society at large. Her research, teaching, and writing interests include advocating for equity, justice, and anti-oppressive practices within the rehabilitation sciences; academic ableism; how rehabilitation science programs often exclude disabled students; and using narrative research in teaching critical disability studies concepts within rehabilitation and disability studies programs. Susan teaches as an instructor within the undergraduate Disability Studies program at King's University College at Western University Canada. She guest lectures extensively throughout many Canadian OT programs on critical disability studies and anti-oppressive clinical practice. She consults on several national research projects underpinned by critical disability studies and disability researching partnerships. Susan also has a professional practice where she consults with, advocates for, and supports disabled and chronically ill women in navigating their disability and health related needs. Susan is married and lives in London, ON with her husband and her retired racing greyhound. She grew up in Austria, Germany, and Canada and loves the outdoors. Susan comes from an active family and participated in many sports, committee work and volunteer and advocacy initiatives, until chronic pain and challenges with pacing led her to reimagine her work-life balance. Susan is an avid gardener who loves propagating plants and gifting them to anyone she can. Follow Susan on Twitter @SMahipaulResources mentioned during this episode:"Perspectives on Disability and Rehabilitation: Contesting Assumptions, Challenging Practice" by Karen Whalley Hammel, PhD, MSc, OT(C), DipCOT"Disability Visability" by Alice Wong

Karen Park, OTD, OTR/L, BCP, SWC, CLE, is an occupational therapist with extensive experience in pediatric practice in a variety of service settings including early intervention, clinic, school, hospital and outpatient children’s mental health. Dr. Park is Board Certified in Pediatrics by the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) and holds Advanced Practice certification in Swallowing Assessment, Evaluation, and Intervention within the state of California. Prior to joining the faculty at University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences in San Marcos, CA (USA), Dr. Park was an Assistant Professor of Clinical Occupational Therapy and the Director of Academic Fieldwork Education at the University of Southern California, Chan Division of Occupational Science and Therapy. Her expertise in fieldwork education focuses on role emerging fieldwork experiences in children’s mental health settings; specifically mentoring OT students in identifying and establishing the role of OT in addressing the occupational needs of underserved children and families with a history of complex trauma. She was also clinical faculty at the USC University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD) in the interdisciplinary Feeding Development Clinic serving children with feeding challenges, co-occurring neuro-developmental disorders and a history of medical or psychosocial trauma. She has taught courses on pediatric practice and given additional lectures on infant mental health and mealtime assessment and intervention. She also completed the certificate program in Sensory Integration at USC Chan. Dr. Park has lectured nationally and internationally on topics around interdisciplinary approaches to feeding assessment and intervention, the intersection of trauma and mental health factors on mealtime engagement and enjoyment, healthy weight for children with special healthcare needs, as well as developing and sustaining role emerging FW experiences.Note: We use the acronym "AAPI" throughout this episode in reference to the Asian Pacific American Islander community. Resources discussed on this episode: Stop AAPI Hate - https://stopaapihate.org/ AAPI Women Lead - https://www.imreadymovement.org/ Asian Pacific Heritage Month information - https://asianpacificheritage.gov/Coalition of Occupational Therapy Advocates for Diversity (COTAD) - www.cotad.orgCOTAD Conversations: Occupation, Invisibility, and anti-Asian Racism - see recorded talk with Dr. Karen Park on COTAD's IG account @COTAD_diversity (March 29, 2021)Connect with Dr. Park - Via IG @karenparkotd

Jennifer Renker, OTR/L, is an occupational therapist who works as a travel therapist, traveling across the U.S. to provide services to in clinics that are short staffed and in need of assistance. She graduated with a Master’s degree in Occupational Therapy in 2017 from Utica College in Utica, NY. Jennifer has extensive experience working with people with a variety of disabilities and challenges in different settings that has helped inform her as a therapist. Prior to going to OT school, she earned an Associate’s degree in massage therapy from Suny Morrisville in Morrisville, NY. Jennifer was drawn to OT because of its holistic nature and ability to look at all of a client’s needs to better assist each person. The fluctuating and changing needs of clients in both of these past settings has allowed Jennifer to become more adaptable and creative with the ability to focus on her client’s immediate needs, while allowing her to excel in the changing environments of a travel therapist. She enjoys spending time on her crafting hobbies which include jewelry-making, diamond painting, silver clay creations, and epoxy resin items. Jennifer has recently melded her two passions for crafting and OT together into a YouTube channel called The Crafting OT Studio that was launched December 2020. The purpose of this channel is to make crafting and leisure activities accessible to everyone no matter what challenges they may have. The channel is a combination of crafting videos as well as suggestions and ideas on how to adapt each craft for easier access and completion. The videos are fun and informative. Make sure to check her out on her YouTube channel as well as on FaceBook, Instagram, and TikTok @The Crafting OT Studio!

Nancy Peters, OTR/L, has been an occupational therapist for over 45 years. She attended the University of Buffalo at a time when there were not many occupational therapy schools in the country and the profession was fairly young. Upon graduation, she was offered a job at one of her fieldworks, the Buffalo VA Hospital, and worked there for 3 years until she left at the birth of her first child. Her next job was at Robert Warner Rehabilitation Center, providing therapeutic services for children. From there she became a school-based OT at Akron Central Schools. Nancy "retired" from the school job only to be called back into service at Summit Rehabilitation. Each job change required some study and continuing education to get up to speed with the different populations she was working with, but her OT background of looking at the whole person and helping them solve obstacles to their "occupation" made each job very fulfilling. Currently Nancy is working as a partner in DNS Designs, a company of which she is a co-founder along with her son and family friend, both of whom are engineers. The trio invented a product called Magzip and developed the brands are Ankhgear and Magzip using the motto "Innovations to Improve Life." Nancy has certifications in Infant Massage and Family Bonding and in Eastwest Somatics for Movement Therapy. She has taken multiple levels of CranioSacral Therapy, all levels of Reiki, Evaluation and Treatment of Sensory Processing Disorders, LomiLomi, Redefining Health from the Maryland University of Integrative Health, and numerous continuing education courses in diverse areas of study. She is a lifelong learner who delights in new information that can positively impact people's lives. On this episode, Nancy shares about her path into the profession of occupational therapy almost 5 decades ago and the many formative experiences she has had over the course of her career as an OT practitioner. She talks about her business venture, the beauty of universal design, and the development of the products like MagZip. As a special perk for listeners of the On The Air podcast, Ankgear is offering a 15% discount on anything on the website Ankhgear.com. The code for that is ONTHEAIR15.To connect with Nancy:Email: nancy@dnsdesignsllc.com IG: @otrnancyFB page: @AnkhgearWebsite: www.Ankhgear.com and www.dnsdesignsllc.com

Annabeth Knight has been an occupational therapist for almost 9 years, practicing in a variety of pediatric therapy settings including an approved private school and private practice. She has her clinical doctorate (an OTD) and studied quality of life indicators for children with multiple neuromuscular disorders for her capstone project. Mara Jonet has been a speech-language pathologist for 5 years. She currently works in private practice and has a passion for augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) intervention. Together, Annabeth and Mara run The Fanny Pack Therapist Instagram account as a fun way to share information about assistive technology, minimalist therapy, and 1990s and 2000s nostalgia! On this episode, Annabeth and Mara discuss the importance of interdisciplinary evaluation and intervention for augmentative alternative communication and assistive technology, how to improve one's comfort and competency in these areas, and tips for minimalist (low stress, low prep) therapy sessions.Connect with AnnaBeth and Mara:Email - thefannypacktherapist@gmail.comInstagram - @thefannypacktherapistWebsite/blog - https://fannypacktherapist.wixsite.com/blog

Danielle Lorenz is a PhD candidate in the Department of Educational Policy Studies at the University of Alberta which is located in amiskwaciwâskahikan, which is what is currently called Edmonton, Alberta. Danielle's doctoral research focuses on settler colonialism in Alberta's K-12 education system. She is also an Associate Editor for the Canadian Journal of Disability Studies.Hannah Sullivan Facknitz is a graduate researcher and teaching assistant at the University of British Columbia. She was born and raised as a settler in Harrisonburg, Virginia (occupied Monacan land) where she also did her bachelor of arts at James Madison University. In the middle of her time at JMU, she was diagnosed with systemic lupus erythematosus, developing organ damage shortly thereafter and dropped out of college eight weeks from graduating. Now, with Danielle Lorenz, she's hoping the CJDS Cripping Pandemic Learning resources can help protect disabled students in higher ed by empowering instructors to prioritize accessibility preemptively.On this episode, we talk about the set of resources Danielle and Hannah have created and made available on CJDS Cripping Pandemic Resourcing, the ways pandemic learning makes learners with disabilities particularly vulnerable, and why educators should be more inclusive through preemptive planning to support learners with disabilities. Access the Cripping Pandemic Learning in Higher Education here: http://bit.ly/CPR2021 Connect with Danielle and Hannah:Twitter - @daniellelorenz and @HannahntheWolfBlog - https://hannahandthewolf.wordpress.com/

Charlotte Foley is an occupational therapist living in Alaska, who feels that occupational therapists and physical therapists have a greater role to play than they currently do in working with people with ostomies. She has a passion for supporting fellow therapists in increasing their confidence with this population. Charlotte has worked in the adult inpatient rehab and acute care settings for the past 6 years, and she’s lived with a permanent ileostomy for 7 years (on and off for 13). Through her work as an OT and her personal experience with an ostomy, she recognized the benefit of OT and PT for ostomy surgery recovery. She started her business, Restorative Ostomy Solutions, in 2020 to provide educational information to therapists. Charlotte also supports "ostomates" - individuals living with ostomies - in living an active lifestyle through her website and social media. Check out the resources Charlotte is sharing on her website at https://backcountryostomy.com/ and on her Facebook Page at https://www.facebook.com/groups/ostomyrehab. Connect with her on Instagram @backcountry_ostomy

Arameh Anvarizadeh, OTD, OTR/L, is an occupational therapist and a leader in the occupational therapy profession. An alumna of the University of Southern California (USC), Dr. Anvarizadeh earned her BS, MA, and Doctorate in Occupational Therapy with a minor in Neuroscience and an emphasis in Ambulatory Healthcare. In her role as the Director of Admissions and Associate Professor of Clinical Occupational Therapy at the USC Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, she is responsible for ensuring the success of the admissions process by creating and maintaining effective admission strategies and procedures. She also oversees each academic program and makes certain the division is filled with high caliber diverse students.Dr. Anvarizadeh also serves as the Chair and is a founding member of the Coalition of Occupational Therapy Advocates for Diversity (COTAD), a non-profit organization striving to meet society’s occupational needs by developing local and national initiatives and aligning with key stakeholders to create a socioculturally diverse workforce that is able to provide culturally effective and client-centered services to occupational therapy consumers. An advocate and an ignitor of change in the field of OT as well as for social justice and human rights, Dr. Anvarizadeh is currently running for Vice President of the Executive Board of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA). She has extensive leadership experience including through AOTA and the Occupational Therapy Association of California (OTAC). Within AOTA, she is currently a Representative Assembly Leadership Committee (RALC) member and the Credential Review and Accountability Committee (CRAC) Chair.She is listed on the AOTA Roster of Fellows and is a recipient of OTAC’s Janice Matsutsuyu Outstanding Service Award and Vision Award and an accomplished speaker who has served as the keynote speaker and presented on a variety of topics at both state and national conferences as well as lecturing internationally at the World Federation of Occupational Therapists’ (WFOT) congress. Dr. Anvarizadeh also serves on the Boards of Inclusion Clubhouse and Black Women for Wellness. She is passionate about building healthy, diverse communities through inclusion, health education, empowerment, and advocacy. She envisions creating sustainable communities through social entrepreneurship and policy using an occupational therapy perspective.On this episode, she shares about her path into the OT profession, her mantras and leadership philosophy, and her vision and plans for persevering and igniting change as she continues to create systemic change in the OT profession through action-oriented leadership. Connect with Dr. Anvarizadeh on Instagram @drarameh.

Lindsey Vestal is an occupational therapist and is the founder of The Functional Pelvis, the first in-home pelvic health practice in New York City run by an occupational therapist. She has helped thousands of people overcome chronic pelvic health challenges like incontinence and pelvic pain. Her goal is to empower women and men to listen to the wisdom of their own bodies—without resorting to invasive surgeries or prescription drugs—so they can heal and get back to enjoying life again. She understands that no one else knows a person's body better than that person. She considers the whole person, not just outward physical symptoms. Lindsey offers online training for other OT practitioners who want to pursue pelvic health. This course, which is called OT Pioneers: Intro to Pelvic Health for Occupational Therapists, opens twice a year, with more information available at https://ot-pioneers.teachable.com/In addition, she offers two free interview series featuring OTs in emerging practice fields (women's, men's and pelvic health) where OTs can learn so much about how to enter these fields, how these OTs made it, they favorite continuing ed courses and more. The first series is entitled Pelvic Soma Hour (more info at https://functionalpelvis.lpages.co/pelvic-soma-hour); the second is called How to Break Into An Emerging Practice Area (more info at https://functionalpelvis.lpages.co/ot-emerging-area-of-practice/).Connect with Lindsey via Facebook at The Functional Pelvis, on Instagram @functionalpelvis, or through her website at www.functionalpelvis.com.

On Episode 53, Stephanie Goodman, an OT practitioner from Kansas City, MO, shared about her work as a coach at The Parkinson's Exercise and Wellness Center in Overland Park, KS. On this episode, two individuals with whom she works - Sarrisa Curry and Jacob Weiss - both of whom are pioneering innovative work with people in the Parkinson's Disease community, talk about their work and research with people with Parkinson's Disease. From a young age, Sarrisa has been fascinated by the human body's ability to adapt to the stimulus, positive and negative. She sought a career that would allow her to pursue this passion. She achieved her Massage Therapy certification in 2002. Over the next few years she added certifications in multiple forms of health including weight training, group fitness classes, and nutrition supplementation. She became a NASM Certified Personal trainer in 2014. She spent 6 years as the manager of operations of a high end Racquet Club, learning the ins and outs of the fitness industry. In 2016 she began working with people with Parkinson's Disease in an exercise setting, boxing specifically. Very quickly she saw that the brain, even in a diseased condition, can adapt and positively change with exercise. She witnessed miraculous changes in people's movement, balance, mood, and neurological function after just a few sessions of boxing. It was a lifechanging interaction. She shifted her entire focus to the Parkinson's Community and soon thereafter founded The Parkinson's Exercise and Wellness Center (The PEWC), a non-profit organizations dedicated to offering exercise as a form of therapy for people with PD. She has surrounded herself with 4 other coaches who share the same passion for the PD community and Health. Together they provide 6 different forms of exercise formats in over 25 classes a week via Zoom and in person. The impact her organization has had on hundreds of people in The Kansas City area is phenomenal. Her life was shaped by her fascination and all the paths she traveled prepared her for the mission of The PEWC. She loves the path her life has taken her. She walks along with her husband and co-Founder David Curry. Together they are raising 3 daughters and 2 sons, 2 dogs and a Holland Lop Rabbit. Dr. Jacob Weiss is the founder and the director of HandEyeBody, a social enterprise with a mission to help people of all fitness levels move better, focus better, and function better. Since graduating from Princeton University and completing his PhD in Biomedical Informatics at Vanderbilt University, he has developed and shared his interactive training programs with conferences, corporate teams, schools, and non-profit organizations. He also has toured the world as a professional juggler and social entrepreneur, bringing laughter and joy to communities and families that need it most. Dr. Weiss currently runs HandEyeBody Academy, a global online training platform to bring accessible and fun movement methods to health, wellness, and fitness programs.To connect with the guests, visit their website at https://www.handeyebody.com or follow their work on social media @handeyebody (Twitter and Instagram) or www.facebook.com/handeyebody (Facebook).

Occupational therapist Allison Sullivan, DOT, OTR/L, was the recipient of the 2017 Catherine Trombly Award for Excellence in Research and Education from the Massachusetts Association of Occupational Therapy and the 2018 Faculty Excellence award from American International College. She is Lead Faculty for AIC’s Post-Professional Doctor of Occupational Therapy program, where she mentors doctoral capstone projects and teaches courses for the PP-OTD in scholarship of teaching and learning in occupational therapy and occupational therapy theory, as well as providing instruction for the entry-level MSOT program in courses on group dynamics, the development of psychosocial occupations and the mental health process in OT. Her research interests include pedagogy in occupational therapy education, cognitive disabilities, and trauma-informed care. Dr. Sullivan’s study, “Impact of a Fieldwork Experience on Attitudes Toward People with Intellectual Disabilities”, is published in the 2017 November/December issue of the American Journal of Occupational Therapy. As an occupational therapist and educator, Dr. Sullivan has dedicated her career toward improving the lives of individuals with cognitive disabilities and health conditions that interfere with social participation and quality of life across the lifespan, working in day habilitation services, school-based occupational therapy, and residential settings in a career spanning three decades. She is the chair of the MAOT Western Massachusetts Mental Health Special Interest Group, a certified group exercise and yoga instructor (RYT), and the co-founder and leader of #OTalk2US, a Twitter chat for occupational therapists with tens of millions of views of tweets carrying this tag.In this interview, Allison shares about the results of our recent study, which describes effects of participation in an innovative computer simulation training in screening and brief intervention and occupational therapy students’ confidence and preparedness in selecting appropriate responses when using this skill in a virtual assessment. In addition, we talk about trends and advocacy on social media, international connections, and mental health as an integral part of the OT profession. We also discuss the book StrengthsFinder 2.0 from Gallup and Tom Rath. To connect with Dr. Sullivan, follow her on Twitter @_allisulli.

Tanya Peterson, MS, OTR, has been an occupational therapist for over a decade. She began her career in acute care at Upstate Medical University, eventually transitioned into pediatrics, and then became a full time faculty member in an Occupational Therapy Assistant Program. Eventually she branched out on her own to open The Tot Spot Play Center in Upstate NY. And her most recent project aligns her passion for helping other OT Entrepreneurs do the same - Tanya and her business partner are launching Tactical Shift Healthcare Consulting in fall 2020.On this episode, Tanya talks about her innovation and how she became an entrepreneur in the field of occupational therapy and shares tips and resources for other who are interested in pursuing a similar path. To find out more about her work, to access free content, and to request support, check out Tactical Shift Healthcare Consulting at https://mailchi.mp/74317e68f845/tactical-shift-healthcare-consulting-beta-launch. Learn more about Tanya's clinic, The Tot Spot Play Center, via the website at www.thetotspotplaycenter.com or on Facebook or Instagram @totspotplaycenter

Liz DeFinnis is an occupational therapist and a busy mom of three young children. She graduated from Misericordia University in 2009 with a MS in Occupational Therapy. A few years later she continued her education and graduated from Capella University in 2019 with a PhD in Psychology. She has spent the last several years exploring various approaches to understanding the intertwined dynamic of the body, mind, and spirit. It is now her passion to help others on their journey to prevent, cope, and recover from the stressors of life while finding their way to inner harmony. She utilizes her background in OT and psychology to combine methods for holistic healing, such as reflective journaling, guided imagery, mediation, aromatherapy, and relaxation techniques. Her recently published book, Path to the Aligned Soul, is available for purchase on Amazon. The book is a journey of self-discovery as it walks readers through 30 devotional topics to provide readers an opportunity to step into that alignment in order to achieve living a harmonious and balanced life. Liz has also recently launched a new program called The Peace Project - Pattern Balance to Anxiety Healing, which is designed to provide clients an opportunity to dive into topics such as coping with unexpected life change and releasing control while balancing routines, rituals, roles, and habits. Additional information can be found at www.lizdefinnis.com.Liz is on Instagram and Twitter as @lizdefinnis and has a Facebook Page -www.facebook.com/lizdefinnis/ - as well.

Occupational therapist Rafael E. Salazar II, MHS, OTR/L, is the guest on this episode which centers on improving clinical outcomes through human connection. As principal owner of Rehab U Practice Solutions, a leader in patient retention strategy, he has experience in a variety of rehab settings, working with patients recovering from a variety of injuries and surgeries. He worked as the lead clinician in an outpatient specialty clinic at his local VA Medical center. He also has experience as an adjunct faculty instructor at Augusta University’s Occupational Therapy Program, as a Licensed Board Member on the GA State OT Board, has served on several committees for the national OT Board (NBCOT), and as a consultant working for the State of Georgia’s DBHDD. He is also on the Board of Directors for NBCOT. He works to help healthcare clinics and organizations deliver uniquely impactful patient experiences by improving service delivery through training & advisement and through courses & training programs.Connect with guest:•Email - rafi@rehabupracticesolutions.com•Twitter - @RafaelSalazarII•Facebook Page - https://www.facebook.com/RehabUSolutions/•LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/rafaelsalazarii/•Website/blog - https://rehabupracticesolutions.com/ontheair

Steve Nawotniak is an occupational therapy practitioner living in Buffalo, NY, who specializes in mental health and treatment of mental health conditions. On this episode, Steve shares his insight and perspective about ways to improve quality of life for individuals living with mental health conditions, based on his experience after his own diagnosis. In addition to practicing as an OT practitioner, Steve is a frequent presenter at conferences, meetings, and in classrooms and has authored an award-winning children's book series about a character called Mubu the Morph that speaks to the inner journey individuals face as discovering their purpose. Steve has also written handbooks, including Handbook for Healthy Living with a Mood Disorder and Bipolar Life Hacks: Keys to Loving Life with a Bipolar Disorder, in which he shares about the skills and tools he uses daily to live with what he calls "a desired quality of life." Connect with Steve via Twitter @SNawotniakOT, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/stephen.nawotniak, and through his website at compassrecoverycoaching.com

Tiffany Davanzo is a freelance medical illustrator specializing in art for medical publications, education and the medical legal field. She is 2003 graduate of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Art as Applied to Medicine Program. Tiffany is a Certified Medical Illustrator and has been a member of the Association of Medical Illustrators since 2001. In addition to medical illustration she is also a portrait artist and online art instructor. She lives in East Tennessee with her husband and two young daughters.Some of the resources mentioned during this episode are Tiffany's website, Slaybaugh Studios (http://slaybaughstudios.com/), Sketchy Art School (https://school.sktchy.com/), Netter Anatomy Books, and the Apple digital pencil. To connect with Tiffany, email her at tsdavanzo@gmail.com. Be sure to check out her work on her Instagram account, @slaybaughstudios

Tiffany Davanzo is a freelance medical illustrator specializing in art for medical publications, education and the medical legal field. She is 2003 graduate of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Art as Applied to Medicine Program. Tiffany is a Certified Medical Illustrator and has been a member of the Association of Medical Illustrators since 2001. In addition to medical illustration she is also a portrait artist and online art instructor. She lives in East Tennessee with her husband and two young daughters.Some of the resources mentioned during this episode are Tiffany's website, Slaybaugh Studios (http://slaybaughstudios.com/), Sketchy Art School (https://school.sktchy.com/), Netter Anatomy Books, and the Apple digital pencil. To connect with Tiffany, email her at tsdavanzo@gmail.com. Be sure to check out her work on her Instagram account, @slaybaughstudios

Susannah Bailin is a former patient who was very frustrated by the handouts and generic videos that she was supposed to use to do her home exercises so she started a business called AC Health. Her goal was to make it easy for patients to bring the information - and encouragement - provided to them by their therapists home. Susannah has been a board member of seven non-profits, including schools and a senior living residence. She has worked in venture capital and in career development. She has a BA from Harvard College and an MBA from Harvard Business School.On this episode, Susannah talks about the inspiration she got from her experiences in navigating the healthcare system as a patient and shares about the app she developed that's now available for use, AC Health. This app can be used as a platform for therapist and patient to stay connected and for therapists to store and share home program recommendations for specific patients in digital format. AC Health is available - for FREE - on iOS and Android platforms for smart phones and tablets. There is a 30-minute long free training available to anyone opening an account.Occupational therapy practitioners who want to connect with Susannah about using the app can do so by emailing her at susannah.bailin@ac-health.com. Anyone wishing to see a demonstration of how the app works may schedule a demo at https://calendy.com/susannah-bailin/30min. The website for the app is www.ac-health.comSusannah also recommends the program "The Artist's Way" by Julia Cameron which helps to harness creativity to support the creative demands in the profession of OT.

Susannah Bailin is a former patient who was very frustrated by the handouts and generic videos that she was supposed to use to do her home exercises so she started a business called AC Health. Her goal was to make it easy for patients to bring the information - and encouragement - provided to them by their therapists home. Susannah has been a board member of seven non-profits, including schools and a senior living residence. She has worked in venture capital and in career development. She has a BA from Harvard College and an MBA from Harvard Business School.On this episode, Susannah talks about the inspiration she got from her experiences in navigating the healthcare system as a patient and shares about the app she developed that's now available for use, AC Health. This app can be used as a platform for therapist and patient to stay connected and for therapists to store and share home program recommendations for specific patients in digital format. AC Health is available - for FREE - on iOS and Android platforms for smart phones and tablets. There is a 30-minute long free training available to anyone opening an account.Occupational therapy practitioners who want to connect with Susannah about using the app can do so by emailing her at susannah.bailin@ac-health.com. Anyone wishing to see a demonstration of how the app works may schedule a demo at https://calendy.com/susannah-bailin/30min. The website for the app is www.ac-health.comSusannah also recommends the program "The Artist's Way" by Julia Cameron which helps to harness creativity to support the creative demands in the profession of OT.

It's the 100th episode of the On The Air podcast and things are being done a bit differently for milestone installment. On this episode, the podcast host, Stephanie Lancaster, is interviewed by Orli Weisser-Pike, and Stephanie shares about her professional trajectory, including her days as a candy striper, the ah-ha moment when she realized she wanted to be an OT practitioner, her days as an OT student, her segue into a clinical speciality practice area of assistive technology, advice for people starting off as OT educators, and her work as a member of the executive board of the Coalition of Occupational Therapy Advocates for Diversity (COTAD). Please help to celebrate the 100th episode by sharing with others about the podcast and rating or leaving a review of the podcast wherever you're listening.

It's the 100th episode of the On The Air podcast and things are being done a bit differently for milestone installment. On this episode, the podcast host, Stephanie Lancaster, is interviewed by Orli Weisser-Pike, and Stephanie shares about her professional trajectory, including her days as a candy striper, the ah-ha moment when she realized she wanted to be an OT practitioner, her days as an OT student, her segue into a clinical speciality practice area of assistive technology, advice for people starting off as OT educators, and her work as a member of the executive board of the Coalition of Occupational Therapy Advocates for Diversity (COTAD). Please help to celebrate the 100th episode by sharing with others about the podcast and rating or leaving a review of the podcast wherever you're listening.

Dr. Frederick B. Covington is an occupational therapist , award winning inventor, professor, author, and technology design specialist. Following his graduation from Howard University, he began his career as an occupational therapist. His areas of expertise includes pediatrics, school based intervention, autism, developmental disabilities, physical disability and dysfunction and technology as well as geriatrics. Holistic patient care is at the center of his philosophy. For the past 17 years, Dr. Covington has honed his skills in the Washington, DC, Virginia, and Maryland regions by providing private clinic based, residential, adaptive equipment assessments, and safety/ergonomic home modifications. In addition, he has provided treatments for pediatric clients with intellectual impairments, behavioral problems, ADHD, OCD, sensory integration deficits, learning disabilities, and executive functional disorders. With a passion for technology, Dr. Covington has developed innovative animation styled OT intervention for his telehealth therapy clients as well as providing VR-OT sessions through various virtual reality devices. On this episode, Dr. Covington shares about how virtual reality can be used as a therapeutic modality in the field of OT. To connect with Dr. Covington:Twitter - @AskDrCovington2Facebook Page - https://m.facebook.com/public/Frederick-Covington#!/profile.php?id=100003938295036Instagram - @AskDrCovingtonLinkedIn - www.linkedin.com/in/drfrederickbcovingtonWebsite/blog - Www.TheTherapyInstitute.com

Dr. Frederick B. Covington is an occupational therapist , award winning inventor, professor, author, and technology design specialist. Following his graduation from Howard University, he began his career as an occupational therapist. His areas of expertise includes pediatrics, school based intervention, autism, developmental disabilities, physical disability and dysfunction and technology as well as geriatrics. Holistic patient care is at the center of his philosophy. For the past 17 years, Dr. Covington has honed his skills in the Washington, DC, Virginia, and Maryland regions by providing private clinic based, residential, adaptive equipment assessments, and safety/ergonomic home modifications. In addition, he has provided treatments for pediatric clients with intellectual impairments, behavioral problems, ADHD, OCD, sensory integration deficits, learning disabilities, and executive functional disorders. With a passion for technology, Dr. Covington has developed innovative animation styled OT intervention for his telehealth therapy clients as well as providing VR-OT sessions through various virtual reality devices. On this episode, Dr. Covington shares about how virtual reality can be used as a therapeutic modality in the field of OT. To connect with Dr. Covington:Twitter - @AskDrCovington2Facebook Page - https://m.facebook.com/public/Frederick-Covington#!/profile.php?id=100003938295036Instagram - @AskDrCovingtonLinkedIn - www.linkedin.com/in/drfrederickbcovingtonWebsite/blog - Www.TheTherapyInstitute.com

Erika del Pozo, MOT, OTR/L, holds a BA in Dance and Master’s in Occupational Therapy from Nova Southeastern University. Erika has practiced in outpatient pediatrics for five years and also has experience working with older adults with progressive neurological conditions. Erika created a modified-dance curriculum for adults with Parkinson’s Disease in Boca Raton, FL, in 2016. Erika served as an adjunct professor at Nova Southeastern University for three semesters, collaborating with Dr. Lambdin-Pattavina to teach Occupational Analysis and Human Interactions. Erika’s special interests include promoting work well-being and burnout prevention in healthcare. She is CEO and founder of Joy Energy Time, a wellness community dedicated to empowering healthcare professionals to grow in their wellness practices and advocate to improve the industry. She is also the creator and co-host of the Burnt Out to Lit Up Podcast, a holistic wellness show for healthcare professionals. Erika has worked with several distinguished continuing education agencies such as Occupationaltherapy.com and MedBridge Education, creating short and long evidence-based courses around holistic and multi-level approaches to address burnout and mental health in healthcare. She has also presented on burnout at both regional and national occupational therapy conferences. For more information including about how to connect with Erika, visit the podcast website at www.ontheair.us

Erika del Pozo, MOT, OTR/L, holds a BA in Dance and Master’s in Occupational Therapy from Nova Southeastern University. Erika has practiced in outpatient pediatrics for five years and also has experience working with older adults with progressive neurological conditions. Erika created a modified-dance curriculum for adults with Parkinson’s Disease in Boca Raton, FL, in 2016. Erika served as an adjunct professor at Nova Southeastern University for three semesters, collaborating with Dr. Lambdin-Pattavina to teach Occupational Analysis and Human Interactions. Erika’s special interests include promoting work well-being and burnout prevention in healthcare. She is CEO and founder of Joy Energy Time, a wellness community dedicated to empowering healthcare professionals to grow in their wellness practices and advocate to improve the industry. She is also the creator and co-host of the Burnt Out to Lit Up Podcast, a holistic wellness show for healthcare professionals. Erika has worked with several distinguished continuing education agencies such as Occupationaltherapy.com and MedBridge Education, creating short and long evidence-based courses around holistic and multi-level approaches to address burnout and mental health in healthcare. She has also presented on burnout at both regional and national occupational therapy conferences. For more information including about how to connect with Erika, visit the podcast website at www.ontheair.us

Crystal Cabrera, who is known on social media as The Brainy OT, became an occupational therapist in 2015. Her first jobs were in pediatrics; she worked per diem OT positions at a private outpatient clinic and at a prescribed pediatric extended care clinic (PPEC). After a little more than a year as an OT, Crystal sought out opportunities to work with the adult population. In 2016 she accepted a position at a large community hospital with a Level I Trauma Center and Certified Comprehensive Stroke Center. Since then, she has dedicated her practice to the neurological population and attained the certification of Certified Stroke Rehab Specialist.For more details including how to connect with Crystal, visit the podcast website at www.ontheair.us

Crystal Cabrera, who is known on social media as The Brainy OT, became an occupational therapist in 2015. Her first jobs were in pediatrics; she worked per diem OT positions at a private outpatient clinic and at a prescribed pediatric extended care clinic (PPEC). After a little more than a year as an OT, Crystal sought out opportunities to work with the adult population. In 2016 she accepted a position at a large community hospital with a Level I Trauma Center and Certified Comprehensive Stroke Center. Since then, she has dedicated her practice to the neurological population and attained the certification of Certified Stroke Rehab Specialist.For more details including how to connect with Crystal, visit the podcast website at www.ontheair.us

Do you know what a long-hauler is? According to the World Health Organization (WHO), people with COVID-19 typically recover from the condition in about two weeks' time, but there are a number of individuals who continue to experience symptoms and/or continue to test positive for the virus for much longer - even 100+ days in some cases. This group of people is being referred to by medical personnel as the long-haulers, and experts aren't entirely sure why those who fit this description can't shake the disease.On this episode, physical therapist Barry Mangione shares about his experience after he was diagnosed with COVID-19 and as a long-hauler. As a physical therapist since 1991, Barry's story provides unique insight into the lived experience of a long-hauler as well as the distinct role of occupational therapy in supporting individuals in this group. Besides being a PT, Barry is also a musician (www.bluealienmystic.com), an author, and a podcaster. He lives in New York with his wife and their family. Through his podcast, Self-Help Rockstar Show, Barry features music, interviews, and his own brand of self-help advice in order to raise self-awareness and to inspire people to go out and live their best lives every day. In his self-help book No Easy Answers: A Book of Life-Changing Questions, Barry shares his personal success story with readers so that they, too, can achieve personal transformation.For more information and links to resources discussed in this episode, visit to podcast website at www.ontheair.us

Do you know what a long-hauler is? According to the World Health Organization (WHO), people with COVID-19 typically recover from the condition in about two weeks' time, but there are a number of individuals who continue to experience symptoms and/or continue to test positive for the virus for much longer - even 100+ days in some cases. This group of people is being referred to by medical personnel as the long-haulers, and experts aren't entirely sure why those who fit this description can't shake the disease.On this episode, physical therapist Barry Mangione shares about his experience after he was diagnosed with COVID-19 and as a long-hauler. As a physical therapist since 1991, Barry's story provides unique insight into the lived experience of a long-hauler as well as the distinct role of occupational therapy in supporting individuals in this group. Besides being a PT, Barry is also a musician (www.bluealienmystic.com), an author, and a podcaster. He lives in New York with his wife and their family. Through his podcast, Self-Help Rockstar Show, Barry features music, interviews, and his own brand of self-help advice in order to raise self-awareness and to inspire people to go out and live their best lives every day. In his self-help book No Easy Answers: A Book of Life-Changing Questions, Barry shares his personal success story with readers so that they, too, can achieve personal transformation.For more information and links to resources discussed in this episode, visit to podcast website at www.ontheair.us

On this episode, second-year occupational therapy students Bailey Diprima, Serena Khiantani, and Pam Ponce talk about the outcome of their work in a course in OT school on evidence-based practice. Their study looked at the outcome of medical interventions used with children ages 4-18 for treatment of medulloblastoma, a malignant (cancerous) type of brain tumor that originates in the cerebellum. Their work on this project can be accessed via the following link: https://dc.uthsc.edu/mot2/6/ Bailey, Serena, and Pam are students in the Master's degree OT program at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis, TN.

On this episode, second-year occupational therapy students Bailey Diprima, Serena Khiantani, and Pam Ponce talk about the outcome of their work in a course in OT school on evidence-based practice. Their study looked at the outcome of medical interventions used with children ages 4-18 for treatment of medulloblastoma, a malignant (cancerous) type of brain tumor that originates in the cerebellum. Their work on this project can be accessed via the following link: https://dc.uthsc.edu/mot2/6/ Bailey, Serena, and Pam are students in the Master's degree OT program at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis, TN.

Brittany Ferri has been an occupational therapist for 4 years, during which time she has developed a specialty in mental health. She founded her business, Simplicity of Health LLC, a year ago and began providing services such as health writing, community health education, corporate wellness seminars, consulting, and private pay treatment. Around the same time her company was founded, she also got more involved with teletherapy. Since this time, she has not only provided telehealth treatment to many clients but has also helped create OT programs within several existing telehealth platforms. Brittany is also the author of a textbook entitled "Effective Therapy Documentation" and a children's book educating kids on teletherapy, called "Why is there a person in my computer?" Additionally, Brittany serves as an adjunct professor at Nazareth College and has guest lectured at many universities on the topics of documentation, mental health, and health literacy. To find out more including how to connect with Brittany, visit the podcast website at www.ontheair.us

Brittany Ferri has been an occupational therapist for 4 years, during which time she has developed a specialty in mental health. She founded her business, Simplicity of Health LLC, a year ago and began providing services such as health writing, community health education, corporate wellness seminars, consulting, and private pay treatment. Around the same time her company was founded, she also got more involved with teletherapy. Since this time, she has not only provided telehealth treatment to many clients but has also helped create OT programs within several existing telehealth platforms. Brittany is also the author of a textbook entitled "Effective Therapy Documentation" and a children's book educating kids on teletherapy, called "Why is there a person in my computer?" Additionally, Brittany serves as an adjunct professor at Nazareth College and has guest lectured at many universities on the topics of documentation, mental health, and health literacy. To find out more including how to connect with Brittany, visit the podcast website at www.ontheair.us

Meredith Castin, PT, DPT, is a physical therapist who has developed a self-paced online course to guide therapists through the process of finding gainful employment in non-clinical positions. Meredith has been a PT for ten years, during which time she worked in outpatient orthopedics, inpatient rehab, acute care, and home health settings. She entered the non-clinical space in 2015, starting out as a rehab liaison and co-creating NewGradPhysicalTherapy and NewGradOccupationalTherapy. Since then, Meredith has moved entirely into the content creation world. She has written for OT Potential, WebPT, MedBridge, Breg, Janssen, MD Revolution, Student Doctor Network, and many other health and rehab brands. These days, Meredith runs The Non-Clinical PT, where she provides career education and job postings for PT, OT, and SLP professionals looking to launch non-clinical healthcare careers. She is passionate about therapists and assistants remaining invested in their professional identities as rehab clinicians, even when they leave direct patient care. To find out how to connect with Meredith, visit www.ontheair.us

Meredith Castin, PT, DPT, is a physical therapist who has developed a self-paced online course to guide therapists through the process of finding gainful employment in non-clinical positions. Meredith has been a PT for ten years, during which time she worked in outpatient orthopedics, inpatient rehab, acute care, and home health settings. She entered the non-clinical space in 2015, starting out as a rehab liaison and co-creating NewGradPhysicalTherapy and NewGradOccupationalTherapy. Since then, Meredith has moved entirely into the content creation world. She has written for OT Potential, WebPT, MedBridge, Breg, Janssen, MD Revolution, Student Doctor Network, and many other health and rehab brands. These days, Meredith runs The Non-Clinical PT, where she provides career education and job postings for PT, OT, and SLP professionals looking to launch non-clinical healthcare careers. She is passionate about therapists and assistants remaining invested in their professional identities as rehab clinicians, even when they leave direct patient care. To find out how to connect with Meredith, visit www.ontheair.us

Melissa LaPointe is an occupational therapist-turned-consultant from the UK who helps OT practitioners transition from burnt-out clinicians to thriving, purpose-driven entrepreneurs. After running a brick-and-mortar practice for five years, Melissa transitioned to full-time online business ownership and is now location independent. She helps occupational therapists around the globe to market and sell their digital products and coaching programs with confidence.On this episode, we talk about coaching as a therapeutic approach in occupational therapy, burn out, and mindset supporting success as an entrepreneur. To connect with Melissa and to access the resources discussed in the interview, visit the podcast website at www.ontheair.us or Melissa's website, www.melissalapointe.com

Melissa LaPointe is an occupational therapist-turned-consultant from the UK who helps OT practitioners transition from burnt-out clinicians to thriving, purpose-driven entrepreneurs. After running a brick-and-mortar practice for five years, Melissa transitioned to full-time online business ownership and is now location independent. She helps occupational therapists around the globe to market and sell their digital products and coaching programs with confidence.On this episode, we talk about coaching as a therapeutic approach in occupational therapy, burn out, and mindset supporting success as an entrepreneur. To connect with Melissa and to access the resources discussed in the interview, visit the podcast website at www.ontheair.us or Melissa's website, www.melissalapointe.com

Marissa Yahil, MSOT, OTR/L, CBS, is an occupational therapist who specializes in lactation and infant feeding. She owns and operates a private practice in Texas called Lactation & Development Resources which serves mothers perinatally and infants ages 0-6 months. Prenatally, she educates and empowers mothers with evidence based information about lactation, breastfeeding, and bottle feeding so that they can go into their birth as prepared as possible. Postpartum, Marissa offers a holistic and integrated approach to lactation support and feeding therapy in order to help her clients achieve their individual goals. Marissa is also passionate about helping other OTs as well as SLPs and PTs transition into specializing in this specialty area of practice. She offers lactation business consulting and mentorship. She is also one of the Co-Founders of The Lactation OT.As a bonus for On The Air listeners, Marissa is offering a discount of 15% off on an all-access pass for The Lactation OT Summit which will be held June 22-27, 2020. Podcast listeners can use the code ONTHEAIR (no spaces in between those words) to claim the discount when registering for the summit on the website www.LactationOT.com Connect with Marissa on Instagram @lactdev and visit her website at www.lactdev.com & www.LactationOT.com