Podcasts about occupational therapist ot

Liz is an award winning Occupational Therapist (OT) with 25 years of expertise. As someone who is dyslexic and part of a neurodiverse family, Liz brings a unique perspective to her work. She is passionate about collaborating with children, young people, parents and caregivers, supporting them to discover understanding, connection, neuro-affirming and trauma and sensory responsive tailored solutions and support that fits each family's individual needs. She helps parents and carers to regain clarity and confidence in their parenting experience, creating more meaningful moments with their kids, whilst remembering their own well being matters too. She supports parents and carers in additional needs families with parental burnout, mental health and well being so they can be the parents they want to be.   web site: https://the-untypical-ot.co.uk/  Podcast: https://the-untypical-ot.co.uk/#section-fojBZLwt8

We'd love to hear from you about this episode.One of the greatest measures of our quality of life is our ability to have proactive control of our health and well-being. Sometimes we all need a bit of support along our journey to living well.Occupational Therapy is often associated with workplace health issues such as returning to work after an injury or improving worksite ergonomic systems. Occupational Therapists also help individuals focus on improving their ability to participate in activities of daily living by focusing on all of the ways they meaningfully, and independently occupy their time.  Welcome to Episode Fifty-Four of the Nature of Wellness ™️  Podcast!!! In this episode with sat down with Occupational Therapist (OT), brain injury specialist, and health and wellness coach Dr .Natalie King. Natalie is the owner of Vibrant Living Skills, a company that is designed to holistically “help clients recover and regain their independence, all in the comfort of their homes.”Join us as we speak to Natalie about all of the roles an OT can play in our health and wellness pursuits, how holistic support can help us effectively manage adversity, and practical techniques for improving our quality of everyday life.She discusses the relationship her family shares with the natural world, her motivation for working with disabled veterans managing traumatic brain injuries, and how building nature into therapeutic programming can help elevate recovery.This meaningful conversation set the stage for us to conquer our day. Please subscribe, rate, and leave a review anywhere you listen to this podcast. We appreciate you all. Be Well-NOW ™️ Vibrant Living Skills Website:https://www.vibrantlivingskills.com/American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA):https://www.aota.org/ * The unbelievable Shawn Bell produces the Nature of Wellness Podcast, making us sound good.** The NOW theme song was penned, performed, produced, and provided by the dynamic duo of Phil and Niall Monahan. *** This show wouldn't exist without our amazing guests and all of you who listen. Please like, subscribe, follow, and review to help us get these important messages out to more folks who can benefit from them. Thank you all.Real People Real Life Welcome to “Real People, Real Life”, a podcast where we dive into the authentic...Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

Send us a text#066 Imagine overcoming imposter syndrome and learning to value your unique skills as a therapist. Sarah, an Occupational Therapist (OT) and mindfulness teacher from Ottawa, Ontario, shares her transformative journey from traditional OT roles to launching her private practice during a global pandemic. This rapid shift to online consultations during the pandemic was one of the pivotal moments in her career.  In this episode, you will learn about the struggles of charging your worth, the importance of creating a supportive network of fellow therapists, the intricacies of implementing online programs, how she gauged interest to achieve a successful program launch, and the organizing strategies that helped her balancing this with her client caseloads and personal life. Sarah breaks down the process of taking her mindfulness-based symptom management curriculum online, from marketing challenges to managing group dynamics and overcoming technical issues. She dispels the myth that online services should be cheaper and underscores their true value, especially for patients with persistent pain. Whether you're considering a career shift in occupational therapy or looking for practical strategies to navigate online services, Sarah's invaluable advice is not to be missed.For links and show notes, head to: https://rehabrebels.org/066Start your Rehab Rebel Journey! Receive access to FREE monthly progress updates, interview schedule, and a BONUS Top 25 Alternative Careers List for Rehab Professionals when you Start your Rebel Career and be part of the Rehab Rebels Tribe!Join us on Instagram and Facebook or your favorite social media @rehabrebels!Subscribe through Apple Podcast or Spotify!Support the show

Mike is making a return to the podcast but this time he is joined by Madeline. Last time we talked to Mike, he was going through his schooling to become an Occupational Therapist (OT). After completing his degree, a lot of studying, and passing his board exams, Mike is finally in his career as an OT. Madeline is also an OT and she shares a bit about her experience and how she got into the professional. Mike and Madeline share their stories and their perspectives as OTs. While chatting, I found quite a bit of similarities but also some differences between the two of their jobs and journeys to the OT career. It was great to hear that Mike is still working on content and trying to combine both of his passions of helping others and content creation. While content isn't a passion of Madeline's, it is great to see that she has found a career that is fulfilling to her and one where she can make a difference. In this episode Mike and Madeline talk about being an OT, going through boards, helping others, and much more! Connect with Mike Instagram: @mike_from_the_mitten YouTube: Mike From the Mitten TikTok: @mike_from_the_mitten Connect with Madeline Instagram: @madelineyaldo Connect with me!  Personal:  Instagram/Twitter/Facebook: @zachhose14 Email: zachhose14@gmail.com  The Official Podcast:  Instagram/Facebook: @zappodcastofficial  If you want want to be a guest on the podcast, I'd love to have you! Feel free to reach out directly! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/zappodcastofficial/message

Summary  In episode 14, Jess and Ashley welcome Sarah, MOT, OTR/L, an Occupational Therapist (OT) with the Autism Center at the University of Washington. Today, Sarah will answer the burning question, "What is occupational therapy?" In today's discussion we look at how occupational therapy strategies can support young autistic children and their families with everyday routines from tummy time to toileting, why parent coaching leads to better outcomes, and the importance of play. Sensory processing struggles can often get in the way of learning and lead to meltdowns, so Sarah will also offer strategies caregivers can try at home. And last, but not least, we will talk about the critical role of caregivers and collaboration on early intervention teams. We hope you enjoy the episode!       Resources:  At-home sensory processing tips and strategies. sensory-processing.pdf    For OTs and Early Intervention Providers: Parent coaching pioneers, Drs. Rush and Sheldon share important insights on incorporating parent coaching into early intervention practice.   https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1837&context=ojot 

Are you interested in serving in Special Education? Whether you realize it or not your gift to serve in that area is a calling and a ministry. In this episode I have my friend Occupational Therapist (OT), Patty MacDonald join me to discuss... How she lives out her faith through her work What she wished someone had told her when she started as an OT Advice to new OT'sWhat led her to begin a Special Needs Sunday School classAnd the beautiful story of how a boy with a genetic disorder has impacted her life.Special Needs Ministry Mentionedjoniandfriends.orgConnect with Me:Website : strengthdignitylife.comInstagram: strengthdignitylifeFacebook: Strength Dignity LifeThanks for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star review, and help me reach even more young women. And if this was helpful please share it on your social media and tag Strength Dignity Life!

The founder and CEO of Happy at Home Consulting in Iowa shares the company's progression from humble roots to a sophisticated offering of home modification and wellness consultations, resource navigation, safety evaluations, and community partnerships. About Sydney Sydney Marshman, OTD, OTR/L, is the founder and CEO of Happy at Home Consulting based in Des Moines, Iowa. In her own family's struggles with keeping Nana safe at home, Sydney recognized the unique role of occupational therapy in assessing how environmental factors contribute to aging well at home. Happy at Home provides therapy at home to older adults with her team of physical, occupational and speech therapists. In addition to traditional rehabilitative services, Sydney continues to increase access to home safety evaluations throughout the state. Happy at Home presently provides the evidenced-based programs CAPABLE and HARP through collaborations with community partners. Sydney is presently acting as the President-Elect of the Iowa Occupational Therapy Association and advocates for accessible housing through her involvement with multiple state coalitions. She received her Doctorate of Occupational Therapy from Drake University. In her free time, Sydney enjoys spending time with her husband, son, and their three dogs.  Key Takeaways  The CAPABLE program  run by Iowa's Connections Area Agency on Aging helps older adults function safely in their homes. Participants receive up to 6 visits with an Occupational Therapist (OT), 4 visits with a Registered Nurse (RN), and minor home repairs/modifications and/or assistive devices to help individuals age in place and prevent falls.  The majority of falls occur in the bathroom. It is considered a high-risk environment.  Assisted technologies are game changers but need to meet people's level of comfort with technology, the OT may recommend low-tech solutions like motion sensor nightlights, or high-tech solutions like smart home environmental control units. The Area Agency on Aging (AAA) offers resource navigation and a list of providers and services in each state. The AAA Assistive Technology Program allows older adults to check out technologies for 30 days at no cost.

As this season focuses on Graft Versus Host Disease (GVHD), we thought we would start with the basics.  Today we welcome Melora Rennie, OTR/L, CLT-LANA, an Occupational Therapist from the blood and marrow transplant unit at Northside Hospital in Atlanta.  She helps patients who are battling various blood and marrow cancers such as leukemia, lymphoma, aplastic anemia, multiple myeloma and even sickle cell disease.Melora explains the reasons for and different types of bone marrow transplants, from autologous to allogeneic.  In an allogeneic transplant, when you receive donor cells from someone else, you could face Graft Versus Host Disease.  Acute GVHD occurs in the first 100 days after transplant. Chronic GVHD relates to problems seen thereafter.Chronic GVHD can attack many different systems in the body - from integumentary (skin), to respiratory, musculoskeletal, genital/urinary, neurological, ocular (eyes), reproductive, and vascular/lymphatic. Melora walks through the different presentations.  Additionally, transplant patients may also deal with cancer related fatigue and social isolation, which are both important to acknowledge. Melora will also address medication and side effects, including the impact of steroids.In her role as an Occupational Therapist (OT), Melora is a key part of the rehabilitation team.  She and her colleagues help individuals develop, regain, or maintain skills necessary for engagement in daily living and meaningful activities - everything from waking up in the morning to falling asleep at night.   OTs can work in acute care, post-acute rehab, outpatient, in-home, or other settings.Occupational Therapists address functional limitations, related to an individual's cognition, activity tolerance, balance, strength, range of motion, and motor skills. They utilize a variety of therapeutic interventions in order to restore and maintain participation in the activities of daily life.  When working specifically with oncology patients, Occupational Therapists want to ward off any functional decline that may be associated with cancer treatment.  Related to fatigue, they assist patients with pacing and energy conservation techniques. OTs also work with cognition, pain management, and mental/emotional well being.  These are vital components of patient care that cannot be overlooked.  This can even include modifying a patient's favorite activity so they can continue to engage in it.  Melora and her team also provide training, education and support for caregivers, a crucial part of any patient's health care team.We close this episode with the inspiring story of one of Melora's patients, as well as her advice to you and your loved ones, as you work through your transplant journey. There is hope and Melora will offer plenty of it. Links:Northside Hospital: Blood and Marrow Transplant Group: https://www.northside.com/locations/blood-marrow-transplant-group-of-georgiaNorthside Hospital's Rehabilitation Services: https://www.northside.com/services/rehabilitation-servicesOther ResourcesNational Bone Marrow Transplant Link - (800) LINK-BMT, or (800) 546-5268.nbmtLINK Website: https://www.nbmtlink.org/nbmtLINK Facebook Page:  https://www.facebook.com/nbmtLINKnbmtLINK YouTube Page can be found by clicking here.Thank you to this season's sponsors:Supported by Pharmacyclics, an AbbVie Company (https://www.pharmacyclics.com/) and Janssen Biotech, Inc. (https://www.janssen.com/)Incyte: https://www.incyte.com/

In this captivating episode, join Hayley as she interviews Kerry Evetts, an Occupational Therapist (OT) and the Founder of Sense Up, who is on a mission to impact the lives of one million sensory children over the next five years. Kerry's inspiring journey began after a life-altering health scare, which prompted her to reevaluate her life and pursue her passion for teaching sensory processing theory to other OTs and health professionals.During the interview, Kerry delves deep into the unique needs of sensory kids, exploring sensory integration theory and providing invaluable insights on how practitioners and even parents of sensory children can effectively support them. From understanding how the body reads and responds to sensory information to uncovering proven approaches for supporting sensory kids, Kerry shares her wealth of therapeutic experience.But that's not all! Kerry also takes us on her personal journey from OT to entrepreneur, revealing how she leveraged her extensive therapeutic background to drive the next phase of her career. She candidly discusses the challenges she faced while transitioning into a 'CEO' role in her business and the growth she experienced by up-leveling her entrepreneurial knowledge and skills. All of this was done with a clear goal in mind: to make a difference in the lives of one million children with sensory issues.Get ready for an enlightening and empowering episode that will leave you inspired. Join us as we explore Kerry's remarkable journey and gain valuable insights into the world of sensory integration and entrepreneurship.________________________________________Get In Touch with Kerry EvettsWebsite.Instagram | @senseup46 Facebook | senseupupskillingFind out more about SenseUp's Masterclasses hereHave you taken our brand new and FREE quiz Discover Your Therapist Archetype? Complete with personalised results and your next career steps, take the quiz here!Don't forget to FOLLOW the podcast!

In this episode, Eric is joined by Vanessa Gorelkin! Vanessa is an east-coast transplant to Arizona where she lives with her son and husband (who both have ADHD)!  She graduated with a B.A. from Brandeis University and has a masters degree in Occupational Therapy from New York University.  Vanessa is also a Licensed Occupational Therapist in Arizona, and her career spans nearly 30 years!  She has served in both clinical and executive leadership roles, works with people all over the world, and is passionate about bringing out the best in all the people she works with! Learn more about Vanessa by visiting her website at vanessagorelkin.com & find her on Instagram at @humanist_therapist  In today's show, you'll hear about mindfulness-based cognitive therapy, dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT), and acceptance and commitment based therapy (ACT).  Then, you'll hear about deep breathing, using spicy food or sour candies to help regulate, setting boundaries, practicing self-compassion and resilience.  Finally, you'll listen to ways to work on activation, sensory processing issues and the nervous system, sensory accommodations, and the importance of breaking down activities into smaller steps.   Questions/Topics:  [00:02:18] Introducing Vanessa [00:04:00] The importance of emotional self-regulation  [00:04:51] What is an Occupational Therapist (OT)?  [00:06:19] How does an OT help people with ADHD around emotional regulation skills?  [00:07:30] What is acceptance and commitment based therapy (ACT)? What about radical acceptance?  [00:08:23] What is dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT)?  [00:09:50] Living with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) [00:10:52] A discussion on rejection sensitivity, BPD, ADHD, and trauma  [00:17:28] Eric asks Vanessa about the common “chief complaints” she experiences in her practice  [00:18:48] What are some examples of the skills Vanessa helps clients work with, and how does she help them do that?  [00:20:34] What do I do when my brain gets “hijacked?” and TIPP skills [00:24:59] Vanessa talks about sour and spicy for regulation  [00:27:14] Proactive skills vs. responding in-the-moment  [00:31:18] The intersectionality between anger, boundaries, and boundary violations [00:32:26] ** You need to hear this.  [00:33:03] External pressures, checking your calendar, and your right to say “no”  [00:35:15] Saying “no” when it feels bad, and therapy vs. coaching  [00:37:26] What is the OT approach for activation? [00:43:18] Sensory processing issues being missed with ADHD  [00:45:24] Does sensory processing get worse with age?  [00:49:34] Closing Thoughts  Resources & Honorable Mentions: “People sometimes get really hung up on a diagnosis… What my attitude about a diagnosis is:  It helps us understand what tools we can use, but it does not define you as a human being.” - Vanessa  “Masquerading as 'normal' is exhausting.” - Eric 

  Based on the professional peer-reviewed research, intersectionality can be understood as the phenomenon in which an individual person's social position relative to more than one socially defining characteristic, such as race, language, gender, disability, socioeconomic status, etc., come together to simultaneously impact a person's status in and access to society at large. Where a person fits into the world is a matter of multidimensional considerations.   When looking at the question of whether the current mechanisms of our system of government, and the behavioral rewards inherently built into them, truly serve the good of the people according to the will of the people and the rule of law, the importance of intersectionality to the accuracy of our analyses cannot be overstated. There is no “silver bullet” that will eliminate all of our social challenges with a single shot. Solving our complex, interconnected problems takes complex planning and execution.   Society is a complex system of inextricably intertwined considerations that all have to be accounted for in order for everyone's needs and rights to be equally met. There are no cutting corners, and we now have the computing power to stitch together effective systems of equity for all into the ways our government functions, if the technology is just used the right way. The fail-safes that can be built in and the audit trails that would be automatically created would prevent and capture any attempts at abuse just as a matter of normal functioning.   We aren't there yet, but the application of enterprise-class computing technologies to the delivery of publicly funded services is inevitable, and it will streamline a lot of inter- and intra-agency operations, trimming the administrative fat within a lot of State and local publicly funded programs. Eliminating human error and dishonesty from a public agency's administrative processes prevents episodes of noncompliance that puts the agency in legal jeopardy.   I've told the story in past posts of the case in which one of my students went for months without a needed piece of equipment ordered by his Occupational Therapist (OT) as an accommodation for his sensory needs in the classroom, which meant he was up and out of his seat disrupting the instruction, because of an interpersonal feud between two mean old ladies who hated each other in administration. One of the mean old ladies worked at the student's local school site in the office, processing purchase requisitions and submitting them to the school district's main office to be processed into purchase orders.   Now, this was back in the day and all of this was done using paper and the district's own internal courier service, commonly referred to as “brown mail,” because most things came in those big brown manila envelopes. There was no email. If things needed to move faster than brown mail, it was done via fax. So, context.   The other mean old lady in this situation worked in the accounting office at the district offices. I'm not exactly clear on the details of why they hated each other so much, but I do recall that it had something to do with either a green bean casserole or a three-bean salad – I can't remember which – at some kind of district holiday party. Like, maybe both of them brought the same thing and it turned into a feud over whose was better, or something? I don't entirely recall the details, I just remember it was something to do with beans and a holiday party and that it was totally dumb.   The mean old lady at the district offices would sit on the purchase requisitions submitted by the mean old lady at the school site just out of spite, without any regard for the people who had submitted the requisitions to the mean old lady at the school site or any students who may have been impacted by her behaviors. The mean old lady at the school site wasn't willing to call over to the mean old lady at the district offices to find out what had happened to her requisitions, so she'd become hostile with the school site staff who would ask her where their stuff was. They became afraid to ask her where their stuff was, and just took it as a given that the average purchase would take at least 60 to 90 days before it came in.   Computers don't do any of that! As many concerns as we have about computers processing things correctly, that comes down to how they are coded. They aren't going to fight with each other over three-bean salads at a Christmas party and then undermine each other professionally to the detriment of the constituents they are being paid by the taxpayers to serve.   So, knowing that the implementation of the technology is inevitable, our job as informed voters and taxpayers is to understand what that technology needs to be able to do in order to truly perform according to the principles of democracy and the rule of law. That technology must account for how intersectionality impacts every person, whether staff, vendor, or constituent, who must participate in the execution of the government's responsibilities to the people.   This brings me to a very specific issue within special education in the State of California that has affected way too many families in a detrimental way, which is the intersectionality of the African-American experience with special education in the public schools. This is an under-researched and poorly regulated aspect of our current modern society, here in California, and as the State seeks to shore up democracy in spite of the many forces presently working to undermine it, I believe this specific instance of intersectionality particularly deserves the State's attention.   I'm speaking specifically of the long-outdated and now inappropriate Larry P. requirement. To quote the State:   "The Larry P. Case" In 1972 in the Larry P. case, the United States District Court for the Northern District of California found that African American students in the San Francisco Unified School District were being placed into classes for “Educably Mentally Retarded (EMR)” students in disproportionate numbers, based on criteria that relied primarily on the results of intelligence quotient (IQ) tests that were racially and/or culturally discriminatory and not validated for the purposes for which they were being used1. In 1979, the court permanently enjoined LEAs throughout California from using standardized intelligence tests2 for (1) the identification of African American students as EMR or its substantial equivalent or (2) placement of African American students into EMR classes or classes serving substantially the same functions3. The court held that court approval would be required for the use of any standardized intelligence tests for African American students for the above purposes. The court laid out a state process for this.  The EMR category no longer exists. The court has never held hearings to determine the “substantial equivalent” of the EMR identification or placement, or whether IQ tests are appropriate for assessing African American students for identifications or placements other than the substantial equivalent of EMR. The state process to seek approval has not been invoked. Although the law on assessment has evolved, as described above, the Larry P. injunction remains in place, and the court retains jurisdiction over its enforcement. The Larry P. injunction does not apply to tests that are not considered standardized intelligence tests. Footnotes 1 Larry P. v. Riles, 343 F. Supp. 1306, 1315 (N.D. Cal. 1972). 2 The court defined a standardized intelligence test as one that result in a score purporting to measure intelligence, often described as “general intellectual functioning.”  Larry P., 495 F. Supp. 926, 931 n. 1 (N.D. Cal. 1979), affirmed in part, reversed in part, 793 F.2d 969 (9th Cir. 1986). 3 Larry P., 495 F. Supp. at 989.   Here's what everybody needs to get, and which way too many school psychologists and other special education assessors in California's school districts do not: Larry P. only applies to norm-referenced intelligence quotient (IQ) tests that result in a full-scale IQ (FSIQ) score. It doesn't apply to the Southern California Ordinal Scales of Development (SCOSD) Cognition subtest. It doesn't apply to any standardized speech/language assessment measures. It has nothing to do with OT. It has nothing to do with measuring academic achievement using standardized assessment tools.   Unless the assessment measure is designed to produce an IQ score, Larry P. does not apply. But, I've now handled a half-dozen cases in the last couple of years in which the whole reason why the students' IEPs were poorly developed was because they'd been poorly assessed by people who didn't score any standardized measures for fear of violating Larry P. because they didn't actually understand the Larry P. rules. The professional development on this issue throughout the State is atrocious.   More to the point, the State needs to invoke its process to seek approval to now use the current, modern, unbiased IQ tests in the special education process, because the assessment failures caused by poorly trained cowards who don't have the sense to go onto Google and look up the rules themselves and/or push back against administrative supervisors steering them in a non-compliant direction are causing a cataclysm of disastrous consequences at the intersection of the African-American experience and childhood disability in the State's public schools. This just feeds these kids into the gaping maw of the School-to-Prison Pipeline.   I want to take it one more step further than that, though. I want to encourage more representation of the African-American community in special education assessment. I want to see more college students of color going into school psychology, speech/language pathology, OT, assistive technology, etc., so that they can be there to advocate from an informed, expert perspective within the system for the children from their own community who are at risk of being otherwise misunderstood by people who lack the perspective necessary to appreciate the long-lasting impacts of their assessment errors.   People who don't actually understand the rules can over-interpret them in an over-abundance of caution. They will not do more than what's actually been prohibited for fear of doing something they aren't supposed to, to the point that they're not doing what they are supposed to be doing. They go from one extreme to the other. In an effort to avoid committing a State-level Larry P. violation, they commit a violation of federal law by failing to appropriately assess in all areas of suspected disability according to the applicable professional standards and the instructions of the producers of the standardized measures used.   It's currently a “from-the-frying-pan-into-the-fire” situation for the State that is wrecking lives and creating special education violations left and right. The State is setting up its public schools to fail at this particularly significant intersection of social factors, at the same time that the State is seriously considering reparations to the African-American community here in the State.   I promise you that none of the assessors I've encountered in the last few years who have been committing these Larry P. violations are actually trying to be hurtful. None of them know what they're supposed to be doing and they're making dumb errors in judgment, often under pressure from authoritarian administrators who don't know an IQ test from a roll of toilet paper.   I'm advocating, here, for both the development and implementation of enterprise-class computing technologies that will automate as much of the public sector's administrative functions as possible according to the applicable regulations, including mandated timelines, as well as for the State to request the court to reverse Larry P. so that schools are no longer enjoined against using current, valid, appropriately normed IQ tests in the assessment of African-American children in California for special education purposes. These two things matter to each other.   Larry P. is no longer a solution, it's a problem. It's not that assessors couldn't work around it; it's that they don't know how to work around it and they commit more errors trying to than anything that could possibly go wrong actually using an IQ test on an African-American student in this modern day and age. Further, the specific ecological factors that contribute to the success of students who are impacted by the intersectionality of their disabilities with other traits that can affect their social standing, such as ethnicity, need to be understood as specific data points worthy of intense administrative and policy-making examination.   As a matter of civil rights and monitoring its own internal compliance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act, one would hope that a public education agency would want to know if particular classes of students are somehow being under-served and need more attention from the adult decision-makers involved in their educational experiences. Who is monitoring each school district's compliance with Larry P., right now? Is that the job of each district's 504 Coordinator? How is Larry P. compliance in the field such an issue, still, after all of these years and, more to the point, why is it even still a requirement after all of these years?   Analyzing data from an enterprise-class computing solution regarding intersectionality among special education students would help public education agencies recognize trends of noncompliance and programming failures. This would include rampant Larry P. violations producing shoddy assessments that result in poorly crafted Individualized Educational Programs (IEPs) that fail to deliver appropriately ambitious educational benefits according to the current Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) standard pursuant to the 2017 Endrew F. Supreme Court decision.   Issues of intersectionality can be captured by competent data analysis, which can be greatly facilitated by properly coded enterprise-class computing technologies, and used to ensure that all students, pursuant to Endrew F., receive an IEP appropriately ambitious in light of their unique, individual circumstances. A properly configured system would be spitting out reports detailing the instances of noncompliance to the inboxes of the key decision-makers so they could respond as quickly as possible.   Had such a system already been implemented, the Larry P. violations I've encountered all over the State over the last couple of years would have been caught among all the others I haven't encountered and either rectified or prevented altogether by the State realizing what a colossal disaster Larry P. has become in the field and executing the process outlined by the Court to put an end to it. Were the State monitoring the right data points, it would have realized that Larry P. needed to be ended a long time ago and that it causes infinitely more problems than it solves because it forces assessors to assess African-American students differently than everyone else, which is not equal access.   Frankly, this lack of equal access is more discriminatory than using an IQ test could ever possibly be and becomes even more so when the quality of the assessments are compromised because the assessors don't know how to comply with Larry P. and they jack up their entire evaluations in the process. Jacked up evaluations lead to jacked up IEPs, which lead to the denial of educational benefits and all the consequences that these children will experience over their lifetimes as a result of being deprived of a FAPE.   The people who make these kinds of errors will be among the first to engage in victim-blaming once these students end up in the justice system, acting like it was unavoidable and inevitable, because they can't recognize or accept the degree to which they had a hand in making it happen. The people who do it on purpose hide among the people who don't know what else to do, fueling the victim-blaming, which becomes part of our current, exhausting, ridiculous, ongoing culture wars.   I would rather see Larry P. ended so that it's no longer creating confusion among assessors in the field and technology implemented that will identify when things like this are going on so they can be stopped early on. I would much rather monitor digital data as a compliance watchdog as I get older than have to go in, one kid at a time, to hold the public education system accountable to its mandates under our democracy's rule of law. So long as there is transparency in how the system operates and all the real-time data, other than anything personally identifying, is accessible to the public to be analyzed for compliance failures, technology stands to enhance the functions of democracy. But, it all comes down to how its coded.   I expect that watchdogs and advocates in the future will spend more time analyzing system-generated data than necessarily representing individual students, and that a healthier partnership between the public sector and the citizenry can evolve in which the user feedback shared with system developers and operators can be used to enhance its functions and allow each agency to serve its mandated purposes in a compliant manner that is both cost-effective and substantively effective.   The more that social and behavioral science is integrated into the policies, procedures, and applied technologies in the public sector, the more effective and efficient they will be. The more integrated the technologies among all of the public agency stakeholders, the more cohesive the communications and execution of time-sensitive tasks. I see a future in which systemic violations, such as rampant Larry P. failures, will trigger an examination of the intersectionality of disability and other social factors, such as ethnicity, on compliance and help identify when something like getting rid of Larry P. needs to happen sooner rather than later.   I see this Larry P. mess as yet another compelling argument for the implementation of enterprise-class computing technologies within public education administration. I hope the State is listening.

In this IEP Team Bonus Series we are talking about occupational therapists, my own profession! It's a little bit more in depth than you likely need...but then again...OTs are one of those professions that can cover a LOT when it comes to supporting your child! In this episode we discuss: 1) What requirements an OT needs to practice in the schools 2) What an OT actually can DO for your child 3) Some school cultural barriers to advocating directly for "more OT" for your child Join Facebook Group Download the FREE IEP Process Step-By-Step Guide Shownotes

In this IEP Team Bonus Series we are talking about occupational therapists, my own profession! It's a little bit more in depth than you likely need...but then again...OTs are one of those professions that can cover a LOT when it comes to supporting your child! In this episode we discuss: 1) What requirements an OT needs to practice in the schools 2) What an OT actually can DO for your child 3) Some school cultural barriers to advocating directly for "more OT" for your child Join Facebook Group Download the FREE IEP Process Step-By-Step Guide Shownotes

In this episode of our Special Educational Needs Podcast 'SEND in the experts with Georgina Durrant', Georgina Durrant chats to Kim Griffin an occupational therapist and founder of GriffinOT. They chat about the role of an Occupational Therapist (OT), what is meant by sensory processing differences, dyspraxia and much more!Resources linked to this episode:Identifying Sensory Needs- Adult Guidance and ChecklistMovement Break CardsDyspraxia Strategies and InformationKim's website can be found here GriffinOT websiteHer Crocodile Snap video that we discussed on her Youtube Channel can be found here.

“If children are to keep alive their inborn sense of wonder, they need the companionship of at least one adult who can share in their sense of wonder, by rediscovering with them the joy, excitement, and mystery of the world we live in." ~ Rachel Carson Maggie O'Reilly is an Occupational Therapist (OT) who uses a strengths-based approach, along with evidenced based interventions and curriculums, to enhance young children's skills and confidence in the great outdoors, including their social, emotional learning and development. Maggie loves outdoor and Nature education so much, in fact, that she chose not to give into her own natural shyness about public speaking so she could share knowledge about all kinds of ways to make the very most of time in Nature with young children. Thank you, Maggie! I loved this conversation. We started this conversation with an important and inspiring quote from Rachel Carson, then we moved into discussing the very real, but perhaps not-so-obvious benefits, both short term and long term, provided to very young children when they share experiences in Nature with family and other caring adults. I learned so much from Maggie about easy and natural ways to increase children's awareness about the liveliness all around them when they're outdoors. We also talked about the research-based benefits of time spent in natural environments that positively impact children's mental, physical and social wellbeing. Even if you're located in an urban environment, with little access to what is typically considered a natural environment, this conversation with Maggie will expand your awareness about possibilities for enriching the lives of the young children in your care. First, about Maggie and her website: Maggie O'Reilly, MOT, OTR/L Pronouns: she/her/hers Owner, Occupational Therapist Live Oak Kids (LOKi) www.liveoakkids.com Facebook/ Instagram @liveoak_kids Natural Start Conference and Website Children and Nature Network North American Association for Environmental Education ECHO (Early Childhood Health Outdoors) https://www.therapyinthegreatoutdoors.com Sensory Processing

In today's episode, we're talking to Lauren Coughlin about Regulation. Lauren is an Occupational Therapist (OT) and the Clinical Director at Creative Development in Avon, Connecticut. She works primarily with children and some young adults at Creative Development doing Occupational Therapy. She also works at a private school, offering therapy to those with autism. Today you will learn: What Occupational Therapy is What regulation means The different zones of regulation Why it is important for children to be able to regulate Possible signs of regulation issues How OT can help with regulation What parents can do at home to help Links and Resources: Creative Development: https://creativedevelopmentct.com   Creative Development's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/creativedevelopmentllc/  Creative Development's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/creativedevelopmentct  Creative Development's Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYoMhunfapgTIuGs97YeCHA/videos    Make sure to subscribe and follow us on social media so you never miss an episode! Website: http://www.readingllcenter.com  Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/readingllcenter  Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/readingllcenter  Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWlbl8Ea8DJFADaNU9ZK1Vw  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-reading-and-language-learning-center 

Monique Davies is a South African Mom of three, and a practicing Occupational Therapist (OT) in Durban, South Africa. Monique is all about connection and believes that play is the path to understanding and improving a child's behavior's and development. I decided to have an OT on the show due to my recent experience with my son who has just begun OT himself. As a Mom who was completely unfamiliar with the field of OT, I was overwhelmed. I did not understand the language of the the OT assessment, I had moments where I blamed myself for some of his delays, and I had sleepless nights worrying about what the future would hold. All in all, I was lost, confused and in a very lonely place trying to wrap my head around understanding my child's developmental needs. So I was very grateful for this conversation with Monique. Not only to expand my own understanding, but to share it with parents and caretakers near and far so they too can understand more about recognizing the signs of developmental delays, disorders, difficulties, etc. This episode is not just for those with children in OT or for those interested in neuro-diversity. This episode is for anyone interested in understanding more on the latest evidence based science about early childhood education, childhood development, delays versus disorders, and the power of play in childhood. This episode is not for your to make a diagnosis or assumption on your own. For more information on you or your child's personal neurological needs, please see your local GP for a referral to the right specialist. For more information on Monique Davies and to connect with her, please visit https://www.instagram.com/theconnectionconsciousmom/?hl=en. For more information on her product Sea Glass Soft Play, visit https://www.instagram.com/seaglass_softplay/?hl=en. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/christina-masureik/support

Frailty and the introduction of a targeted service to better meet the needs of those living locally with frailty issues was high on the agenda of Townships 1 PCN Clinical Director and GP Dr Tom Holdsworth. Once CCG funding had been successfully secured, the challenge to recruit a clinical project lead was proving tricky and Tom was eventually convinced by a colleague that an Occupational Therapist, in the form of Julia Clifford, might be the answer. One year on from Julia's appointment and following a formal evaluation of the service, both Tom and Julia join Ben to discuss all aspects of the transformative approach they are taking in Sheffield to support their frail populations. From Tom's initial concerns about whether an OT could provide what was needed, to the service specification and what Julia can offer, working collaboratively with the other additional roles team, and the service evaluation findings, this week's episode is another truly inspirational offering to round off the 2021 podcast series.   Introductions (26 secs) The origins of ‘Townships 1' PCN (38 secs) How was the service first introduced? (58 secs) Why a project focused on supporting frailty? (2 mins 57 secs) The story behind recruiting an Occupational Therapist (OT) for the project role (3 mins 59 secs) Preconceptions of what an OT could offer (4 mins 43 secs) What attracted Julia to the role? (5 mins 8 secs) Evaluating progress to date (5 mins 57 secs) What are the most common scenarios and interventions? Where is Julia able to make the biggest impact? (8 mins 8 secs) Alignment with the PCN's ARRS strategy (9 mins 58 secs) Making the most of the ARRS funding pot (10 mins 52 secs) Formal service evaluation findings (12 mins 3 secs) Are the practices feeling the impact? (13 mins 45 secs) The risk of uncovering unmet need (14 mins 25 secs) Continuing to progress amongst competing demands (14 mins 54 secs) Working towards the anticipatory care specification (16 mins 46 secs) Lessons learned from Julia's perspective (18 mins 29 secs)   The full, published evaluation of the frailty project can be found here. If you are interested in learning more, Tom and Julia are very happy to be contacted via their respective emails.

Picking back up on our series of podcasts about making the best use of the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme, this week Ben meets a multi-skilled, multidisciplinary team of professionals who are all working towards achieving better mental health outcomes for the students, staff and young people based in and around the University of Nottingham campus. The wellbeing team, led by GP DR Matt Litchfield, consists of Stuart Keeling, Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, Amy Smith, Occupational Therapist and Emma Swearman, Health and Wellbeing Coach. Based at Cripps Health Centre, the four each give us an insight into their backgrounds and their current roles, what they can offer to better the lives of their patients, both individually and as a collective, the enormous growth of the service over a relatively short time span and the wider impact they are having at practice level and to the benefit of the local healthcare sector, more widely.   Introducing Matt, Stuart, Amy & Emma (9 secs) The practice, PCN and local population (29 secs) Where the wellbeing team began (1 min 16 secs) Stuart's background and the growth of the Mental Health Nurse Practitioner role within the wellbeing team (2 mins 17 secs) Appointment structure (5 mins 31 secs) Amy's input as an Occupational Therapist (OT) and what OTs can bring to a mental health service (6 mins 39 secs) The transition of OTs into primary care (8 mins 32 secs) Emma as a Health and Wellbeing Coach (10 mins 6 secs) How does Emma's role work in practice? (11 mins 26 secs) Community health and wellbeing groups (12 mins 18 secs) Measuring success (13 mins) Team management structure and supervision (15 mins 11 secs) The impact of the team on the wider practice and patients (16 mins 25 secs) Meeting patient needs (17 mins 59 secs) The importance of early intervention and the benefit to the wider healthcare partners (18 mins 22 secs) Employment of the mental health practitioner in partnership with local providers (19 mins 31 secs) Planning for the future (20 mins 54 secs) Getting in touch (22 mins 37 secs)   If you have any specific questions, or you'd like to learn more about the inspiring work of the University of Nottingham wellbeing team, please contact Matthew or Stuart.

In this episode, Dan & Ian welcome Pete Hershey, CHT to the studio. They cover a lot of ground in this hour so stick with us, from marathons to industry secrets. Pete talks about his experiences becoming an Occupational Therapist (OT) and the differences between Physical Therapy and OT. This episode dives into explorations of small business ownership, life autonomy, dealing with insurance companies and Pete's best advice for young entrepreneurs. Pete gives tips for office workers and explains how small adjustments can transition to prolonged health benefits.Thank you for joining us, please hit that like & subscribe button and we will see you NEXT WEDNESDAY...

Every BODY deserves pleasure, our bodies were designed to receive pleasure. Heidi talks with Isabella who is an Occupational Therapist (OT) and runs an online sex toy store called XES dedicated to providing premium, accessible products and resources for everyone, without exception. In this episode Heidi and Isabella discuss how OT's support people with disabilities to engage their sexuality, address some of the stigmas and barriers when it comes to disability and sex. 

Matching your business model, through prices and structured offers, to respect your expertise allows you to provide greater value as a result. Your very own Sales Maven, Nikki Rausch, is here to offer tips, techniques, and strategies to master your sales conversations. Discover methods to place yourself near an audience where you can both give and receive the most value. Today, learn how to remodel your business, make sales a conversation, and work in your zone of genius on this episode of the Sales Maven Show. In this amazing conversation, Trish Williams shared her success story as a member of the Sales Maven Society. Trish is an experienced Occupational Therapist (OT), which works in the rehab realm to help people live independently. Alongside fulfilling academic roles, Trish contributed her skills to the world as a clinician for 27 years. She explored owning a brick-and-mortar private practice, and eventually, started her way into coaching other OT entrepreneurs. Giving more value, she shares career, personal, and industry lessons on her very own podcast called OTs Get Paid. There are a few methods Trish offers to deliver tremendous value to her audience. Throughout the conversation, Trish breaks down how she manages multiple channels of service by giving an honest view into her business model. Knowing the structure of the most desired work situation became a major lesson in entrepreneurship for Trish. Trish explains that defining the parameters that you want to work within makes space for you to deliver value as the best version of yourself. Trish addresses the balance of being aware of your journey, like setting micro goals, and assessing the journey of your audience, like communicating sales. Oftentimes, prospective clients aren't sure how to articulate their desire, so that's your opportunity to help bring clarity. Learn to decide micro goals, recognize buying signals, and close sales as Trish talks about implementing new business skills and mindsets. Nikki wants to invite you to join the Sales Maven Society, don't miss this opportunity for you and Nikki to work together. Bring your questions, concerns, sales challenges, and she provides answers and guidance to boost your confidence. Join the Sales Maven Society here, click add to cart, and then checkout and use coupon code: 47trial to get your first month for $47.00!   In This Episode: [00:43] - Welcome, and thank you for listening! [02:15] - Trish Williams gives the background story of her career and entrepreneurship journey. [04:58] - There are a few methods Trish offers to provide value to her audience. She breaks down how she manages multiple channels of service. [07:19] - Trish explains how she leverages her audience and the audience of another expert through collaboration. [09:42] - Define the parameters that you want to work within, so that you can deliver value as the best version of yourself. [12:22] - Most businesses level up after a change in the business model to better match the value currently provided, or giving more.  [13:54] - Trish shares the wins around her business, starting with examining her business model performance. [16:27] - On the journey of remodeling the business, Trish came across the Sales Maven Society. She explains why she didn't join right away. [17:55] - What were the two micro goals that started Trish in the right direction? [19:39] - Trish reflects on how she structured her discovery calls. What did she learn as she changed her approach? [22:06] - While on a discovery call, Trish connected a real life experience with the skill of recognizing buying signals. [24:12] - If you don't know how to implement skills, like recognizing buying signals, you leave money on the table and leave the audience unsatisfied. [26:50] - Oftentimes, prospective clients aren't sure how to articulate their desire, so that's your opportunity to help bring clarity. [28:47] - You can feel empowered in sales. You can make an impact through sales. [30:27] - Trish says that the Sales Maven Society is a community that shows the core values shared across varied business spaces. [32:53] - Trish invites everyone to continue the conversation with her on her podcast, OTs Get Paid. [34:37] - Identity can include service, academic, and entrepreneur. [37:37] - Thank you for listening. Nikki is so grateful you are here!   Find Nikki: Nikki Rausch nikki@yoursalesmaven.com @yoursalesmaven Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn | Instagram Sales Maven Society To download free Resources from Nikki: www.yoursalesmaven.com/maven   Find Trish: Trish Williams https://otsgetpaid.libsyn.com   Instagram  Facebook

Mallory Reilly Coach- OTR/L, CPT, RKC, SFGI, is an Occupational Therapist (OT) and a true kettlebell queen. In this episode, Mallory drives deep into connecting our senses to our training, how to listen and respect your body, and what it means to be READY. Her experience and perspective on training, body image while incorporating her career as an OT brings a novel, fresh perspective to the fitness industry. Catch her here and @malloryreilly_ot on Instagram.

Hi everyone,Welcome to Episode # 15Yes..... it's finally here....a new episode!!Today I have the utmost pleasure of speaking with Tracy Stackhouse, Occupational Therapist and Executive Director at Developmental FX a non-profit organization providing clinical and training services to engage and evaluate pediatric therapeutic practice.I loved my conversation with Tracy. Hope you like the title of today's episode, "Windows to Regulation" and I think as you listen to our conversation, the title will make sense. Tracy so clearly articulates the inter-connection of key models, such as Dan Siegel's "Window of Tolerance"; Bruce Perry's Neurosequential Model; Jean Ayres Sensory Integration Theory, and Interpersonal Neurobiology with the Polyvagal Theory. These models help us formulate clinical plans to facilitate co-regulation, connection, and safety in supporting SSP outcomes. I hope you all enjoy this episode. Please see below for Tracy's bio where you can learn about her work.Here are some key points that you will learn about from our conversation:Using the language of "the window of tolerance" or "river of integration" to help describe the ebb and flow, expansion, or contraction of our autonomic state and relationship to behavioral states of regulation or dysregulationExplains the "R's"of regulationexploring what is " optimal adaptation"flow stateThe importance of developing "deep observation" skills or "listening" skills in the postural system, voice, body language, facial expression What is the Social-Motor system?How Co-Regulation is key to providing the "Safe" before and during the "Sound" for SSP delivery The importance of developing a comprehensive clinical plan for SSP success the SpIRiT model for reasoning and intervention planningThe components of co-regulation often need to be taught explicitly and include:SynchronyMutual and ReciprocityMirroringServe and ReturnShared AffectRepairFollowing the child's leadNurturancePromotion of AgencyPractitioners first develop these skills then learn how to guide families.Tracy spoke about a treatment-intensive project she is involved in called Camp Jabiru. The camp is based on SI Theory and the neurobiology of "Safety" held in the Sydney region of Australia.Here are links to the various projects and programs we discussed. Spirited Conversations PodcastCamp JabiruDFX Learning Journeys: the website will launch in a few weeks. Until then, email: learningjourneys@developmentalfx.orgMore about TracyTracy Murnan Stackhouse, MA, OTR is the executive director of Developmental FX (DFX) in Denver, Colorado, a non-profit organization providing clinical and training services to engage and elevate pediatric therapeutic practice. She is a leading pediatric Occupational Therapist (OT) involved in clinical treatment, research, mentoring, and training regarding OT intervention for persons with neurodevelopmental disorders, especially Fragile X Syndrome and autism. Tracy has a master’s degree in developmental psychology/neuroscience. She received her NDT training with Lois Bly. She is SIPT Certified and was the clinical specialist in sensory integration at The Children’s Hospital in Denver as well as the OT for the Fragile X Research and Treatment Center. Tracy continued her clinical and research work with Dr. Randi Hagerman at the UC Davis M.I.N.D. Institute during its stLove to hear from you!!Please join our Safe and Sound Protocol Podcast Facebook group to post comments.Smile, Joanne

Christine Priola, OT, on the right in the Vice President's Office of the Senate during the January 6, 2021 insurrection at the Capitol in Washington, DC   On January 6, 2021, a group of people, radicalized by false propaganda generated by the 45th President of the United States and his co-conspirators, attacked the United States Capitol with the intent to kidnap and/or murder members of Congress and the Vice President. This is an event that will live in infamy for so long as America remains a nation, and be blamed for it if it does not.   I've been working in special education advocacy, helping parents protect their children with disabilities from physical, emotional, and educational abuse/neglect by the public sector, primarily the public school system, since 1991. By now, you would think there's nothing new for me to see when it comes to all the ways that adults can do wrong by those among us with disabilities. Clearly, I was wrong.   These recent events at the national level have left me with a whole new set of concerns that I believe are important to talk about, right now. Not the least of these concerns is the fact that a profoundly mentally ill president, along with his pathologically self-serving sycophants, exploited the suffering of some Americans with mental illness and the unfounded sense of entitlement experienced by other Americans with mental illness.   In the end, it's a bunch of people with mental health issues frenzying like piranha at the smell of blood in the water and taking down the rest of us with them. The inmates are literally running the asylum, right now, and the survival of us all rests on the shoulders of those of us intact enough to realize what is happening, and equipped to deal with it.   For the last 30 years, it's been my observation - and one I've repeatedly shared - that there are individuals employed within the public education system who believe children with disabilities are expendable and unimportant. In a sea of deprived students in general, special education students are uniquely further deprived because of their disabilities.   It's been my observation that these individuals see their constituents - in this case, our children - as a means to their own personal financial ends, and nothing more. When the costs of educating these constituents increases due to disability, they become a hated burden to those looking to profit off them.   It's not like the public education system is doing that great by any of our kids, right now. It's just that problems that impact education in general tend to have a magnified effect on our kids with special needs. Public school officials will say things like, "My heart is bleeding for your child. I wish there was something I could do," when there's totally something they could do. They just don't want to pay for it, which is unlawful.   Special education laws would have not become necessary back in the 1970s if it were not for the fact that people who do not believe in science or law were already employed in positions of authority within the public education system and engaging in unconstitutional conduct towards children with disabilities at that time. The public schools would refuse to enroll these students at all or, even if they did, let them languish in general education classes until they dropped out.   In spite of compulsory education laws, back in the day, it was totally okay to drop out of school if you couldn't keep up with the instruction and nobody would come after you for truancy. This was what happened to a lot of people with relatively mild challenges, like learning disabilities, who ended up reaching adulthood functionally illiterate and unable to find gainful employment except as factory workers, coal miners, and all the other dangerous jobs that don't require academic skills, in spite of their normal intelligence.   I provided adult literacy instruction to this population at a local vocational/technical college as a young adult in Arkansas. I've met these people. I've seen this play out, first hand.   This has led to a class of individuals who have increasingly lost the ability to support themselves, as robots take over dangerous jobs that don't require real thinking. While the laws that passed in the 1970s were the right place to start, it's foolish to think that enough has changed since then that the system isn't still biased against kids with special needs. If things had changed, I'd have worked myself out of a job a long time ago.   The public education system is biased against any kid who isn't white, male, and expected to inherit property upon reaching age of majority. It was created in its present form during the Industrial Revolution and hasn't changed much since.   For the longest time, public education agency administration was male dominated while the teaching staffs were female dominated, putting men in authoritarian control over women employees. Teachers unions grew out of the very real discrimination and abuse of women in the public education workplace by their male "superiors" around the same time that unions gained popularity among the laborers working ot inher dangerous jobs in factories and mines.   Students, however, have no collective bargaining power. Even though they are the reason the system exists, they are the last individuals served by it. They get whatever leftovers are left after public agency administrators bleed their agencies dry with undeserved six-figure annual salaries while teachers are buying classroom supplies with their own money. Students are just an excuse for politicians to pay themselves.   So, the idea that discrimination and abuse do not manifest in the public education sector is plainly inaccurate. There are mountains of evidence to the contrary, my caseload being only one such mountain. The judicial and legislative history of special education law is not the total point, here, but it's relevant in that it establishes that bad actors in public education have made it necessary to regulate public education to control for their inappropriate behaviors.   The evidence of bad faith in public education has been documented in the courts long enough that I don't have argue it, here. That's a done deal. So, when someone tells me they are worried about child welfare at the hands of government officials, I have to say, "Me too! That's why I'm a child and family advocate."   However, now when someone tells me they are worried about pedophiles in public education, I have to do a double-take and ask, "Why?" That's only because of the whacky Q-Anon and similar conspiracy theories, now going around about Satanic cannibals molesting and trafficking children.   It's not that human trafficking isn't real or horrible. It's that there is zero proof that it's being perpetrated by the people these conspiracy theorists are targeting.   There is proof, however, that the 45th President was pals with a known, convicted pedophile and wished this pedophile's co-conspirator well when she, too, got arrested. He's also been accusing of raping a 13-year-old who was made available to him by this same duo of pedophiles, but these conspiracy theorists are not going after him. They think he is the champion of their cause, which defies logic in every possible way.   Even if the allegations of child rape cannot be sustained against #45, he's sexually assaulted plenty of women and bragged about it on the record. How he's become the champion of a human rights cause given his history of sexual assault and his policies regarding the children of lawful asylum-seekers at our borders is beyond me.   We have all seen news stories of the occasional teacher, aide, specialist, or administrator who gets busted for sexual relations with their students. It's not that pedophiles are not employed within public education; we know some have slipped in and we do a poor job of screening them out, often only finding them after the harm has been done.   The more important point is that a ring of cannibalistic pedophiles do not run public education. The average school district administrator doesn't come anywhere near actual children. They don't appear to care for the company of children; they just want to exploit them for public dollars.   While I don't doubt that there are people employed in public education administration who would gladly traffic in humans if they thought they could turn a profit and get away with it, that's a whole lot of work to make happen within the public education system and not get exposed. It's easier to milk the broken system as it is without taking on that risk. They can get rich by lazier means than selling their students into slavery.   As soon as someone gets caught engaging in pedaphilia with students in the public education setting, most school districts are the ones that call the cops. If school district administrators come to an accused educator's defense, it's either because the educator was wrongfully accused or because the administrators don't want to be held accountable for the fact that they let a pedophile come work for their public education agency, so they're trying to convince everyone that they didn't.   It's not that public education isn't being run by a pack of corrupt jackals. By and large, like local police departments, local school districts get away with as much as they do because they only answer to their local constituents, most of whom don't know how to monitor and audit a school district on an ongoing basis for compliance issues. Jackals are in gross abundance.   Even the most ethical educators can be corrupted once they are promoted into administration, and I suspect most of that is economics. Once they start getting that six-figure annual salary, they start buying nice houses and cars, putting their kids through college, and going on expensive vacations. That quickly creates debt.   If you have a six-figure income, you can pay that debt, but if you lose that income and can't replace it fast enough, you're quickly screwed. This is how good educators get pulled into the Dark Side of the Force when they accept promotions into administration. It's the rare pure soul that sees what's really going on and refuses to be manipulated that way before it's too late.   The overarching problems I see in public school administration are about money, not pedophilia or cannibalism. I've yet to encounter cannibalism, actually, but it's only January 2021, so let's see if this year tops last year for the most disgusting conduct to be revealed among public servants for the whole world to see.   What prompts me to discuss this, now, is the recent resignation of Christine Priola, an Occupational Therapist (OT) from Cleveland Metropolitan School District, one day before she participated in the January 6, 2021 insurrection against the American government. Ms. Priola occupied the Capitol building with other insurrectionists and was photographed in the Vice President's office as part of the occupation.   In her resignation letter, Ms. Priola, who is currently out on bail pending trial, stated she was leaving her job as an OT for the District's special education department for three specific reasons:   She refused to take the Corona virus vaccine before returning to in-person learning; She disagreed with paying union dues because she believes that money is funding abortions; and She's embarking upon a fight against child trafficking by government agencies.   So, I'm going to pick these apart one by one, first, and then get into the rest of it.   First, it's unclear if Ms. Priola is an anti-vaxer opposed to vaccines in general, is against the current Corona virus vaccine because it was rushed to market so quickly and she questions its safety and efficacy, or just resents being told she has to take a shot before she can go back to work. Maybe it's a combination of those things.   We don't know why she was opposed to the vaccine, so I can't automatically lump her onto the science-denying anti-vaxer wagon with this limited amount of information, though her overall behaviors incline me to suspect that she could be an anti-vaxer. Because she's an OT, which is a scientific discipline that functions within the medical and educational realms, I don't want to assume too much, here. However, science is a fact-based discipline and Ms. Priola has not be operating according to facts.   When we look at her second objection, the total absence of logic casts an unfavorable light on the first objection, even further. How union dues, which pay for the administrative overhead of each union's operations, somehow funds abortions makes no sense.   The district may withhold those dues from educators' paychecks, but there is an audit trail that shows where that money goes. If you're worried about where the money is going, you do a request for public records asking for the accounting details and turn them over to a grand jury if you find that the money is being misappropriated.   The rule of law already provides a remedy for the misuse of public funds. You don't raid the Capitol with the intent of hanging the Vice President to death to resolve issues such as these.   The idea that the rule of law had collapsed to the point that it was ineffective cannot be argued, here. Ms. Priola did nothing on record to resolve the issue with where her union dues were going before resorting to the violent overthrow of the government and an effort to assassinate the Vice President.   The government already had a legal remedy that she chose not to access and the "remedy" she opted for instead did not fit the situation. This strongly suggests disordered thought. It also, however, goes to the degree to which legitimate remedies to harm done are often inaccessible to everyday Americans because they can't afford to lawyer up every time the government shirks its responsibilities and hurts people. When the appropriate options are closed off to people, they are only left with the inappropriate ones.   This is where peaceful protests for changes to the rules become such an important part of democracy, none of which involves insurrection or execution. Insurrection as a more expedient option to litigation speaks to the degree to which the legal system is often unavailable to most people because of the associated costs, but it's not a valid excuse for what Ms. Priola has done. Ease of access to remedy may have made it less likely that she wouldn't have done something literally insane, but that's speculative at this point.   The third justification for resigning given by Ms. Priola was that she's embarking upon a fight to protect children from abuses by government employees. On it's face, I can't take issue with that because I've been fighting to protect children with disabilities - the same students Ms. Priola served as an OT - from abuses within the public education system for the last 30 years.   Very often, though, I'm protecting them against people like Ms. Priola who are so divorced from science and, therefore, reality that they engage in violations that require me to file complaints with regulators. Again, the rule of law provides a remedy. The difference between Ms. Priola's efforts to protect children and mine is that I use science and law to protect my babies. She's trying to kill the members of Congress most likely to help her protect children from the real predators.   I've never had to violently overthrow a government agency or hang anybody to protect a child from government employees. Has the rule of law let my babies down, before? Yes, in hugely significant ways. Has the rule of law protected my babies when I've pursued enforcement of it? Yes, more often than it has not. It's not a perfect system, but insurrection on behalf of the people responsible for undermining it is not going to fix anything.   And, it's not like I haven't seen evidence of child trafficking in government agencies. I have, just not in public education. Specifically, I've been working on a separate justice project with our organization's founder, Nyanza, to address the egregious over-incarceration of African-Americans in Oklahoma that dovetails with what may be State-sponsored child trafficking.   Based on the publicly available research data we've gathered to date, it appears there may be an orchestrated mechanism in place in which officials in the State of Oklahoma incarcerates people of color and remove their children from their homes through the Child Protective Services (CPS) system, only to place these children in privately owned foster care facilities and/or adoption agencies that operate for profit.   It appears that at least some of the foster care and adoption agencies in Oklahoma that participate in this dynamic are owned, at least in part, by State officials responsible for passing and enforcing the laws of Oklahoma, from which they profit. It should be noted that Oklahoma's CPS system was found to have been responsible for the death, rape, and maiming of many children processed through this system via a federal class action lawsuit that resulted in a consent decree that is not being properly enforced.   CPS employees have come out as whistleblowers to advise that the "proof" of compliance with the consent decree is falsified information and Oklahoma isn't taking this federal court consent decree as anything other than one more thing to lie about. It should also be noted that all of the individuals involved in these behaviors appear to be Republicans, or they were at the time the data we collected were gathered.   From what we've seen so far in our data, it appears that Oklahoma lawmakers and judges are incarcerating people so they can steal their children and sell them for profit. If true, that's a legitimate State-sponsored human trafficking ring that needs to be shut down immediately. But, it isn't a Satanic group of Hollywood actors and Democrats eating and raping children.   While this possible human trafficking ring has not been investigated as such to my knowledge, thus far, it's one of those things that can't last forever without someone getting caught. Nyanza and I are working to get enough evidence together to get the situation investigated, and she's been filing documents this whole time, but that's how you address these things. We are availing ourselves of the mechanisms of our imperfect, but better than anarchy, democracy to fix this heinous problem. Whatever is responsible for Oklahoma's ridiculous incarceration and CPS numbers is a problem that needs to be fixed, regardless of what it is.   This is painful because we know of families suffering horribly because of what is currently happening until this gets resolved, but justice can take time. I've learned that lesson from 30 years of working cases from IEP meetings all the way up to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, and you don't always win. But, you always make a difference, even when you lose on some technicality. I've had cases where we lost on an issue, but just barely. The involved districts knew the next time they pulled the same stunt, they wouldn't necessarily get lucky again, and have changed their practices as a result.   What I've learned from relying on the rule of law to address failures of the system is that you have to look at things in the aggregate. It becomes a measure of how many things I've prevailed on versus how many things I have not, and I've prevailed on more things than I haven't. Overall, my work is highly effective. On a day-by-day basis, it's a mixture of resolution and being obstructed by law-breaking public servants.   You have to get to the point where you can identify when it's time to negotiate and when it's time to collect evidence and file a complaint of some kind. We have processes and procedures already to address all of the concerns raised by Ms. Priola's resignation letter, none of which involve insurrection and execution of elected officials.   So, having said all that, now I have to turn to the issue of people who think like Ms. Priola who are still employed in public education. I first have to say that she may be in the minority, but we don't know how large or small that minority is because they have not been outspoken within the public education context, thus far.   Further, because I have been dealing with disordered thought on the part of school district personnel that results in harm to children for the last 30 years, I'm willing to believe that people whose thinking is as impaired as Ms. Priola's appears to be are still deeply rooted in special education, right now. Whether their disordered thought makes them vulnerable to Q-Anon and similar propaganda or not isn't anything I can answer. But, Ms. Priola's departure from science in spite of her scientific training is consistent with much of what I see in special education when things go wrong.   What this really comes down to is a concern that I've had for years and have spoken about with colleagues, but we haven't really figured out the most appropriate way to address it. What is happening now and the national dialogue around it may have finally opened a door to deal with this issue, and that issue is the societal impact of having so many members of our population who are apparently incapable of logical thought when it comes to abstract concepts like justice, democracy, and fascism. And, it circles back around to the quality, or lack thereof, of our public education system.   One of the tools I regularly use, or request that it be used, in special education is a standardized assessment called the Southern California Ordinal Scales of Development (SCOSD). The history of what led to the SCOSD's creation is a story unto itself, but suffice it to say that it is a scientific way of measuring all the different domains of development according to Piaget's stages of development.   The SCOSD breaks development down by subtest into cognition, communication, adaptive abilities, social-affective functioning, and motor skills. It is possible for an individual to function at a higher developmental level in one area than other areas. Each person's outcome on the measure paints a picture of their relative strengths and weaknesses across the developmental domains. When working with children and young adults with developmental disabilities, this becomes important to designing effective programs for each of them.   What I've come to realize from the data I've seen produced by the SCOSD over the years is that it is possible for someone to have age-typical cognitive and communication skills, but then have below age-typical social/emotional functioning. What this means is that their emotional development is delayed while their abilities to acquire academic and job skills are intact. They can emulate adult behavior, but their motivations are child-like because of their delayed social/emotional functioning.   When otherwise intelligent people get whipped up into an emotional frenzy over things not supported by any credible evidence, this disconnect between intelligence and social/emotional functioning is apparent. When otherwise intelligent people argue against evidence that they did something incorrectly, this same disconnect is again apparent.   This disconnect is what I've been fighting over the years more than anything else. Any reasonably intelligent and socially/emotionally intact person would not engage in the kinds of crap I encounter in the public education system. Most of what I encounter in the public education system is the consequence of ineptitude, not a cabal of cannibals.   If any kind of cabal exists in public education, it's the same one currently running the American Presidency into the ground. All of this makes me think of the right-wing folks in Orange County, California, who started a non-profit membership organization, self-described as a "brotherhood," of school district officials who would all pay membership dues and then use that money to finance legal battles against parents of children with disabilities.   It also makes me think of Lozano Smith, a law firm that infamously (within special education circles) got eviscerated by a federal court judge after trying to lie, cheat, and steal in a special education due process appeal. The firm, the responsible attorneys, and the district it was representing all got sanctioned for jerking everybody, especially the court, around with their lies.   All of the firm's attorneys were ordered to participate in additional ethics training, in addition to the reprimand and sanctions meted out by the court. At the time, Lozano Smith had over 200 attorneys on staff statewide throughout California. Shortly thereafter, most of them jumped ship and went to different firms or started their own firms. It's quite reminiscent of what we are seeing in Washington, DC, right now, as cabinet members and other high-ranking personnel turn their backs on the outgoing President in the wake of all the destruction and death he has caused.   Lozano Smith is still around, but I haven't encountered them in the field in several years. The last big thing I saw from them was in 2013 when my colleague, David Grey, prevailed on a case at the 9th Circuit against two school districts engaging in the same violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). At least one of the involved districts filed an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court, but it was shot down; the Supreme Court declined to try the case.   When the Supreme Court appeal was first filed, Lozano Smith, which had been uninvolved at that point, wrote an amicus brief that looked like something that could have been produced by Sidney Powell and Rudy Giuliani. It made nearly hysterical arguments about how the 9th Circuit's interpretation of the ADA would undo decades of precedent within the public education system, as though decades of an established practice of discrimination should be maintained.   The point is that the conservative "fringe" has never been the "fringe." To quote Stephen Colbert, "Lunatic fringe? There were tens of thousands of people in that murderous mob. The day after the riot, a poll found that 45% of Republican voters backed the attack on the capitol building. That's not a fringe! That's almost half the outfit! If you wore a suit that was 45% fringe, you'd be arrested for public indecency! But at least we'd be able to see through your pants to know you don't have any balls!“   Based on how scholars look at the political spectrum, conservatives have gone further and further to the right towards radicalization as the left has remained predominantly centrist. The far right looks at centrist politics and mischaracterizes them as the "radical left." Democracy is not the radical left.   Conservatism is no longer part of democracy in this country; it's become a movement towards dictatorship in which 45% of the population believes it needs to be led by the nose by a demagogue. When left to think for themselves, these individuals run towards authoritarianism, thinking these leaders understand their needs and will fight for them, rather than exploit them to help take over and then kick them to the curb when they no longer serve a useful purpose.   It's my suspicion that, once the people who participated in the insurrection realize that the 45th President will let them rot in jail for taking up his cause while he claims to have nothing to do with any of them, his base will finally get the backstabbing that has been coming their way this entire time and will realize he's not in their corner like they thought. We can at least hope getting stabbed in the back will have this effect.   We're going to have to watch the prosecuted go through this epiphany over time as we try each of their cases one by one. The stories we're going to hear from these people are going to reveal legitimate unmet needs, impaired problem-solving skills, and exploitation of those factors by Republican terrorists looking to radicalize them.   Those of these defendants with the mental wherewithal to realize they've been played and the emotional stability to own it will turn on those who exploited them, as have many former allies of #45, such as Michael Cohen. Those who don't have the emotional stability to own the fact that they made a mistake in judgment will continue to assert they've done nothing wrong and describe themselves as political prisoners rather than criminal insurrectionists and traitors.   In the minds of the insurrectionists, as they've reported themselves, they were responding to the call of their President to defend democracy. If that's what you're really doing, defending democracy isn't bad. But democracy relies on the rule of law. You defend democracy by participating in it and putting its mechanisms into constructive use, not trying to overthrow it.   If our democracy is not working for all of the people - and people of color, indigenous people, LGBTQ+ people, women of all stripes, and people challenged by disability can attest that it has not for a very long time - we need to fix it. What boggles the mind is that now that groups made up mostly of white males in this country are finally beginning to experience the lack of undemocratic entitlement and advantage they've historically known, their response to advocate for themselves is to engage in insurrection. This means that what they want is nothing a true democracy would ever give them, and that tells you all you really need to know about them.   There is absolutely a silver lining in all of this, and I rely on Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) to inform that determination. In ABA, there is a term that I've discussed in previous posts called "Extinction Burst," and that's part of what we are looking at with the current state of things. In an Extinction Burst, a behavior that had previously been reinforced is no longer being reinforced, and the organism tries to force reinforcement to come by escalating its behavior.   Think of it this way: If, every day, you put money in a vending machine and a candy bar comes out, the candy bar reinforces the behavior of putting money into the machine. But if, one day, the candy bar gets stuck and won't come out of the machine, what do we do? Walk away sad? No! We beat on the machine in an effort to make the candy bar dislodge and come out.   That's an Extinction Burst. If the candy bar dislodges and comes out, it reinforces the behavior of beating up the machine. If beating the machine doesn't work, then you walk away sad. After than, you're less likely to use the machine again. If you stop using the machine altogether, the behavior of putting money into it becomes extinct.   What is happening in this country with the radicalized right is an Extinction Burst. Behaviors engaged in by the right wing that were previously reinforced are no longer being reinforced. The behaviors of the 45th President, his co-conspirators, and his followers over the last five years, leading up to January 6, 2021, and what may still yet happen as the 46th elected President takes office, have been an extended Extinction Burst.   The most important thing about an Extinction Burst when you're trying to extinguish an inappropriate behavior is that you cannot allow it to produce the reinforcement being sought. If you want someone to give up on the candy machine, there can be no way to beat the machine until candy comes out.   We want the radical right to give up on trying to destroy democracy, so we cannot allow their behaviors to result in the reinforcement they are seeking, which, here, is to remain in power regardless of the will of the people. This includes holding them accountable according to the letter of the law. That's what I've been doing in my niche of governmental accountability for the last 30 years and it's the only way to preserve democracy going forward.   The other silver lining, here, is that in spite of all their efforts to overthrow democracy, it's our democracy that will ultimately prevail. When we apply the rule of law to what they have done, democracy will have the opportunity to defend itself.   What saddens and scares me the most is the number of people whose developmental weaknesses and mental health conditions are being exploited by the right wing to radicalize them into becoming domestic terrorists while convincing them they are upholding American principles through their terrorism. When we talk about the mental health problems in this country, we tend to point to homelessness and addiction issues, like this is the only way they can hurt us.   As an advocate for people with disabilities, I am torn between being sad for and fearful of these individuals. On the one hand, we absolutely need to hold them accountable under the law. But, we prove the point that the system is skewed towards specific demographics when mentally ill right wing radicals suddenly get criminal consequences and nothing to address the real-world problems that they couldn't solve that propelled them into radicalism.   In the end, once again, it's people with disabilities being used as political pawns by self-serving, undeserving, overpaid public officials looking to line their own pockets with taxpayer dollars as part of a grift. This is something I know all too well in special education.   I'm willing to believe, in light of the evidence thus far, that decades of special education failures have produced an entire class of emotionally disturbed adults who are still vulnerable to the manipulations of public officials and that Ms. Priola and many of her compatriots are among them. I'm also willing to believe, in light of the evidence thus far, that the people manipulating them are just as mentally ill; they just have money and power.   I will never pretend to have all the answers, here, but I do know a thing or two that can help. All of us do. We need to weave our efforts together to repair the fabric of our country and make it stronger than it was in the first place. It's not impossible. This country's founding was far more difficult than its current preservation and we can do this.

How can Physical Therapists collaborate with Occupational Therapists? Have you heard of Low Vision Rehabilitation or thought about specializing in it? Sarah Corridon is an Occupational Therapist (OT) who specializes in low vision talk to us about the specialty, OT profession, and how to obtain a certification in low vision.

Rachel and Sarah discuss: The hardest part/biggest challenge during OT school so farHer favorite part of OT schoolThe transition from in person to distance learning secondary to the pandemicNavigating the personal and professional stress during this timeAdvice for current or soon to be studentsQuestions for me as a fieldwork educator Resources:Rachel’s Previous Episodes:The Very First Steps in Becoming an OTBecoming an Occupational Therapist: Starting an OT Program Mind Your OT Business PodcastTips for OT & OTA StudentsTherapy Ed Study Guide Book

People on a journey to be healthy and fit often know what they need to do, but for all sorts of reasons they don’t do it. Even those of us who are health professionals fall victim to the many barriers thrown in our path. That is where my accountability groups come into the picture. Each participant receives support and encouragement from the other members and in return, they give their support and insight back to the group. This is both inspiring and motivating for everyone involved.Today I am going to interview a regular member of my monthly groups, who just happens to be an Occupational Therapist (OT). Jennifer Fitzgerald chose to become an OT rather than a physical therapist (PT) because she is a wholistic person who likes to look at a whole person vs one body part or symptom. She works with body mechanics and functional fitness to get to a root cause and help people learn and improve life skills from feeding and dressing yourself to walking, running or even how you play golf.Body mechanics involve exercises designed to improve posture, coordination, and stamina. Functional fitness or movement is exercise that trains your muscles to work together and prepare them for daily tasks by simulating common movements you might do at home, at work or in sports. While using various muscles in the upper and lower body at the same time, functional fitness exercises also emphasizes core stability which is a building block of a healthy body. Proper body alignment gives you core strength and you need core strength to have proper body alignment.Jennifer has worked in every aspect of OT from neonatology to death and dying. She has a degree in General Rehab, a Massage Therapy License and a master’s degree in OT. She is passionate about helping people. Currently her main focus is with kids but being a military spouse with 5 moves in 10 years she has worked with every age in many different settings.In today’s interview she answers questions and describes the “physiological why” behind her answers.Thoughts about “virtual school”.Whether you choose on site or virtual school the issue is not the Corona Virus, it is screen time. In virtual school everything is done looking at a screen on an electronic device. Too much screen time is not good for anyone but especially for those whose brains are still developing. The obvious fact is that if a child is sitting in front of a screen, they are not getting the exercise their body needs. What is not so obvious is what the constant screen time is doing to their brains. The picture on a screen is made up of millions of pixels moving at lightening speed. If you hold your phone camera up to a tv or computer screen you can see the wavering pixels. The brain is processing the pixels at the speed it is receiving them. Kids become accustomed to processing fast moving things so when a teacher stands in front of them, they are bored and lose interest. They crave the fast pace because it is what they are used to. Much of that processing activity occurs in the frontal lobe of the brain which is the behavior center. This could cause unwanted behavior problems. Kids under age 2 shouldn’t be watching screens at all and everyone else should take breaks and get outside, get silly, get fresh air, do brain exercises. Any movement is better than continued staring at a screen.Should middle school kids be lifting weights?Before the age of 15 kids shouldn’t be lifting weights heavier than their body. The growth plates in their body can be compressed and damaged. It is okay to use resistance bands and lighter weights. 10 to 12-year -olds in the weight room don’t know where their body is in space (proprioception) so they could throw out a hip or get a back or shoulder injury. If they are taught the correct body mechanics and the appropriate way to exercise and strengthen their core for their age, they can improve their skills and excel at their sports.Proper movement through the developmental stages is crucial.Babies need to roll over, sit, crawl, stand up, cruise furniture and then walk independently. Doing that in the appropriate order helps the brain to develop. If you skip some of the steps the brain suffers. When working with stroke patients who have lost many of their abilities it is necessary to start at the beginning with rolling over and go through the full progression because the that’s what the brain needs to develop.Playing is more than just for fun. Kids need to ride a bike because the reciprocal movement of the legs connects the brain and body. Running and playing tag is important because the start and stop motion helps with critical thinking. It teaches the brain to shift quickly. Hide and go seek causes the brain to process as do simple card games. The whole family should get away from technology and engage in play together to help children’s developing brains.What about desk ergonomics?Practice 90/90 sitting. Sit up with your back straight bending at the hips at a 90-degree angle. The knees should go out and bend to the floor at a 90-degree angle. Your shoulders should be over your hips. Sit on a therapy ball or ergonomic pillow for proper pelvis alignment. Place computer so arms don’t rest on desk. They should free float without lifting shoulders up. You can slant the keyboard to get rounded wrist, keep fingers and hands soft like playing piano, Elbows close to 90.While standing do a pelvic tilt to align your core. Don’t compensate by pulling shoulders back or rounding them forward.It’s all about your core. Proximal stability gives you distal function. Proximal means close to and distal means far away. So, stability, strength and alignment in your center or core gives you stable function in your arms and legs. It starts at the core and ripples to the whole body.Why do you need to drink water after you exercise?Lactic acid builds up in the muscles when you exercise. It is metabolic waste. You need to drink water to flush the metabolic waste out of your system.How often do I have to do something for muscle memory to kick in?New habits have to be consistent and concise for 10,000 repetitions over 1 to 6 months. You can expect a change within a few days but not the natural movement obtained by doing lots of repetitions. After you have learned it, to become a master you need to do it more. To rehabilitate from an injury, you need to see a PT for exercises several times a week. However, you need to continue those exercises every day at home, even if for only 10 minutes to get the repetitions needed to create muscle memory and have the new movement be natural. Each repetition helps the brain to process what you need to do. Little by little, a little leads to a lot.When working with patients from infants to older stroke victims, therapy needs to be done on both sides of the body. If you teach them to roll one direction, you need to teach them to roll the other. You need to train both sides of the brain. Work on muscle memory to both sides of the body to create right brain, left brain connection. The corpus callosum connects the left side of the brain to the right side, each side being known as a hemisphere. The connection allows information to pass between the two halves. Each side of the brain controls movement and feeling in the opposite half of the body. The hemispheres also process information, such as language. Physical coordination and taking in complex information require both sides of the brain to work together. The corpus callosum acts as the connector.Can OT keep dementia patients out of nursing homes?Yes, there are simple exercises that dementia patients can do, with assistance as needed, that will help to keep them at home as long as possible. Elderly people with dementia or other debilitating diseases suffer difficulty breathing because of immobility in their rib cage. The rib cage is supposed to expand and contract so by doing the following exercises the rib cage mobility can be increased, allowing easier breathing. At the same time the neurons in the brain are making new connections as the right/left barrier is crossed. For people needing assistance, demonstrate or gently grasp hands and help them move them.Exercises:1. Clasp hands together and rest them in your lap. As you breathe in through your nose, lift your hands up over your head. As you exhale through your mouth, bring them back down to your lap2. Clasp hands at chest level opening arms up and putting them back together as you inhale through your nose and exhale through your mouth.3. Clasp hands in your lap. Rotate at the waist to touch your left hip with both hands and then go back to the middle. Then rotate and touch your right hip and back to the middle.Lower body strengthening and bending of legs is important to keep knees moving. Play lively music to move to. John Phillips Sousa marches or similar music are familiar to the elderly and help to facilitate the movement. Music helps to develop the corpus callosum in all ages, which is especially important for dementia patients.1. Chair pushups: Put your hands on the arms of a chair and try to sit up taller to work the upper arm triceps and biceps muscles. If it is safe to do so, practice pushing into a standing position.2. Stand at a counter-top and practice side to side walking.3. March with high knees: sitting in a chair, holding a counter or marching around the room depending on ability. This gives the brain the reciprocal movement it needs similar to riding a bike.Hopefully, understanding some of the reasons why we do exercises will help you to do them regularly. And of course, for even more motivation you can always join us in an accountability group.Resources:www.facebook.com/houselifestyleswww.healthaccountabilitycoach.com

This month, Ann Garton returns as our host to lead a discussion about person-centredness in adaptive sports. The panelists talk about the need for inclusive sports activities in youth and college athletics and their contributions to the field.

Ellie Strafelda shares a tale of mandatory reporting, while on her way through school to become an Occupational Therapist (OT). She explains what led her to purse an OT degree, and how we each can practice gratitude! *Science of Wellbeing* *Course* (mentioned in recording): https://www.coursera.org/learn/the-science-of-well-being *Instagram* : @doseofsupport ( http://www.instagram.com/doseofsupport ) *Facebook* : Dose of Support ( http://www.doseofsupport.com ) *Website* : www.doseofsupport.com ( http://www.doseofsupport.com ) *SHARE YOUR STORY* : Link ( https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/TJ56P7Z ) *Patreon* : www.patreon.com/doseofsupport ( http://www.patreon.com/doseofsupport )

This week's guest is Mark from Senso Minds. We discuss all things sensory! Although sensory processing disorder is not an official medical diagnosis a lot of children with special needs struggle in the sensory department. They could be hypersensitive or hyposensitive or potentially both at different times. Although I do refer to sensory processing challenges as "Sensory Processing Disorder" at times during the episode as I mentioned above, it is not an official medical diagnosis. That being said, if you are concerned about this then an Occupational Therapist (OT) would definitely be the expert in this area so it may be helpful to seek guidance and find out more information from an OT. This podcast dives into some signs or symptoms of sensory processing challenges and what exactly sensory processing challenges means. We also discuss the mission behind Senso Minds, some of the products they have available and I review the popular topic of chewlery. You can find Mark and the Senso Minds team on their website www.sensominds.com, their Instagram (@sensominds), and their podcast "The Sensory Corner." As always, please rate and review my podcast and thank you for listening! Follow me on:Facebook - SLP Corner Instagram - slpcornerCheck out my blog: www.slpcorner.com

Ruth is a paediatric Occupational Therapist (OT), but with the advent of COVID-19, she has had focus her work on those with the most physical needs. It is a very tough time for physically vulnerable children and their families, who...

Ruth is a paediatric Occupational Therapist (OT), but with the advent of COVID-19, she has had to focus her work on those with the most physical needs. It is a very tough time for physically vulnerable children and their families, who are enduring social isolation and anxiety during the lockdown. But Ruth is now dealing with a range of clinical needs that an OT never normally has to, including learning how to manage death and the care of the dying. How does her faith help her to deal with these challenges?Remember to join us every day at 7 pm (BST/UTC+1) for #COVID1900Prayer, a chance to pray for health workers, our nation and the world as we respond to COVID-19 Support the show (https://cmf.li/Give)

On this episode, This Girl... Daisy introduces seasoned Occupational Therapist (OT), Nicole Santamaria, whom specializes in helping parents, children and teachers to see the “handwriting on the wall” when it comes to identifying solutions to help students succeed. With more than 20 years of experience, Nicole shares with Daisy the importance of helping kids improve their fine motor, visual motor and handwriting skills.  Even though we are increasingly moving into a digital world; tune-in to an informative conversation about the importance of handwriting. And as Nicole likes to say... usually the problem, “is not just handwriting.”  You might be thinking, that handwriting is something of the past in the speed that technology is moving; however this girl, Nicole, backs up the debate that the more tools our children have the better they will be.  Having the skills of keyboarding, vocalizing, pen and pencil writing are still ALL key tools for communicating! To learn more, follow Nicole Santamaria @MiamiHandwriting. She is offering a Complimentary conversation and FREE Developmental playbook on her website visit: https://miamihandwriting.com. This Girl podcast was created with the main intention to make connections, educate, inspire and spark conversation – one story at a time! If you are inspired!  Tell a friend to subscribe today -- Rate & Review to let me know what you’d like to hear about… For More details about This Girl podcast, visit Daisy Blanchard on instagram @pocketfulofdaisy or website: http://www.pocketfulofdaisy.com

Episode #7, I'm here with the wonderful as she discusses her role as an Occupational Therapist (OT) for an elementary school working the the students that need additionl attention. It was a long journey to get to where she is at not, but in the end, says it is totally worth it. Hear her story and what it took to be where she is now!

In this episode we meet Linda Miller and Sarah Putt. Linda is an Occupational Therapist (OT) and shares her lived experience about becoming an entrepreneur in office ergonomics and starting her company, ewiworks. We also meet Sarah, who shares her lived becoming an OT after working as a behavior therapist. She also shares her experience starting her own OT podcast, "OT for Lyfe".

Chronic pain can make it more difficult to accomplish daily tasks, ranging anywhere from getting dressed to maintaining a full-time job. As an Occupational Therapist (OT) who personally experiences chronic pain, Katerina Dikeakos understands this firsthand. In this episode, Katerina provides insight on how the field of occupational therapy differs from other common therapies and explains how OTs can help people in pain manage better in their daily lives.To find out more about Katerina's work, visit https://www.vancouverot.ca/To find out more about the field of occupational therapy, visit http://www.caot.ca/