OT Potential Podcast | Occupational Therapy CEUs

In our OT work with individuals, there can be a feeling of futility. As there is a growing collective consciousness around what we, as OT professionals, experience day in and day out: The communities in which we live have such a profound impact on our health. And, we can fail individuals by focusing only on their individual choices—and not the larger driving forces of their lives. I think this expanding view of health is why we see so much interest in community practice from students, new grads, and tired clinicians. Community practice does have a long history in occupational therapy, but currently very few clinicians find full-time work in this practice area. The authors of this course’s featured article, believe this may be in part to a lack of frameworks for community-based OT. So, today we’ll explore the framework they put forth and their call to “reimagine occupational therapy clients as communities.”Next week on the podcast, we will welcome Ryan Lavalley, PhD, OTR/L. Dr. Lavalley is the founder and primary lead of the Community Practice Lab at UNC School of Medicine.You can find more details on this course here:https://otpotential.com/ceu-podcast-courses/community-based-otHere's the primary research we are discussing:Re-imagining occupational therapy clients as communities: Presenting the community-centred practice framework.Support the show

Children with emotional disability (also known as emotional disturbance) are significantly more likely than children with other disabilities to:NOT be integrated into regular classroomsExperience a disciplinary removalDrop out of schoolOver the years, multiple social-emotional learning (SEL) interventions have been developed to support children with emotional disabilities. But, New York City Public Schools found that one-size-fits all programs were not sufficient for their student population.So, the district created—and began studying—an educational pilot called the Path Program. At the heart of this program are OT professionals and occupational therapy concepts.The journal article we are reviewing in this 1-hour CE course describes the research-practice partnership that supported this program’s development—and the role of trauma-informed care in social-emotional learning interventions.After we review the article, we will welcome Michelle Flemen-Tung, MSEd, the program director for the Path Program. She will share concrete ways we can all improve the support we provide to kids with emotional disabilities.You can find more details on this course here:https://otpotential.com/ceu-podcast-courses/emotional-disability-and-otHere's the primary research we are discussing:Adapting SEL interventions to meet student needs: A research-practice partnership supporting students with emotional disabilities.Support the show

Join Kelly Mahler, an experienced occupational therapist and a pioneer in interoception research, as she delves into the fascinating eighth sense that helps us recognize internal body signals like hunger and pain. Discover how interoception significantly influences emotional regulation, especially in children with autism. Kelly shares insights into innovative school-based programs designed to enhance interoceptive awareness, offering promising results in emotional management. With strategies for therapists and the importance of personalized approaches, this conversation is a must for those in the field.

If you have not been paying attention to recent statistics on drowning, you need to be. After decades of decline, deaths by drowning are on the rise. Groups already at higher risk have seen the greatest increases in drowning deaths. This includes adults ages 65 years and older of all races and ethnicities, as well as Black people of all ages. But today, we’ll focus on an especially high-risk group: children (and particularly, children with autism). Drowning is the leading cause of death for children ages 1 to 4, and children with autism spectrum disorder are 160 times more likely to experience nonfatal and fatal drowning than their typically developing peers. Whatever setting you work in, I hope these sobering numbers convince you to pay close attention to water safety. Here, we’ll look at an aquatic OT swim safety program that you could consider implementing in your community. Next week on the OT Potential Podcast, we will welcome the article’s lead author, Erika Kemp, for a discussion on the logistics of launching a swim safety program. We’ll also tackle big picture questions—like how to go about mobilizing the entire OT community to prevent drownings in our communities. Learn more about our guest:https://otpotential.com/occupational-therapy-directory/erika-kempYou can find more details on this course here:https://otpotential.com/ceu-podcast-courses/swim-safety-in-autistic-childrenHere's the primary research we are discussing:Addressing swim safety in autistic children: A pilot feasibility study using aquatic occupational therapy.Support the show

Functional neurological disorder (FND) has been called a “silent epidemic,” a “crisis” in neurology, and psychiatry’s “blind spot.”And, I have to admit it has been a huge personal blind spot for me. Luckily, others in the OT community have been hard at work standardizing care for these patients. Multidisciplinary treatment, including referral to OT is a best practice for these patients. And, today we will look at expert recommendations for OT assessment and treatment. After we review the OT recommendations for FND, we will welcome Naoya Ogura, OTD, OTR/L, he is the West Los Angeles Clinic Director at re-active and specializes in neurological conditions like POTS, EDS, MCAS, and FND. Learn more about our guest: https://otpotential.com/occupational-therapy-directory/naoya-oguraYou can find more details on this course here:https://otpotential.com/ceu-podcast-courses/ot-and-functional-neurological-disorderHere's the primary research we are discussing:Occupational therapy consensus recommendations for functional neurological disorder.Support the show

The world desperately needs OT leaders.It needs leaders that can think holistically. It needs leaders that understand both individual level change and systems level change. It needs storytellers, collaborators, and compassionate thinkers. And, these are the qualities of an occupational therapy professional. Today, we’ll explore a paper on best practices in OT leadership curriculum development. This will help us understand the practical steps involved in leadership development. Both as an individual, and for preparing our profession to be one of leaders. After we review the article, we are thrilled to welcome to the podcast, Dr. Victoria Wilburn, State Representative for Indiana House District 32. Her and I will discuss the hard-won lessons she has learned about leadership. And, the advice she has for OTs to step into leadership, in whatever role they occupy.You can find more details on this course here:https://otpotential.com/ceu-podcast-courses/ot-and-leadershipHere's the primary research we are discussing:Best practices in leadership curriculum development: A case study of a curriculum designed to foster authentic leadership skills in graduate students.Support the show

In a massive 53 page treatment guideline on Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS), the authors state:“Occupational therapists are the ideal therapeutic leaders in the functional restoration process…”And, go on to devote 2 pages to what this OT care can entail. In this one hour course, we’ll pull out important implications for OT practice from the entire guideline. As you’ll see, when it comes to treating chronic pain, like CRPS there are a lot of best practices to draw on—but also a lot of unknowns that necessitates close attention to the individual in front of you. To help us flesh out what this means for OT practice, we’ll welcome to the podcast Megan Doyle, a program manager at an outpatient pain program and a leading voice on OT’s role in pain management.You can find more details on this course here:https://otpotential.com/ceu-podcast-courses/ot-complex-regional-pain-syndromeLearn more about our guest:Megan Doyle MS, OTR/L, TPS, FPS, CERT-APHPTHere's the primary research we are discussing:Complex Regional Pain Syndrome: Practical Diagnostic and Treatment Guidelines, 5th Edition.Support the show

In a rapidly changing world,  we as OT professionals need collective mobilization like never before. But, it feels like our systems of advocacy are all underfunded and difficult to navigate. Against this backdrop, which can feel discouraging, I think it is critical to shine the light on what I consider one of the greatest OT triumphs of the past decade: The breakthrough of OTs into pelvic health.This is a story of grassroots organization, individual thought-leadership, Facebook groups, podcasts, phone calls, and ultimately collaboration on the individual, state and national level. We are thrilled to have 3 leaders from this movement, Alyson Stover, Carlin Reaume and Lindsey Vestal. Each has played a unique role in this movement and are here to share what they’ve learned from the wins and fails along the way. Ultimately, we hope this story and conversation helps you reflect on your role in advocacy in this new era. You can find more details on this course here:https://otpotential.com/ceu-podcast-courses/ot-advocacy-in-pelvic-healthFind a pelvic floor OT near you: https://otpotential.com/blog/pelvic-health-occupational-therapyLearn more about our guests:Carlin Reaume OTD, OTR/L, DipACLM, PMH-C, PCESLindsey Vestal OTR/LAlyson Stover MOT, JD, OTR/L, BCPHere's the primary research we are discussing:Pelvic floor dysfunction after childbirth: Occupational impact and awareness of available treatment.Support the show

The idea of AI transforming occupational therapy stirs both hopes and fears. Will it help us revolutionize our broken systems? Will it augment the best of our care? Or will it bolster inequality and threaten our jobs? This is a story we are actively writing—and have the power to shape.In this one hour course, we’ll talk to two leading voices on the adoption of AI and OT, Alyson Stover MOT, JD, OTR/L, BCP and Karen Jacobs OT, EdD, OTR, CPE, FAOTA. We’ll discuss how they are currently using AI, what they are learning—and the opportunities for OT in what is shaping up to be the revolution of our lifetime.You can find more details on this course here:https://otpotential.com/ceu-podcast-courses/ot-hopes-and-fears-aiLearn more about our guests:Alyson Stover MOT, JD, OTR/L, BCPKaren Jacobs, OT, EdD, OTR, CPE, FAOTALearn more about Korro AI:https://korro.ai/Support the show

There is a growing public consciousness around the power (and difficulty) of habit change, especially as the impact of chronic conditions soars.  And, as we’ll see in the featured scoping review on OT and habit change/health promotion, we’ve been addressing habits since 1912, it is a core part of our 2020 practice framework, and is increasingly embedded in OT research. On this OT Potential Podcast episode, we’ll welcome Dr. Zipporah Brown, and her and I will discuss ways you can embed best practices around habit change in your practice.You can find more details on this course here:https://otpotential.com/ceu-podcast-courses/ot-and-habitsLearn more about our guest:https://otpotential.com/occupational-therapy-directory/zipporah-brownHere's the primary research we are discussing:Habits and health promotion in occupational therapy: A scoping review.Support the show