Once Upon OT

In this episode, I welcome Gabriella Timuscuk who is currently practicing as an occupational therapist in Alaska! Earlier this year, we were able to formally meet and bond during our UNE (University of New England) Alumni gathering during AOTA Conference - which allowed me the opportunity to connect and set up this podcast conversation. I hope you enjoy the episode :) Timestamps: (2:03) Mindset go...

In this episode, we hear from Erica Aborlleile - a pelvic floor OT who shares her OT journey and how she found her way into the field and WHY she decided to further pursue specializing in pelvic floor therapy. Timestamps: (4:45) What was your experience like in occupational therapy school? (8:00) Your clinical fieldwork 2 experience in (1) outpatient hand therapy & (2) hospital  (11:09) What A...

Timestamps (0:00) WHY OT? (5:41) What was OT school like for you? (11:14) Memorable moments as an occupational therapy student? (13:20) Fieldwork 1 & 2 experiences - what settings were you in? (17:39) If a current OT student is listening right now and having a difficult time during their fieldwork rotation, what might be something you tell them?? (19:55) What was it like as a new grad occupati...

In this episode, I am joined by Mandy who is an occupational therapist with many years of experience in a variety of settings working with older adults . She shares her journey from the days in occupational therapy school to starting out in home health OT as a new grad. She also elaborates on "OT Accelerator" and the "OT Flourish" Podcast which are valuable resources for occupational therapy stude...

In this honest conversation, Erle shares his occupational therapy journey highlighting how he first learned about OT from his dad. He discusses the personal & professional challenges along the way, and how he navigates difficult situations in the workplace. If you are a current occupational therapy student or new graduate, this episode is for you! Timestamps: (4:08) 3+3 Dual Degree Program for...

In this episode, I welcome Alina Lieu who shares in-depth about her occupational therapy journey through the years, lessons learned and memorable experiences along the way.  For any occupational therapy students or new grad OTs, this episode is for you! Timestamps: (4:56) Why Occupational Therapy? (8:13) Tell us more about your OT program experience — getting accepted to school, favorite classes,...

In this episode, Amber shares her story from the early days of discovering occupational therapy and her present day work as an occupational therapist working in fitness - plus everything in between - from fieldwork 2 > to SNF > home health OT > travel occupational therapy > and navigating the pivot to fitness. Timestamps: (4:24) What was your occupational therapy program like? (8:23) P...

We are kicking off Occupational Therapy Month with a special guest! In this episode, I had the incredible opportunity to meet and chat with Rhiannon Crispe — the founder of the OT Lifestyle Movement. Rhiannon reflects on her early days on her discovery of occupational therapy, her experience as a student, and navigating her first few years as a new graduate occupational therapist. Additionally, sh...

Curious about pelvic floor therapy and what it's all about? In this episode, I am joined by Christine also known as "Dr. Steez" on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/drsteez.dpt/ She is a physical therapist who recently followed her interests and decided to pivot into pelvic floor therapy . In this conversation, we cover the basics of what pelvic floor therapy might entail, how a current physical...

In this episode, Yeda shares her honest and real experiences during her journey from occupational therapy school to entering the field as a new grad occupational therapist. Yeda provides thoughtful perspectives, valuable insights, and meaningful stories for OT students and new grads to consider when entering the field. Timestamps: (9:52) Fieldwork 2 experiences during OT school (15:56) Advice to c...

In this episode, I chat with Abby and Chris, two occupational therapists traveling together and living the dream! Super excited to share this episode where I get to ask all my curious questions about travel occupational therapy and how it works and what the experience might be like. If you're considering travel OT, you definitely want to listen to this episode! Timestamps: (2:20) Chris talks a...

In this episode, I meet Megan who is a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA) and is currently pursuing her Master's degree in Occupational Therapy. Additionally, Megan shares her stories and experiences from OTA school, clinical & work experiences, and the ultimate decision to become an occupational therapist. We also learn more about the many fun and creative interventions she u...

In this episode, I briefly talk about my home health experience as an occupational therapist working per diem in NYC. It's been quite the journey this past year...super excited for what's to come in 2025 in terms of occupational therapy. Where are you in the OT journey? What's your story? IG: https://www.instagram.com/once_upon_ot/

In this final episode of 2024, I compile the advice from interviews this past year — provided by occupational therapy practitioners and occupational therapy students.  If you are currently an OT student starting one of your fieldwork 2 placements soon or are currently in the midst of your clinical rotations … this episode is absolutely for you! Timestamps: (0:52) Autumn Santos (3:33) Sara Emira (4...

In this fun & honest conversation, Bianca shares her experiences with transitioning into pivotal parts of her OT journey — graduate school during COVID, fieldwork 2 clinical placements and her first job as a new grad occupational therapist.   Timestamps: (2:12) Starting OT School during COVID (6:29) transitioning from undergrad to graduate school | favorite and not so favorite classes in occup...

In this episode, Tarryn and I talk about our current shared experience working as per diem home health OTs . We also discuss various topics such as the transition from full-time to PRN work, addressing burnout, and the importance of nurturing our mental health as occupational therapists. Timestamps: (11:06) OT clinicals/Fieldwork 2 placements  (15:55) Difficult moments & growth during fieldwor...

In this episode, I catch up with a friend I met at OT conference - Sol Hartwell OTR/L ! We talk about our perspectives with home health OT as a new grad, Sol's early interest in aquatic therapy, and the unique structure of her weekend OT program. Enjoyed the episode? please rate the show :) Timestamps: (4:54) - unique weekend OT program | balancing full-time work & school (11:03) - favorite/le...

In this conversation, we discuss life as a school-based OT, the importance of mental health, and what drives Sam to continue doing her work as an occupational therapist! Follow Once Upon OT on insta :) https://www.instagram.com/once_upon_ot/ https://www.instagram.com/once_upon_ot/ https://www.instagram.com/once_upon_ot/

In this solo episode, I talk about where I am at during this stage of my OT journey. I feel that significant growth has happened since graduating occupational therapy school, passing the NBCOT, and now in my first year as an actual occupational therapist. Following along on insta :) https://www.instagram.com/once_upon_ot/ https://www.instagram.com/once_upon_ot/ https://www.instagram.com/once_upon_...

In this episode, I chat with Autumn Santos OTD, OTR/L to talk about her occupational therapy journey from graduate school, to fieldwork 2 rotations, and current job prospects. A major topic we cover in this conversation is the NBCOT exam! If you are an OT student looking to modify your study plan, looking for different approaches, or wondering what study resources are even out there... this episod...

In this episode, I have a conversation with Teresa Cao OTR/L who shares about her Occupational Therapy Fellowship in greater detail from NICU rotations, experience with feeding and swallowing, interprofessional collaboration & much more! Teresa also highlights the importance of cultural relevancy in healthcare and actionable steps we can do to impact the quality of our client-centered care as...

In this episode, I meet Sara Emira, a current MSc Occupational Therapy Student at the University of Toronto. We compare and contrast the similarities and differences between our OT program experiences in Canada & the US. We also discuss Sara's unique fieldwork experience in forensic mental health , long term goals as an OT practitioner & much more! You can follow along her OT journey o...

In this episode, I chat with Michael Kim OTR/L - a friend I made during AOTA Conference and catch up about their current occupational therapy journey - starting their first day on the job in inpatient rehab . Michael also shares about his OT school experience, fieldwork 2 rotations in inpatient psych and inpatient rehab, and his top study tips to prepare for the NBCOT exam! Follow along the Once U...

In this episode, I catch up with Jhennylyn Rivera (also known as @jhennyberryot on insta!) https://www.instagram.com/jhennyberryot/ We talk about current OT life updates, imposter syndrome, importance of OT state association, outpatient peds, in-home early intervention, and pursuit of a post professional OTD :) ...& much more!

In this episode, I talk with Dhielan about his physical therapy journey! Even though my podcast has a focus on occupational therapy experiences, I believe it's important to be aware and learn more about our interprofessional team members and their roles/approaches to care as well Follow "Dill" on TikTok :) https://www.tiktok.com/@dill.boostos https://www.tiktok.com/@dill.boostos http...