The OT Schoolhouse Podcast for School-Based OT Practitioners

In this episode of the OT Schoolhouse Podcast, I share guidance, research, and practical strategies related to providing telehealth occupational therapy services as a School-Based OT. We will look specifically at AOTA's guidance on telehealth, state laws to be mindful of, and the considerations to be mindful of when providing OT services via a teletherapy model. I also provide a few of my fav...

On this special event episode of the OT School House Podcast, Jayson welcomes to the show occupational therapists, Jaime Spencer, OTR/L, and Billy Hatridge, OTR/L In this episode, Jayson, Jaime, and Billy discuss what the looming return to the 2020-21 school may look like in our districts and how we are planning for them. We discuss how evaluations, treatments and IEP meetings will all be very dif...

On this special event episode of the OT School House Podcast, Jayson welcomes to the show occupational therapist, Olivia Martinez-Hauge, MFTA, OTR/L, and occupational therapy assistant, Cait Bowen, COTA. You may remember Cait from Episode 44 or the OT School House Podcast.    In this episode, Jayson, Cait, and Olivia discuss what the looming return to the 2020-21 school may look like in our distri...

On this episode of the OT School House Podcast, Jayson welcomes to the show the wonderful minds behind @TheFannyPackTherapist to talk about their specialty, Augmentative and Alternative Communication. Annabeth Knight, OTD, OTR/L & Mara Jonet, MA, CCC-SLP have presented at conferences nationwide on the collaborative approach to evaluating and implementing AAC devices fro children. In this podca...

Have you every felt unappreciated by the teachers at your school? Well, listen to this episode to learn what a small research study has to say about the way teachers and OTs perceive Occupational Therapy and therapists in the schools. Dr. Bolton and Jayson will talk about this and more in Episode 52 of the OT Schoolhouse Podcast! Help Jayson by  Donating to Big Brothers and Big Sisters Click here...

Join Jayson and Dr. John Pagano as we talk about the assessment and treatment of children and adolescents displaying complex behaviors. Dr. Pagano shares resources that he has developed over the years that you can access for free at FABStrategies.org.   View the Episode 51 show notes Get the FAB Strategies Book on Amazon (affiliate link supporting the OT School House)  Click here to register &...

In this episode, Jayson hosts fellow occupational therapist, Amanda Clark, to talk about the differences between a contract school-based job and a district school-based job. After we identify the differences, we talk about how to land your first, or perhaps your fourth School-based Occupational Therapy job. View the show notes at otschoolhouse.com/episode50 Click here to register & get the bes...

In this episode, Jayson interviews Sarah Collins, OTR/L. Sarah is an occupational therapist that specializes in supporting students who are homeschooled and the families that support them. Homeschooling her own kids has helped her to understand where the true needs are for this community and the research she has found supports the occupational coaching model that she uses with her clients. Listen...

In this episode, Jayson shares how he has transitioned to providing teletherapy for the students on his caseload. He talks about the technology involved, the types of teletherapy, simple treatment ideas, and even some ethics of the situation. At the end of the episode, Jayson answers several questions that were asked on Instagram.  OTschoolhouse.com/episode48 Click here to register & get the b...

In this episode, Jayson hosts Tony Tai Nguyen, a Special Education Attorney based in southern California. Together we discuss why parents seek out attorneys and what attorneys are looking for in a good IEP meeting. We will also discuss why parents do not always agree with IEPs and what he is preparing for as a result of the COVID-19 Pandemic. Show notes at otschoolhouse.com/episode47 Click here to...

In this episode, Jayson hosts "The OT Dad", Billy Hatridge, to talk about what it is like to an education-based occupational therapist in the rural area of southwest Arkansas. Listen in as we share stories to help you not make the same mistakes we have. Show Notes: otschoolhouse.com/episode46 Sponsor: Purpose Therapy Box - Use promo code otschoolhouse for 10% your t-shirt order Click her...

In this episode, Jayson shares advice from eighteen fellow school-based occupational therapists and members of the OT School House Community! We cover each of the following topics:  Getting to know everyone on campus and allow them to get to know you Building rapport Asking Questions Knowledge translation - Get trained and train others Getting organized so that you can be flexible Advocating for y...

In this episode, Jayson hosts an OT/OTA team from the state of Michigan to discuss the dynamics of the working relationship and how to maximize communication. Mary Kleinheksel and Cait Bowen talk about the systems they have put in place to maximize communications and facilitate trust among the practitioners. We also talk about aspects of billing, evaluations, treatment planning, and how many COTA&...

In this episode, I share 7 tips to help you get ready for a tough, maybe high-profile, IEP. With the help of a few personal experiences, I talk about how to ensure that you are prepared logistically and emotionally for what can be an intense 3-6 hours with the IEP team. Did you listen and feel like I forgot something on my list? Let me know with an email ! Show notes: OTSchoolHouse.com/episode43 G...

One aspect of school-based OT that both therapists and administrators alike seem to be reaching for is the development of an effective and organized RTI program. One that allows therapists to have a meaningful difference in the classroom for the students and teachers.   In episode 42, Jayson shares how RTI has moved from being just for teachers to being for service providers as well. He talks abou...

In episode 41, Jayson talks about the American Occupational Therapy Association's Occupational Profile and how it can be better suited to meet the needs of school-based and pediatric occupational therapists. We will look at why it is important to build an occupational profile and how to best do that in the schools to save you time and energy! Get your free download of the OTSH SBOT Occupation...

In this episode, Jayson hosts the OT Dad, Billy Hatridge, to review an article titled "Hand Strength, Handwriting, and Functional Skills in Children With Autism" by Michele Alaniz, Eleanor Galit, Corina Isabel Necesito & Emily Rosario. This is a 2015 article from the American Journal of Occupational Therapy. Show notes:  otschoolhouse.com/episode40 Article Citation: Michele L. Alaniz...

In this episode, Jayson reviews a 2015 article about what School-based Occupational Therapy looks like in the united states. It is the first in a series of journal articles Jayson will be reviewing. Below is the citation for the article discussed in this episode. Check out the show notes for some of the important points Jayson covers related to this article.  Bissell, Julie & Cermak, Sharon. (...

In this episode, Jayson lets Danielle Delorenzo, OTR/L take the mic along with the colleague My Bui OTR/L, and soon to be OTR/Ls Michelle Vuong, Mary Nguyen, & Rivka Negin Rahmani (Students in the Stanbridge University Master's of Science in Occupational Therapy Program at the time of the recording). This fantastic group of OTs and OT students shares how they developed an evidence-based r...

In this episode, Jayson interviews fellow occupational therapist, Erika Del Pozo, MOT, OTR/L on burnout in healthcare-related professions (yes, that includes school-based OTs too). We discuss everything from what is burn out, to how to prevent and overcome burnout. Join in and listen to this episode if you have ever felt like work has gotten the better of you. You won't regret it! Plus, be su...

In this episode, Jayson has a discussion with Dr. Sue Bazyk, OTR/L, FAOTA, about the changes in school-based OT over the past 40 years and how therapists can move forward to support ALL students. Listen in to hear about: How OT came to be ingrained in school-based Practice How treatment models have changed over 40+ years in school-based OT What LRE stands for and why inclusive and embedded/integra...

In this episode, Jayson interviews fellow school-based occupational therapist, Colleen Cameron Whiting. Colleen has had two articles published (see show notes) on providing trauma-informed care (TIC) in the school and today she brings to the podcast a model about how school-based OTs can work with other educators to creating an environment in which students feel safe and welcomed. We also dive int...

In this episode, Jayson interviews Ralph Schrader, OTR/L, a part owner of a therapy clinic in New York and creator of the toy brand, Hungry Cutters. Ralph set out to create toys designed to facilitate developing fine motor skills in the kids he treats. Now, he is sharing those toys with us, along with a few tips for anyone out there who may be interested in developing their own toys.  View the ent...

In this episode, Jayson shares what it was like transitioning from one district to another and the lessons that were learned as a result of doing so. Join in to hear about: Some pros and cons of both contract and district jobs  Distinct differences between working in districts big and small The importance of advocating for yourself The role of occupational therapy in assistive technology Why Jayso...

Have you been hearing the term "Primitive Reflexes" pop up in IEPs or in the OT room? What about Reflex Integration? To be honest, I remember learning a little about some of the common infant reflexes were in college, but it was only a quick overview. We definitely did not cover what we could do when a child presented with retained primitive reflexes. In this episode of the OT School Hou...