The OT Unleashed Podcast

In this final episode, Dr. Erik Johnson and Katie Peterson reflect on the journey of this capstone project and the development of the Student Takeover podcast series. From identifying gaps in knowledge and clinical implementation to creating accessible, evidence-based content, this series aimed to bridge research and practice in a meaningful way. This episode highlights key insights gained, the im...

In this episode, Dr. Erik Johnson and Katie Peterson sit down with Laura Wiess, an occupational therapy student from the University of Pittsburgh, to explore an innovative and emerging intervention: the use of tabletop role-playing games (TTRPGs) in occupational therapy practice. Laura shares her journey into OT and what inspired her to pursue a capstone focused on TTRPGs as a therapeutic tool. Sh...

Is gaming really therapeutic? Or is it just play? In this evidence-based episode of OT Unleashed: Student Takeover , Dr. Erik Johnson and Katie Peterson take a deep dive into the research behind adaptive and therapeutic gaming in occupational therapy. Katie breaks down current literature on gamification, virtual reality, and digital gaming, exploring how these interventions support motor recovery,...

What happens when evaluation, adaptive equipment, and therapeutic gaming all come together in one place? In this episode of OT Unleashed: Student Takeover , Katie Peterson sits down with Dr. Erik Johnson to explore the world of adaptive gaming clinics. They break down what adaptive gaming clinics are, who they serve, and how occupational therapy practitioners play a central role in creating access...

In this follow-up episode of OT Unleashed, Erik Johnson sits down with Dr. Shannon Levandowski, OT program director and ACOTE reviewer, to dig deeper into the real story behind OT education. Building on the previous conversation with @the.ortho.ot , they go head-to-head on the big questions clinicians and students are asking: Are we striking the right balance between theory and hands-on skill? Why...

In this episode of OT Unleashed: Student Takeover , Katie and Dr. Erik Johnson break down how occupational therapists can effectively document adaptive and therapeutic gaming in clinical practice. They explore how to connect gaming interventions to occupational goals, demonstrate clinical reasoning, and justify the use of adaptive tech equipment. Listeners will learn practical strategies for writi...

In this episode of OT Unleashed, Erik Johnson and @the.ortho.ot (aka. Todd Webb) dive headfirst into a conversation many in the profession are thinking but few are saying out loud: are we truly preparing occupational therapists for real-world practice, or are we overloading them with theory at the expense of hands-on skill? This episode dives into how change happens and how you can position yourse...

In this episode of The OT Unleashed Student Takeover series , Dr. Erik Johnson and Katie Peterson explore new and exciting gaming tools that are expanding accessibility, including innovations like the GLYDR foot controller and the Audeze Mobius spatial headphones. They discuss how these technologies are making gaming more inclusive and how they can be used in occupational therapy to support engage...

In this episode of OT Unleashed: Student Takeover , Katie and Erik explore how video games can be used as intentional therapeutic tools in occupational therapy. They discuss how gaming supports motor skills, cognition, emotional well-being, and social participation through engaging, motivating, and goal-driven activities. Learn how therapists select, adapt, and measure gaming interventions to enha...

In this episode of OT Unleashed: Student Takeover, Katie Peterson and Dr. Erik Johnson dive into the critical role of mounts, splinting, and positioning in adaptive gaming. While switches and controllers provide access, this episode highlights how proper setup and body alignment are essential for maximizing performance, reducing fatigue, and promoting long-term participation. Listeners will learn...

In this episode of OT Unleashed: Student Takeover, Katie Peterson and Dr. Erik Johnson explore how occupational therapists approach the evaluation process in adaptive gaming using the Gaming Assessment and Measurement for Enabled User Performance (GAME-UP) framework. They walk through how clinicians begin with the occupational profile, assess motor, cognitive, and sensory performance skills, analy...

In this episode of OT Unleashed: Student Takeover , Katie Peterson and Dr. Erik Johnson explore how buttons and switches form the foundation of adaptive gaming setups. They discuss how occupational therapists evaluate motor control, endurance, and positioning to match individuals with the right inputs, and how thoughtful button mapping can transform simple technology into powerful tools for access...

In this episode of OT Unleashed: Student Takeover, Katie and Dr. Erik Johnson explore the history and evolution of adaptive gaming controllers, tracing the journey from early adaptations and therapist-built solutions to today’s inclusive, mainstream designs. They discuss how early gaming systems created significant barriers for individuals with physical disabilities, requiring creativity, technica...

In this episode of OT Unleashed Student Takeover, Katie and Erik explore how built-in accessibility features are transforming modern gaming into a more inclusive space for players with motor, cognitive, visual, sensory, and hearing differences. Through an occupational therapy lens, they discuss how motor control impacts gameplay, highlight cognitive supports like navigation aids and adjustable dif...

In Episode 2 of The Rehab Arcade Student Takeover, Katie sits down with Erik to explore The Rehab Arcade: the story, the journey, and the future. Together, they unpack how the idea first took shape, the clinical and educational needs it was built to address, and how it has grown into a platform advancing adaptive and therapeutic gaming in occupational therapy. Through conversation and shared insig...

The OT Unleashed Podcast is launching an exciting new weekly series all about adaptive and therapeutic gaming. This innovative series will be hosted by Occupational Therapy Doctorate capstone student Katie Peterson from Old Dominion University. She is stepping into the hosting role to spotlight how gaming can be used as a powerful, accessible, and evidence-informed therapeutic tool. Each week, Kat...

Episode 15 of the #OTunleashed podcast is with the SSG Travis Mills. This legendary conversation covers everything! Life after losing four limbs from a blast in Afghanistan. Raising kids as a quad amputee. Poop, sex, and everything in between!! #OccupationalTherapy #Amputee

Incredibly excited to invite my good friend and former patient Retired army sergeant Joshua Wetzel ! We’re gonna talk about all things recovery from his injuries sustained in Afghanistan (double amputee), how he’s achieved occupational balance over the past decade, and what he’s up to now! You don’t wanna miss the story about that one time that we were wined and dined at Fenway Park and he took a...

In this episode, we flip the script as OT Unleash's wife takes control of the mic and explores what's been going on for the past year, what's new, and what's on the horizon. We talk Cakes, Photography, Dutch Bros, and more! Spoiler alert...I HAVE A NEW GIG AND I'M SO EXCITED ABOUT IT!! #OccupationalTherapy

I couldn't be more excited about Episode 11 of the OT Unleashed Podcast! This episode was an absolute blast as I reunited with the amazing Sightless Kombat to dive deep into the world of #VideoGames and #Accessibility. We have an incredible discussion about the intersection of gaming, #accessibility and #OccupationalTherapy, exploring how video games can be harnessed as powerful therapeutic to...

This podcast has been years in the making! I learned sooooo much from my dear friend Dev Neu during our conversation about Occupational Therapy and the LGBTQIA+ community! Humbled to be a part of this conversation and to learn from Dev!

Joining me today is the current President of AOTA, Alyson Stover, and past President Karen Jacobs. We do a deep dive on all things Artificial Intelligence and how our profession is on the cusp of something incredible! You don't want to miss this!

This is one of my solo sessions. I give you my take on Memorial Day as well as walk you through what it's like to lose someone while you're deployed.

I've spent the last few days in #London at the Game Accessibility Conference! In this episode I catch up with Dr. Kaitlyn Jones about her work at Xbox, with Warfighter Engaged and all things Video Game Accessibility. We also get a special appearance from the one and only The Wobbly Gamer who talks about his gaming challenges with accessibility and low vision.

I'm so excited to share Tyler Southern's story with you. This week, we unpack a ton of stuff along his journey to independence! Everything from sustaining an insane amount of polytrauma to recovery to learning life differently. We call this episode "Bombs, Sex, and Video Games." You don't want to miss this! Buy some SFH Apparel: https://www.wearesfh.com/ Check out Tyler South...