The Not-So-Secret ramblings of an Occupational Therapist
The thought processes of an occupational therapist are often complex as we look for ways to unlock the potential of the children experiencing life challenges. The ramblings of an occupational therapist’s mind are often sifting through a catalogue of skills, tools, equipment, intervention strategies, theories and frameworks to find the right pathway forward, in a quest to achieve the best functional outcome. There are so many aspects to consider when supporting a child in their growth and development and each physiological, emotional and psychosocial system integrates and cannot be considered independent of each other. This is why Grace Children’s Therapy is committed to evidence-based practice, continual learning and development of the team and implementing programs that achieve the best possible outcomes.
As the director and occupational therapist, my commitment is also to ensure the growth of the occupational therapy profession. With the unique contribution occupational therapy offers to help children and people in the disability sector, the demand for well-trained therapists is high and continually rising to levels where waiting lists are out of control. Grace Children’s Therapy over the years supported a range of new graduate and career development programs with this in mind. I feel it is our mandate to ensure the profession grows with quality therapists. Therapists need to have a growth mindset for themselves and for their clients. Without this mindset, I often wonder how the next generation of occupational therapists will manage when it comes to supporting the disability sector and who will be taking care of the community in the future.
