Many of us feel the benefits of spending time in nature. But, these outdoor experiences often seem pretty far removed from our traditional occupational therapy work. There’s a good chance you’ve already heard of nature-based therapy, as it is a hot topic in the OT world. However, you might not be aware of the breadth of research available on this topic—and you might be pleasantly surprised by how well nature-based therapy aligns with your OT practice. In this episode, we’ll explore a paper looki...
Sep 26, 2021•59 min
Racial and ethnic health disparities have been heavy on our hearts over the past few years—and they should be. We have much to reckon with, not only in terms of our own personal biases, but also regarding the structural inequities within healthcare. In this one-hour, podcast-based CE course, we’ll look at how the Latino community is impacted by disparities around the diagnosis and care of autistic children. We’ll start by exploring some of the latest research on the topic with Catherine R. Hoyt,...
Sep 12, 2021•1 hr 8 min
The ability to affordably track brainwave activity has opened up tremendous opportunities in occupational therapy. Regardless of where we work (or the patient populations we treat), our work has the potential to be significantly informed by this technology over the next few decades. In this one-hour course, we will look at a research study on brain-computer interface (BCI). The study will serve as a jumping-off point to explore the concepts and developments that OTs should follow in this space. ...
Aug 23, 2021•1 hr 2 min
As autistic individuals transition from adolescence to adulthood, they encounter a new and unique set of challenges. Yet, at this critical time, the support available to them drops dramatically. This is known as the “services cliff.” In this one-hour continuing education course, we’ll begin by looking at the journal article “Service Needs Across the Lifespan for Individuals with Autism.” Then, to discuss how your occupational therapy skills can help bridge this service gap, we’ll invite Debora D...
Aug 02, 2021•1 hr 7 min
Any occupational therapy practitioner knows that we often face tough questions surrounding ethics and justice. We work in imperfect systems, and each day we see how societal systems favor some, while placing others at a disadvantage. So, how do we process all of this? And, how do we see ourselves as contributing to the greater good? One framework that has been taught in many OT schools involves “occupational injustice.” But, the article we will review is a critique of this familiar framework. An...
Jun 25, 2021•55 min
You probably spent a lot of time learning about “therapeutic use of self” during OT school. As it turns out, this phrase is just one of many frameworks that describe the relationship between therapists and patients. Over the past decade, many other relationship models have been developed and studied. This course will orient you to various concepts for understanding your relationship with patients, as well as how the different therapeutic relationships may ultimately influence outcomes. After div...
Jun 13, 2021•1 hr 8 min
Over the past few decades, our understanding of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has evolved quite a bit. And, that means the prognosis of RA patients has improved in turn. Many of the “classic” deformities associated with RA are becoming less common. And, as we learn more and more about RA and its impacts on patients, your OT care should evolve accordingly. In this 1-hour podcast course, we’ll begin by discussing a research review that covers the diagnosis and treatment of RA. Then, we’ll bring on our...
May 07, 2021•1 hr 1 min
In neuroscience, there is a rapidly growing and evolving understanding of sensory function that is important for all occupational therapists to be tracking—and particularly those who work with autistic clients. In this one hour continuing education course, we’ll dive into a research review, where the authors take three main assumptions that both neuroscientists and occupational therapists make regarding sensory function—and they discuss where the research stands with each one. You’ll leave this ...
Apr 18, 2021•1 hr 3 min
In many ways, the past year has changed how we practice occupational therapy. OTs and OTAs have worked in a variety of settings as we’ve seen new and different needs arise. We have been called to learn new safety protocols, new technologies, and new ways of approaching care. At the same time, OT professionals have burned out at higher rates than ever, as facilities struggle with the downturn of resources and a shift in client needs. This hour-long episode will review opportunities for occupation...
Mar 30, 2021•57 min
This podcast episode discusses the important topic of how to support those who care for people with dementia. Dementia tends to inform many conversations around caregiving, largely because it is such a pressing public health concern. Yet, this is a conversation that goes beyond a single diagnosis. After all, many of our occupational therapy clients receive some type of caregiving, whether formal or informal. And, the reality is that caregivers’ health (or lack thereof) is likely to impact our cl...
Feb 28, 2021•59 min
The struggles of COVID-19 long haulers have caught the attention of the medical community. In many cases, symptoms seem to correlate with a little-known condition called postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS). But, even before the pandemic called attention to POTS, research and advancements in treatment were taking place in the background. Unfortunately, while the research is out there, POTS is not always understood by health providers, and proper diagnosis can take years. Occupational...
Jan 31, 2021•1 hr 2 min
Whether we’re students, educators, or clinicians working on the frontlines of care, we all have a stake in the world of occupational therapy (OT) education. The changes in clinical education this year are so large that even those working in academia have struggled to keep up. This 1-hour CE course will ask you to reflect on trends in higher education prior to 2020, and assess how COVID-19 has impacted higher education. It will also lead you to consider how OT education may forever be impacted by...
Jan 03, 2021•59 min
The number of adults diagnosed with autism is rising. Yet, we currently have very few evidence-based interventions to offer this population. We seem to be falling short of truly supporting autistic adults. We need to do better, not just by addressing their challenges, but also by bolstering their unique strengths. This 1-hour episode is going to push you to think big-picture about the unmet needs of autistic adults—and, hopefully, it will help you address both the challenges and strengths that c...
Dec 13, 2020•59 min
So much about the COVID-19 era feels unpredictable and beyond our control. But, the research analysis covered in this course will open your eyes to some ways where we can be extremely helpful. Not only can you use your occupational therapy skills to help patients in acute care, but you can even help those who are home with mild symptoms. I know we say this at OT Potential a lot, but your skill set is desperately needed. The course will begin with a breakdown of some current research on COVID. Th...
Nov 28, 2020•1 hr
In this 1-hour course, occupational therapy practitioners will gain an introductory understanding of a hot topic (and controversial diagnosis): postconcussion syndrome. On one hand, postconcussion syndrome has a well-described pattern of symptoms. But, on the other hand, we don’t know what causes it. Plus, because the symptoms are subjective, postconcussion syndrome has been very difficult to quantify and study. Whether you work with kids or adults, at some point you’ll probably work with patien...
Oct 25, 2020•1 hr 2 min
In this 1-hour course, occupational therapy practitioners will learn about the concepts of eHealth and participatory medicine—and, how they are shaping the future of our profession. Both eHealth and participatory medicine will give you a new lens to understand some of the seismic shifts that are happening in health care right now. And, the good news is that even amidst rapid change, the basic tenet of both concepts, of helping the patient to be more active in their care, has long been a tenant o...
Sep 27, 2020•59 min
In this 1-hour course, occupational therapy practitioners will learn about promising research regarding stroke rehab—specifically, interventions that are geared toward self-management. The good news is that much of the research backs what we are already doing. The authors build upon our existing foundations of OT, providing practical ideas for tweaking your care to leverage the principles of self-management. The course will begin with a breakdown of the research, and then Lauren Sheehan, OTD, OT...
Aug 28, 2020•1 hr 4 min
My first thought after I read this article was that I need to share it with our hospital’s CEO. This is exactly the kind of article that I want our administrators and leaders to be reading. My second thought was that every OT needs a copy of this article to display on their desk like an inspirational poster :-) It’s that huge. This is the largest (and most important, in my opinion) study we’ve examined so far in the Club. The authors analyzed data from 1,194,251 Medicare patients, and they found...
May 24, 2020•15 min•Ep. 54
We OTs are navigating an ever-changing maze of legislation, reimbursement, and care-delivery models. But, this week’s article calls us to focus on our profession’s most important relationship of all: our relationship with our clients. Get ready to really ponder the nature of our partnerships with clients...and to consider these relationships in terms like trust and vulnerability . The researchers held focus groups that examined how patient/provider relationships are changing due to both parties'...
Apr 19, 2020•13 min•Ep. 53
During this time of COVID-19, we OTs are doing what we do best: being adaptable . In this case, a global pandemic has us reimagining what our therapy can look like. It is our hope that the OT Potential Club can help you do that in a proactive way. Over the past few weeks, we’ve been looking at research that highlights new opportunities to reach our patients and improve outcomes. This week’s article fits well in that theme. It calls us back to a basic principle: part of our role is to intervene e...
Apr 12, 2020•12 min•Ep. 52
Therapists across the globe are advocating that telehealth delivery be covered by our licenses (and reimbursed by insurers). Now, more than ever, I think it’s important to examine the research that backs up these efforts. The reality is that even before COVID-19, telehealth was showing significant promise to help reach more clients, and even improve outcomes. This week’s article is a randomized control trial (RCT) from one of the world’s most influential journals: The Journal of the American Med...
Apr 05, 2020•12 min•Ep. 51
One of the general trends we’ve been following on the podcast is the potential of using coaching strategies in occupational therapy. And, as therapists around the globe are dialing into teletherapy, this research trend merits some consideration. After all, it may be an effective strategy to consider as many of us are seeking to restructure how we offer our occupational therapy services. This week’s article on occupation-based coaching via telehealth really paints a picture of how coaching techni...
Mar 30, 2020•10 min•Ep. 50
The world has changed drastically in a week’s time—and we are being asked to change with it. I know this has meant long, exhausting days. And, that we have been left scrambling trying to figure out what a “new normal” will look like in the weeks ahead. For many of you, telehealth will be part of this new normal. This is why I wanted to spend this week discussing AOTA’s Position Paper on Telehealth with you. No matter how quickly the world changes, I believe that, together, we can stay grounded i...
Mar 23, 2020•15 min•Ep. 49
Across the globe, our priority has shifted to quelling the spread of the novel coronavirus, which causes the illness dubbed COVID-19. The community in the OT Potential Club was created so OT professionals could collaborate on tough issues. This is exactly the time to share what is working in our healthcare settings—and what isn't. This week, we will be looking at care delivery guidelines released by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC ). Th...
Mar 15, 2020•5 min•Ep. 48
In this podcast, we discuss an article on transgender health that makes a very specific recommendation for the role occupational therapy professionals can play in providing care to the transgender community We'll also discuss some general recommendations and considerations to keep in mind next time you find a transgender client on your caseload. Finally, we'll wrap up by talking about some trends that have repeatedly appeared in the research we've covered...and I am excited to discuss these with...
Mar 08, 2020•13 min•Ep. 47
Functional electrical stimulation (FES) is one of those topics that we need to be keeping up with as OT practitioners, in part because there are some very compelling stories about its use that our patients may be encountering. This week's article gives us a helpful update on what we know (and don't know) about FES, and its use in a comprehensive stroke program. To join the conversation, please sign up for the OT Potential Club! Howlett, O. A., Lannin, N. A., Ada, L., & McKinstry, C. (2015). ...
Mar 01, 2020•9 min•Ep. 46
This week, the podcast tackles a topic that can be confusing: sensory processing interventions for kids with autism. We look at a systematic review that tries to categorize different types of these interventions, then examine the evidence around each category. To join in the conversation, join the OT Potential Club ! Case-Smith, J., Weaver, L. L., & Fristad, M. A. (2014). A systematic review of sensory processing interventions for children with autism spectrum disorders. Autism, 19(2), 133–1...
Feb 23, 2020•13 min•Ep. 45
I’m sure most of us have experienced aspects of healthcare delivery that seem, shall we say, less than ideal . Maybe you’ve found yourself wondering just how, on earth, we managed to get where we are. How can our sophisticated healthcare systems, sometimes lead to such poor care? This week’s article is truly unique because it is a narrative review telling the story of one such healthcare failure: the opioid crisis. Even if you feel your work doesn't directly relate to the opioid crisis, I hope y...
Feb 16, 2020•14 min•Ep. 44
I was reaching the end of this week’s article when my eyes suddenly flooded with tears. That’s because I encountered something we had not yet seen in the OT Potential Podcast: strengths-based recommendations. And I don't mean strength training. I mean focusing on our patients' strengths (rather than their impairments) and leveraging them so patients get the absolute most out of their care. This concept is especially important when you consider the patient population we examine this week: those w...
Feb 09, 2020•11 min•Ep. 43
MELAS Syndrome is a rare and complex condition—but it is also statistically likely that someone in your community is living with it. This week's article provides a helpful overview of what we know (and don't know) about this syndrome, as well as considerations for our OT care. El-Hattab, A. W., Adesina, A. M., Jones, J., & Scaglia, F. (2015). MELAS syndrome: Clinical manifestations, pathogenesis, and treatment options. Molecular Genetics and Metabolism, 116(1-2), 4–12. doi: 10.1016/j.ymgme.2...
Feb 03, 2020•10 min•Ep. 42
