A Lunchroom Conversation with STEMinist Fiction Author and OT, Jaima Fixsen In this episode, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Jaima Fixsen, a Canadian occupational therapist and USA Today bestselling author who writes STEMinist fiction novels while balancing roles as a mom and OT. We dive deep into how she uses her OT skills to support her creative work and manage the unstructured nature of writing and the midlife desire to shift into new, more aligned occupations. Spoiler alert: tap danc...
Jul 07, 2025•1 hr 4 min•Season 1Ep. 44
Episode Summary: Is perfectionism keeping you stuck in “figure-it-all-out-first” mode? You’re not alone and you’re not broken. In this solo episode of The BRAVE OT Podcast, I explore a powerful reframe for occupational therapy entrepreneurs who stay in perfecting mode, immobilized by self-doubt and a need to get it right before they begin. Maybe you even use the term imposter syndrome. The antidote? The scientific method. Yes, the same framework we trust as clinicians. I walk through how we can ...
Jun 01, 2025•25 min•Season 1Ep. 43
In this episode, we hear from Jenny Gill and Krista Frahm, both occupational therapists and copywriters, as they discuss the dynamics of their professional relationship and the balance between collaboration and competition. They explore their individual journeys in the field, the importance of finding one's niche, and the challenges they faced when their paths intersected. The conversation delves into dealing with professional insecurities, the role of AI in copywriting, and practical advice for...
May 02, 2025•1 hr 11 min•Season 1Ep. 42
On this episode of The BRAVE OT Podcast, I get to sit in the interviewee seat as OT student, Jacqueline Buhler , asks me questions about being an OT business owner! Jacqueline brings her entrepreneurial spirit and curiosity as we discuss my experiences and reflections on choices I made and ways I adapted at different phases of my OT career and business. We draw some parallels between the transition from OT student to emerging clinician and from OT to OT entrepreneurship, revealing how different ...
Mar 11, 2025•59 min•Season 1Ep. 41
This podcast conversation explores supervision in occupational therapy with Lynsay McFarlane-Shaw. Lyndsay brings 30 years of pediatric OT experience and has evolved her career to focus on supervision and mentorship. We discuss the the concept of supervision in the UK as well as various other ways OTs support each other like coaching and mentorship. If you've ever wondered about ways to enhance your professional development or support others in theirs, this conversation will give you plenty to t...
Mar 01, 2025•53 min•Season 1Ep. 40
Whether you're just starting a new OT business, or considering developing a new product, technology, or moving in the direction of retirement, I think you'll find a lot of value in this episode. I am excited to be talking to my friend and colleague, Ruth Duggan. In this episode, we talk about a lot of parallels between the process of starting a business or a product and the familiar assessment and intervention process we use as OTs. We share about our experiences in the early days of starting ou...
Feb 03, 2025•1 hr 1 min•Season 1Ep. 39
I am thrilled to share this authentic and vulnerable conversation with you. My guest is Dr. Fiona Lovely. You may know her from her mindblowing podcast, Not Your Mother's Menopause. With two decades of experience, Dr. Lovely is a trailblazer in women's health. Specifically focusing on the menopause transition, perimenopause and menopause. Stick with us on this vulnerable and passionate conversation because in it, we share stories of our own experiences and highlight how community and connection ...
Jan 15, 2025•1 hr 6 min•Season 1Ep. 38
When I learned ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy), it changed my OT practice and it changed how I navigate my own life. This is why I have created so many things that include ACT concepts - the ACTivate Vitality coaching program for OT business owners who want to thrive without the hustle, the ACTivate Vitality Personal Development Planner, and the Practical ACT for OTs course... that last one has a Black Friday promo coming out later this week. This podcast is taken from a presentation I d...
Nov 26, 2024•58 min•Season 1Ep. 37
This discussion with our guest, BRAVE OT, Erin Clarelli, brings together heart and mind as we dive into conversations that challenge norms, embrace unique perspectives, and foster the growth and vitality we strive for every day in our professional and personal lives. I am beyond excited to welcome Erin Clarelli to the pod! Erin is a force in the world of OT, deeply committed to mental health, self-compassion, and creating supportive spaces for neurodivergent individuals. She is highly involved i...
Nov 17, 2024•54 min•Season 1Ep. 36
Today we're diving into all things mindfulness in occupational therapy . Our guest today is a fellow Canadian OT who works in mental health, Sarah Good. In this episode, we explore how mindfulness can be used as a powerful intervention to enhance occupational engagement and not just as an end in itself. Sarah shares her unique approach of seeing clients in their homes or outdoor settings, integrating nature into therapy to help clients reintegrate socially post-pandemic. We also discuss how our ...
Nov 04, 2024•49 min•Season 1Ep. 35
I’m excited to share something really special—a compilation of clips from ACTivate Vitality members who’ve been navigating their own journeys toward values-driven, sustainable work. You’ll hear honest reflections about what it’s like to move from overfunctioning and burnout to building lives and businesses that feel aligned and fulfilling. These are the voices of occupational therapists who’ve joined our community, some initially skeptical about a group coaching format, yet they found that the m...
Oct 29, 2024•19 min•Season 1Ep. 34
Welcome back BRAVE OTs! I'm really excited about this podcast conversation because it's going to hit home for so many of you who have been trying to balance personal growth with running a business. In this epsiode, I'm chatting with Jessica Earle, a participant in the ACTivate Vitality program and an incredible occupational therapist who's been on quite a journey of transformation, both personally and professionally. Jessica's story is about navigating survival mode, overcoming overfunctioning, ...
Oct 15, 2024•1 hr 28 min•Season 1Ep. 33
We’re diving into what it really means to build something new from scratch—both personally and professionally. My guest, Dana Solomon, is an occupational therapist who has bravely stepped into the world of pelvic health and entrepreneurship by creating the Pelvic Health Clubhouse . In this episode, we talk about her journey, the vulnerability that comes with launching a project that isn't perfect, and how she’s embraced the concept of ‘failing upward’—learning and growing with every step. Dana’s...
Oct 09, 2024•46 min•Season 1Ep. 31
SPECIAL WORKSHOP-STYLE EPISODE. Listen and use the companion workbook (linked below), to explore your occupational therapy business through the Kawa Model. WORKBOOK DOWNLOAD We are applying, the Kawa Model, an innovative occupational therapy model from Japan to assess and enhance the life flow of your OT business. By visualizing your professional journey as a river, I hope you'll build awareness of your values, workflows, log jams, and be able chart a course towards an expansive and fulfilling f...
Sep 23, 2024•23 min•Season 1Ep. 31
In this episode, I sit down with Landy Peek, a success coach for OT and PT entrepreneurs. We dive deep into the unique challenges therapists face personally and professionally. Landy and I work with similar clients in different ways and we share some of thedifferent ways that we use our backgrounds as therapists in working with the clinicians we coach. We talk about somatic practices, acceptance and commitment therapy, and other ways we help therapists get unstuck. We also discuss the importance...
Aug 31, 2024•1 hr 1 min•Season 1Ep. 30
My guest, Ashley Ballou, is someone that I really admire for her deep commitment to enhancing the wellbeing of clients, caregivers, and therapists. In this conversation, we take a deep dive into the holistic approach of occupational therapy discussing the vital role it plays, not only in daily activities, but also in mental health and spiritual wellbeing. We explore the importance of servant leadership, the intersection of personal values and professional practice and the different challenges OT...
Jul 15, 2024•1 hr 30 min•Season 1Ep. 29
In this episode of The BRAVE OT Podcast, I’m thrilled to bring you a highly motivating conversation with two trailblazing occupational therapists, Alyson Stover and Karen Jacobs, and their courageous journey in reshaping the landscape of occupational therapy by putting a very important occupational therapy stamp on artificial intelligence. Alyson is the president of the American Occupational Therapy Association, an associate professor at the University of Pittsburgh in their Department of Occupa...
Jun 03, 2024•1 hr 17 min•Season 1Ep. 28
My guest for this episode is a physiotherapist by training who went on to be a Vice President at a national health care company and has recently pivotted to share his knowledge and level the playing field, supporting smaller businesses in maximizing their potential. This conversation with Gary Thorne will get therapy business owners thinking about how they can create transferable value in their business, ultimately converting that business into something that can be sold instead of closed with r...
May 08, 2024•29 min•Season 1Ep. 27
In this episode, we're joined by Mel Homan, a fellow OT who has turned her experiences with burnout into a transformative program for others. Whether you're an OT, a helping professional, or anyone navigating the challenges of a demanding career, this episode is packed with insights just for you. We share invaluable insights on overcoming hustle, nurturing our mental health, and the significance of building strong community ties. Mel is extending an invitation for you to join her Facebook group ...
Apr 22, 2024•57 min•Season 1Ep. 26
In this episode, down-to-earth business coach, Brettany Sorokowsky shares many tangible tips to help you simplify your business, including some golden instructions on using ChatGPT to streamline your business marketing. Brettany and I found each other because we share values around making your business work for you and not listening to the generic business coaching advice that is regularly thrown our way. What do you love to do? What is an indicator of success in your day? How can you do what yo...
Apr 08, 2024•39 min•Season 1Ep. 25
In this relatable episode of The BRAVE OT Podcast, I sit down with Jarrett Dottin, a trailblazing occupational therapist and business owner, who shares his inspiring transition from feeling overwhelmed to achieving a state of calm mastery in his professional and personal life. Discover how Jarrett embraced intentional choices, cultivated his own version of work-life balance, and harnessed his unique strengths to create a thriving practice that resonates with authenticity and purpose. You can fin...
Mar 25, 2024•34 min•Season 1Ep. 24
This is part 2 of our discussion with Rebecca Rae-Hodgson, The Chronically Resilient OT. She shared a lot about her lived experience as am ADHD and Autistic OT who found her way to practicing OT in New Zealand while accommodating the energetic and nervous system regulation ups and downs of persistent mental and physical illnesses. In Part 2 we discuss how she’s crafting and curating her work to fit her strengths and needs in creative and brave ways. Make sure you visit her resources shop here ht...
Mar 11, 2024•44 min•Season 1Ep. 23
In this episode of The BRAVE OT Podcast our guest, Rebecca Rae-Hodgson bravely shares her real and raw lived experience as a ADHD and autistic OT who has crafted a business and life that is sustainable while living with chronic illness. With the energetic and nervous system regulation ebbs and flows of fibromyalgia, borderline personality disorder, chronic fatigue and other persistent medical conditions, working in a typical OT job would not work for her. Just as she has crafted a home life that...
Mar 11, 2024•47 min•Season 1Ep. 22
In this quietly inspiring episode of The BRAVE OT Podcast, we dive deep into the heart of what it truly means to define success on your own terms. Laura Bremner is my guest, and an exceptional occupational therapist and occupational performance coach from the UK. We explore the journey of stepping away from conventional measures of professional success to embrace a life full of occupations that create fulfillment, and true happiness. Laura shares her story of cutting through the noise of endless...
Feb 26, 2024•1 hr 3 min•Season 1Ep. 21
Emma Shears’ story of personal and professional resilience is deeply impactful. I’ve been grateful to be part of her transformation journey since 2022 when she joined the ACTivate Vitality Program. She has shown up FULLY and embraced the challenge of change and her presence in the program has impacted so many others. I hope you’re inspired to make important changes in the way you live and work after hearing Emma’s story. If you would like to learn more about the ACTivate Vitality Program and Mas...
Feb 13, 2024•49 min•Season 1Ep. 20
OTs around the world are asked to add their voices to support the OTs of British Columbia in maintaining their scope of practice in the face of proposed changes to the Health Professions ACT of BC by completing this form . This morning, Michelle Ferguson and I sat down to talk about the pressing issue and its impact on the profession, particularly in the area of mental health occupational therapy. She is the Chair of the Mental Health and Substance Use Practice Network for the Canadian Associati...
Jan 30, 2024•31 min•Season 1Ep. 19
In this second part of our engaging conversation with Jessica Miller on The Brave OT podcast, we go deeper into Jessica's transformative journey within the field of occupational therapy. This episode focuses on how Jessica overcame burnout and redefined her work as an OT and how she pays this growth forward by supporting other OTs in nourishing their nervous systems. We explore the integration of mindfulness, embodiment practices, and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) in fostering resilien...
Jan 06, 2024•30 min•Season 1Ep. 18
In this enlightening episode of The BRAVE OT Podcast I have a deep conversation (not sure I know another kind) with Jessica Miller, a neuro-based occupational therapist and brain injury specialist who is also a member of my ACTivate Vitality community as a client and contributor. Discover how Jessica's journey intertwines personal growth, professional development, and innovative approaches in providing neuro OT services and education. We delve into topics like embracing non-traditional OT roles,...
Jan 06, 2024•54 min•Season 1Ep. 17
In Episode 16: Falling In and Out of Love with OT, we explore Rhiannon Crispe's journey. Together, Rhiannon and I peel back the layers of what it truly means to be an OT with a heart for change. She's a trailblazer who's not just living the OT life, but redefining it. Through her story, we explore what it was really like to create a documentary about OT, Finding Me in OT . And we explore resisting externally imposed urgency, and being brave enough to do things in your own time. I hope you're rea...
Dec 07, 2023•56 min•Season 1Ep. 16
In this enlightening episode of The BRAVE OT Podcast, I sit down with Kathryn Wise, a trailblazer in the field of occupational therapy and health leadership. Kathryn, an Assistant Clinical Professor at McMaster University and Program Director at University of California at San Francisco, shares her insights on the importance of interprofessional leadership development and the critical role of compassionate leadership. This episode delves into the essence of compassionate leadership, the interpla...
Nov 23, 2023•45 min•Season 1Ep. 15
