Devon Breithart’s Post

There is a trend among new graduates and early-career occupational therapists who join private practices (and other organisations), where they are promised support, supervision, and a gradual buildup of their caseloads. However, the truth is sometimes very different, and the occupational therapist is often left feeling very alone, overwhelmed, and questioning their abilities as a therapist. Recently, I have had discussions with some of my supervisees about caseload management and time management. It is easy to say, 'Just go speak with management about your concerns' but this is not always that simple. As a new graduate, I was fortunate to find a workplace that offered great support and supervision. I still went to work feeling like I knew nothing and can still remember 20+ years later that feeling of "I don't even know what I don't know". It is uncomfortable and challenging to work through however when you have a workplace that supports and mentors you, it isn't as stressful because they validate that this is normal. With the introduction of the NDIS, there has been a huge increase in services providing occupational therapy interventions to a range of clients. This is great news for our clients and also for us as clinicians. However, I have also noticed some worrying trends, including: * Lack of clarity around their role and expectations which can impact their professional identity and uncertainty of what is expected of them or what is reasonable. * Receiving referrals that do not align with their level of experience or knowledge can be challenging. Occupational Therapists can work with so many different client groups and when other people do not understand the additional training and experience you need to be able to perform your job and work using an evidence-based approach, leading to feeling inadequate but also that you are not able to support the client in a way you want. * Limited supervision and on-the-ground informal support. Supervision helps build competence and confidence in the workforce but protects our clients by reflecting on best practices and sound clinical reasoning. So, what do you do if you find yourself in a workplace that doesn't feel supportive? 1. Reach out to your supervisor and colleagues, they can offer support and guidance. 2. Focus on the things you can control. 3. Practice self-care and be gentle with yourself while you are feeling overwhelmed. 4. Speak to your manager if you feel comfortable doing so. If you want more information on how to navigate an unsupportive and overwhelming workplace, you can: Book in a free 20-minute connection call to explore how I can support you on an individual level or group supervision: https://lnkd.in/gsp9DXbJ #occupationaltherapy #NewGradOT #otsupervision #selfcare

🌟 Attention School OTs! 🌟 Want to elevate your productivity? We've got you covered! Check out this article for transformative tips that will enhance the way you work. 🙌✨ https://bit.ly/3MbW9gP #SchoolOT #OccupationalTherapy #MSOT #OTR #OTTips #SpecialEducation #OTLife #TherapistTools

I’m thrilled to share a personal milestone and some insights from my first AOTA Student Pulse Newsletter article! 📚💼 As a wife, mom to a fun-loving 3-year-old, part-time strength coach, and officer in the Georgia Air National Guard, my life is a balancing act. Choosing the right OT program was a major decision, and finding a hybrid option felt like discovering a hidden treasure. 🏊♀️ In my article, I dive into the pros and cons of hybrid learning, reflecting on the flexibility, accessibility, and adaptability it offers, as well as the challenges it presents. If you’re considering a hybrid OT program, I hope my insights help you make an informed decision. Check out the full article here: https://lnkd.in/ejp3Win3

Quick test... does your bio on your website state the school you graduated from in the first two lines? Something like... Hi, my name is Jenny and I graduated from Grand Valley State University in 2010 with a master's degree in occupational therapy. When you start like this, you're listener is likely to feel bored or lost. You haven't given them any context or information to connect to. So I challenge you to take a minute to consider how you can switch that up a little bit. Here are some prompts to consider, ✨️As an occupational therapist, I'm passionate about... ✨️I combine my knowledge in [insert your expertise] with [another area of expertise] to help you [insert core outcome] ✨️If you're struggling with [core problem], I'm here to help you [insert outcome]. Or, if your bio is in third person... ✨️ [Your name] is an occupational therapist focused on [insert your area of expertise or passion]. Truthfully, it's common for writing your own bio to feel hard. And the more you put yourself out there as a leader, business owner, or innovator, the more important your self-introduction is. Jazz up how you introduce yourself and start adding that to conversations and your website and online profiles. Let me know in the comments if you've struggled with putting words to your self-introduction or bio. #otwebsites #otmarketing #otleadership #otmonth #slp #physicaltherapy #privatepractice

Evidence-based practice is a continual process, and resources from OT Potential can help us do it well!

Ever notice the increasing number of early-career OT clinicians going into private practice on their own and wonder why? Its because employers need to step up and support them better. So many young clinicians get used to working on their own and never really expirience the power of good mentoring and supervision. If you dont expirience it, how can you value it? Here is an article I recently wrote about what early career clinicians actually need. https://lnkd.in/ef3RNp3k

**PTA’s CAN be experts without a PT ** I just made a video about “How I become a health and wellness expert WITHOUT a PT” This video walks you through How I became an expert as a PTA. Over the past 3 years - I have mastered how to become an expert as a PTA I have successfully trained other PTA’s to do the same. My practice is cash-based, run by PTA’s, and generates over 50K every month in revenue. 💰💰💰 The PTA’s I have trained are making incomes of 4K/month - 10K/month 🤑 and only seeing 25 treatment hours a week. Each of these PTA’s is happy again, they have regained their passion and are working to learn and grow their solo practice. I have a proven formula they use that helps them grow every month... It works for me (and our PTA clients). I just recorded a video 🎥 walking you through how I became an expert as a PTA without requiring the help of a PT or going back to PT school. This paid training is inside our “client-only vault” and we’re giving it away for FREE - for a limited time only. ⏳⏰ If you want us to send you a copy of the recording: Type “EXPERT” in the chat below and someone from our team will send you the training directly to your Facebook Instant messenger... We only want this training to go into the hands who will apply this information. Act fast ⚡️ because we may delete this post later. Who wants a copy? 👋 #physicaltherapist #physicaltherapyassistant #professionalgrowth #pta #wellnesscoach #thestretchmobilitycoach #physicaltherapists #physicalfitness

If you didn't know it's #otweek2023 and one of my physio friends posted this video last night that I knew I had to share. It's a song about what an OT can do! If you have a couple of minutes and are in need of a smile, have a little watch. The lyrics are as follows: So lately, you’re wondering what an OT can do for you Well let me use this song to explain just what we do If you’re feeling down and low and you don’t know where to go we’ll assess you from head to toe  life you right back up so An OT will guide you, through each task you want to do we’re dual trained, skills attained anything is possible is true  Verse: If you’ve had an illness or injury that’s stopping you an OT will ensure, you do the tasks you want to do No task’s to big or small, grading will fix it all broken down in little steps, all it takes is a little prep  An OT will guide you, through each task you want to do we’re dual trained, skills attained anything’s possible is true Well maybe, you need us to make adaptions to you home had a stroke, and can’t cope, or just need a little moan So you can live not just survive, give you quality of life it’s the little things we do, that can really help you.  An OT will guide you, through each task you want to do we’re dual trained, skills attained anything’s possible is true Spread the word for OTs Spread it round overseas Can you do that for me? Have a great Thursday OTs! #RCOT #occupationaltherapy #otweek2023 #connection https://lnkd.in/eTACasQe

Every small step is a giant leap, both in occupational therapy and with ourselves. We know progress is built on countless tiny victories. It’s the subtle adjustments, the incremental achievements, and the seemingly minor milestones that culminate in monumental change. As OTs, we celebrate every gesture, every attempt, every moment of courage. Because we understand that these small things are, in fact, everything. That’s exactly why we’re running our free OT ME Challenge. A 2 week challenge dedicated to YOU. Every day you have 5 small daily tasks to do. At the end of each day, all we ask is you score yourself out of 5. This isn’t about having perfect numbers every single day: This is about creating the time and space to show yourself as much love and support as you do your clients. Join the challenge and get access to: - Challenge pack with our OT ME Habit Tracker - Daily accountability and support emails - Exclusive content to help you be the best OT you can be Just click the link and join us now: https://lnkd.in/ekgVBTU8

The link to your next continuing education or professional development course! https://lnkd.in/gTB3eeb4 #FasciaInformed #FasciaScience #OTInnovation #ClientEngagement #TherapistGrowth #OTCommunity #HealthcareRevolution #FasciaInformedTherapist #TransformOT #InnovativePractice #EnrollNow