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The purpose of this podcast is to inspire therapists by sharing the accomplishments of therapy entrepreneurs and leaders of color and to support them in their roles.
Episodes
Monday Feb 28, 2022
Monday Feb 28, 2022
Linda Hurst received her undergraduate degree in social work from Temple University and then served in the military reserves. She however was unable to work as a social worker in the reserves because social workers did not work in the military at that time. It was then that she found out about occupational therapy as she was seeking a field that was similar to social work. She trained in the military and received a certificate as a certified occupational therapy assistant. She later decided that she wanted more autonomy and applied to UNC Chapel Hill’s OT program in the 80s. Although she was not the first Black OT student to be admitted to the program, she was the first to graduate as the Black OT who was admitted before her ended up dropping out due to race related issues. Linda Hurst graduated from UNC Chapel Hill in 1990. We honor Linda as the 1st Black OT to graduate from UNC Chapel Hill, her contributions to the occupational therapy profession in mental health and her military service. The world is a better place because of Linda Hurst.
Tuesday Jan 18, 2022
Tuesday Jan 18, 2022
Ariel Faison wears several different hats. She identifies as a Christian woman who loves daily trips to her local coffee shop and long walks through Target. She runs a nonprofit Arizona, Color Outside the Lines, which specializes in sensory-friendly events for special needs youth and their families. She is a full-time occupational therapist assistant. For as long as she remembers, she has always wanted to make a BIG impact in the special needs community and is getting closer to reaching that goal every single day. Her younger sibling was diagnosed with Autism earlier in life which was the beginning of what has turned out to be one of the most beautiful blessings. Through early intervention, prayer, research, practice, studying, and time, her sibling has not only become a man of valor but has inspired her to pave the way for other families to help them realize that God has a plan for their child, plans to prosper and not to harm them, plans to give them hope and a future.
(5) Color Outside the Lines | Facebook
The Sensory Strut - YouTube Please subscribe!
Tuesday Nov 30, 2021
Tuesday Nov 30, 2021
Dr. Krysta Rives has been an occupational therapy assistant since 2013 when she began her career in travel therapy. After gaining a solid clinical foundation and advanced degrees in health care management, and business, she transitioned into academia where she has held roles as a founding OTA program director and professor. She has served the profession at the state and national levels as the OTA Representative at Large for POTA, on the AOTA DEI Taskforce, and the AOTA COP where she co-authored the Occupational Therapy Practice Framework 4th Edition and the AOTA Guidelines for Supervision, Roles, and Responsibilities document. Krysta has a passion for teaching and continually works on initiatives that strive for diversity and inclusion, women’s advocacy, and creating opportunities for Occupational Therapy Assistants to work in emergent areas of practice. In 2019 she founded the SUNY JCC Valerie Rives Scholarship for Diversity in Occupational Therapy to support students in financial need.
Krysta wears many hats; in addition to being an OTA and professor, she is a business owner (OT study nOTes LLC), a realtor, and the mother of a teenage son named Julian. Krysta comes from a large family with 5 younger sisters, 2 younger brothers, and too many nieces and nephews to list. She loves to sew, read, and watch guilty pleasure TV shows like 90 Day Fiance, and she credits all of her success to the grace of God.
Krysta is the recipient of the 2019 OTA award of recognition by POTA, the 2021 Impact award recipient from NBCOT, and the 2021 Alumni Career Community Award from her OTA Alma Mater SUNY JCC.
Sunday Oct 31, 2021
Sunday Oct 31, 2021
Sheela Ivlev is an occupational therapist specializing in mental health and wellness. As a South Asian woman born and raised in San Francisco, she understands health and wellness from diverse perspectives and values the connection of culture and healing. She became a Certified Mental Health Integrative Medicine Provider to incorporate traditional and holistic methods with her clinical education and training. She is committed to removing the barriers to care that keep people from accessing health and wellness services. Sheela is a published author, international speaker, mental health clinical educator, and health and wellness consultant.
Sheela Ivlev, MS, OTR/L, CMHIMP
Occupational Therapist
She/her/hers
sheela@otbayarea.com
Call/text: 650.263.1332
Website: www.otbayarea.com
Courses: otbayarea.thinkific.com
DisruptOT Free Summit: www.disruptot.org
Thursday Sep 30, 2021
Thursday Sep 30, 2021
Michelle DeJesus is a pediatric occupational therapist and mobile practice owner in Miami, FL. Aside from her clinical role as an OT, Michelle is passionate about promoting justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (JEDI) initiatives through her role as a national board member of the Coalition of Occupational Therapy Advocates for Diversity (COTAD). As a Latina occupational therapist, Michelle strongly believes in the power of representation within the profession and in entrepreneurship. Thus, she utilizes social media to raise awareness and to promote action towards a more equitable and inclusive profession and practice. She recently has expanded on her passion for teaching and JEDI initiatives to include mentorship of underrepresented students and practitioners. You can connect with Michelle via Instagram (@MichelleD_OT), LinkedIn (Michelle DeJesus), or through her personal blog (Michelledot.com).
Tuesday Aug 31, 2021
Tuesday Aug 31, 2021
LaQuanta was born and raised in Dudley, a small town in Eastern North Carolina; she continues to reside near the area. LaQuanta has been married for 21 years and has two daughters, ages 19 and 9. Family pets include Chewy a 2-year-old male shiatzu and Gray a 1-year-old tabby cat. LaQuanta graduated from the University of Mt. Olive in 2004 with a bachelor’s degree in Human Services and a master’s degree in Mental Health Counseling from Capella University in 2017. LaQuanta worked in community mental health for 13 years and has been a therapist since 2018. “I was drawn to the helping profession because of past trauma and therefore felt I had an obligation to share the knowledge I’ve learned with others; some of the best helpers have suffered the greatest pain”. LaQuanta is a licensed clinical mental health
counselor and a licensed clinical additions specialist and is currently a contract therapist with New Dawn Psychiatric Services. LaQuanta takes a holistic approach to counseling, by focusing on the relationship between the mind and body, with an emphasis on managing symptoms by changing distorted behaviors through meditation, yoga, and challenging distorted thoughts and beliefs. LaQuanta says that the mantra she uses to refocus her mind is to live like nobody is watching. “So often I think we live our lives based on what other people want, feel of believe instead of focusing on what makes us happy; so, this reminds me to live my life the way I see fit and what works for me and my family”.
Fun facts about LaQuanta
She says being the youngest of 8 kids, everyone always looked at her as a child, no matter how old she was. “I remember thinking, none of my siblings will ever really see me as an adult and you know maybe that’s not a bad thing”. She says life can be very serious and that she finds that by exploring her playful side, she is able to create a sense of balance. As an adult, with many responsibilities, she says it is important to decompress. “My daughter and I often turn up the Alexa and dance like no one is watching or I will initiate an improvisation with my family just to have a little fun”.
New Dawn Psychiatric Services, Counselor, Goldsboro, NC, 27530 | Psychology Today
Tuesday Jul 06, 2021
Tuesday Jul 06, 2021
Dr. Elizabeth Martin has been a health educator for over a decade with experience working with underserved adults in HIV+, LGBTQIA+, Latino, and African American communities providing community-based services. She is committed to protecting socio-economically and culturally vulnerable populations, through holistic service, with a strong emphasis on mental and spiritual well-being.
Elizabeth believes occupational therapy to be a gateway of service for many who may slip through the cracks due to economic hardship and unjust societal exclusion. Her personal mission is to create, through practice, a world where all are included, respected, and valued.
Links: Home (holisticcommunitytherapy.com)
Site for organization that held Superwoman training (Note resources and check site for future trainings): https://www.beam.community/trainings
Monday May 31, 2021
Monday May 31, 2021
Candice Freeman OTD, MOT, OTR is the former Program Director at Mountain View College
Occupational Therapy Assistant Program located in Dallas Texas. She has 13 years’ experience
as a pediatric and home health occupational therapist. Her specialty is pediatrics with a
concentration on fine motor skill development and handwriting. She is also the owner of Tears
To Cheers Handwriting Clinic, LLC and her own private consulting firm Freeman Educational
Services that provides independent OT evaluations to schools. Candice earned her Bachelors of
Psychology with a minor in Interdisciplinary Studies from the University of Houston (Houston,
TX); Masters of Occupational Therapy (MOT) from The University of Texas Medical Branch
(Galveston, TX) and Doctorate in Occupational Therapy (OTD) from Rocky Mountain
University of Health Professions (Provo, Utah).
She is currently a doctoral student attending Abilene Christian University (Abilene TX) and in
the process of earning her Doctorate of Education in Organizational Leadership with an
emphasis on Higher Education with a scheduled completion date of Fall 2021.
She is a member of American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), Texas Occupational
Therapy Association (TOTA), Vice- President of the National Black Occupational Therapy
Caucus (NBOTC), member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc., and past Student Occupational
Therapy Association (SOTA) advisor. She has presented at the Texas Occupational Therapy
Mountain Central Conference 2018 poster presentation: Diversity recruitment practices across
the state for Occupational therapy assistants and has a strong passion for exploring the topic of diversity and inclusion in occupational therapy.
In her spare time, she loves to compete in pageants (Ms. Plus America 2017) and has held many national and state titles in her 10 plus years of pageantry. Candice enjoys volunteering at her church providing community service and outreach, and spending time with her family, friends and her 13-year-old Malti-poo Baxter.
www.tears2cheers.com (See dynamic FB and IG links on the website!)
Tears to Cheers News Feature: https://www.nbcdfw.com/texas-today/handwriting-made-fun-for-kids/2566794/
Linkedin: Dr. Candice Freeman OTD,MOT,OTR | LinkedIn
Loan Forgiveness Link: Apply to the Faculty Loan Repayment Program | Bureau of Health Workforce (hrsa.gov)
Friday Apr 30, 2021
Friday Apr 30, 2021
Tomeico’s Call to Action for OT educators to include anti-burnout health promotion to their curriculums for aspiring OT social entrepreneurs.
References:
American Psychological Association (2017). The cost of treatment. Retrieved from
The cost of treatment (apa.org)
Fernet a, C., Torrès b, O., Austina, S., St-Pierrea, J. (2016). The psychological costs of owning and
managing an SME: Linking job stressors, occupational loneliness,entrepreneurial orientation, and
burnout. In Burnout research, 3, 45-53,doi.org/10.1016/j.burn.2016.03.002 2213-0586
Freeman, M.A., Staudenmaier, P.J., Zisser, M.R. et al. (2018). “The prevalence and co-occurrence of
psychiatric conditions among entrepreneurs and their families.” Small Business Economics.
Kibler, WIncent, Kautonen, Cacciotti & Obschonka, (2018). Why social entrepreneurs are so burned
out. Harvard business review. Retrieved from Why Social Entrepreneurs Are So Burned Out
Roche, M., Haar, J. M., Luthans, F., Hurrell, J. J. (2014). The role of mindfulness and
psychological capital on the well-being of leaders. Journal of occupational health
psychology,19(4), p.476-489
Wednesday Apr 28, 2021
Wednesday Apr 28, 2021
BIO:
Dr. Hiral Khatri, OTD, OTR/L is the owner and CEO of OT Park- a bay area-based subscription box and telehealth company for early intervention clients. Dr. Khatri comes from Gujarat, India. She lives with her husband, daughter, and two puppies in California, USA. She loves reading, dancing, watching movies, Coffee and a lot of social networking with like-minded people. Entrepreneurship is her forte and she believes in bringing change through her novice ideas, hard work, and time management skills. Dr. Khatri is responsible for developing and narrating activity books for parents and caregivers can perform developmentally correct activities with their kids. She is the founder of its kind subscription box for children ages 0-3 years and supports thousands of families in participating in her “no-screen-before-age3” mission and involving more of them in the “do-more-hands-on-activities-for-actual-growth” vision.
She began her entrepreneurial journey as an OT to create awareness about a child’s appropriate development and helping fellow parents from getting lost in the information blasts available free all over the internet. She started a subscription box full of high-quality activity materials for 16-20 age-appropriate and developmentally correct activities in one box to save time and energy and also, money, for busy parents who “actually” want to do activities with their kid in the right direction. She is the author of activity guides that goes in every box, to create a clear understanding of each activity so parents can easily understand and perform those tasks with their kids. She also serves as a free coach to parents who reach out to her and that is also her passion because she believes that as much you educate the right people about the right thing, this community will become healthier and safer for coming generations. She is also a blogger and content creator on various social media platforms and brings awareness about correct ways to perform developmental activities.
Dr. Khatri is amid leader in the field of occupational therapy. She currently holds leadership positions with state, national, and international OT associations. She is Chair of the Asian Pacific Heritage Occupational Therapy Association (APHOTA) for Membership committee, an association to support and be the voice for occupational therapists, assistants, and students from the Asian heritage.
Dr. Khatri currently holds a leadership position at the American Occupational Therapy Political Actions committee (AOTPAC) as the Ambassador for the State of California and serves as the member of Region 3 committee member for the Occupational Therapy Association of California (OTAC) and serves as a member of various committees at the association. She is the Past Chair of the Nominations Committee at OTAC and past social media coordinator for the OTAC. She is a recipient of OTAC’s prestigious ‘Outstanding Student Award’.
Dr. Khatri is a well-respected speaker in various conferences internationally – mainly in India, her home country. She tries to share her knowledge and expertise with the passionate Occupational Therapists and OT students, in her home country to bring awareness and help in the enhancement of learning in the field. She is the recipient of the “Rank 1 in entire University” award for the whole Bachelor of Occupational Therapy (BOT) program by the Gujarat University, India. She has been a successful student leader in organizing the national-level OT conference. She is an author, leader, mother, wife, occupational therapist, a great friend, and someone who loves to stay connected with her roots aka hometown, and help global citizens.
Email: hiral@otpark.com
Social media:
Instagram: @drhiralkhatri
Facebook: Hiral Khatri
Twitter: @drhiralkhatri
OT Park SOcial media: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter: @otparkbox
Get her free eBook on child’s developmental milestones at otpark.com
Visit her blog: otpark.com/blog