17
Dec
2012
Good news, bad news….
Bad news first…
1) I had Black Cat put down on Saturday morning. A vet came to my house. It was peaceful, but sooo sad. I cried my eyes out. Not literally, that would suck.
2) I still don’t have my blog mojo…lots of pictures taken and thoughts “made”, my neurons still have little blog cells, but alas, I’m missing that final missing piece of “actually posting it”….hope I find that piece soon. But it’s the holidays, maybe it will show back up in January. Bet nobody is reading this anyway. I’m still in a discouraged state!
Good news;
Come like my Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/missawesomenessdotcom
because that’s where I just posted the following status…
Today I threw the Lycra “blue ghost” body sock into the washing machine, then gave my “monster cheese” a talcum bath to get it back to normal, then moved my purple spikey “sea urchin” to put something down…no escaping pediatric OT! Not to mention I have literally 45 pounds of blankets on my bed…my 30 pounder (last year’s birthday present) and a new 15 pounder (this year’s birthday present…it took six weeks to get…sensacalm.org) 🙂
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So I guess that wasn’t technically good news, but at least it wasn’t dreary, right? I have been enjoying using http://www.tyingisasnap.com/ for my practice shoe for kids to use and they enjoy it.
Only four more days of work till break! (And no, I am not paid when on break, that part is a bummer). But definitely a perk of working in schools. 🙂
Okay, gotta do a few work emails I just realized, in prep for tomorrow, so since its almost 10pm I better do that so I can go to bed!
Today I had my weekly volunteer shift where I held babies at the hospital! I’m getting better and better at calming down “drug” babies!
Category: Occupational Therapy | Comments: none
11
Dec
2012
Having a rough week!
My blog mojo and my general brain mojo have been lost this week. I’m feeling down, partially because I’m putting my 20 year old cat down this next Saturday, partially because I’m a little overwhelmed, partially because of the darkness of December, etc etc.
I have soo much to share and soo much to say about my beloved field of occupational therapy, but right now my life consists of work, Pilates, work, work, work…the boring paperwork part of work, not the fun stuff.
So…..be patient with me please! I’m still taking photos of things to share from OT sessions, and making notes of stuff, but haven’t had the energy to move it into blog fruition. Just trying to get through each day – I wake up each day uncertain of how I can even get through the day. Somehow I do, but it takes a lot more energy than normal.
I’d appreciate kind thoughts my way! Hope you all are having a nicer December than I currently am! It will get better I’m sure 🙂
Category: Occupational Therapy | Comments: 5
8
Dec
2012
Hi, Teach123 Fans: Lava Paper!
Hi Teach 123 Fans who came from here:
I was thrilled to see that Teach123 had posted our lava paper! (I created it originally but was just drawing it in on paper each time, Tonya of TherapyFunZone.com used Photoshop to make my dreams come true).
Anyway, Teach123 has an AMAZING blog with great ideas for teachers and I originally found her through Pinterest where she showed off a genius idea for reducing visual clutter as well as helping not overwhelm a child who sees a ton of work in front of them.
“Cut a file folder into strips. The shorter the attention span, the smaller you will cut the strips. I cut this one into 3 parts. Students open 1 flap at a time and always begin at the top and work their way down. Students complete the work that they can see when a flap is open. “
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We were trying to think of what to label that amazing idea while in an IEP meeting the other day. All thanks to Teach123. So….I digress.
Basically because of this pin, I found Teach123 and spent a lot of time checking out her ideas. I think teachers have GREAT ideas for OTs and vice versa! I saw a post where she had a picture of some handwriting paper she had used and decided to write her to see if she was up for trying some lava paper out.
Long story short (okay it’s a short story but long story sounds way better), she posted it on her very popular blog. And yes, yay, I’m excited about the traffic, but by far I’m most excited at the idea that teachers (and therefore their kids) will benefit.
I know I’m biased, but I do use the lava paper EVERY DAY and it is quite helpful for a ton of my OT kids. Sometimes they get a little too into the action and start sending off worm attack lines etc. For the first time or so they get the paper, there’s that novelty period and exploration period so let them have a little fun with it please. But after a few times, they need to follow the rules of the paper without adding extra lines etc.
Some of my kids love to make a little mistake so they CAN use their eraser superhero powers and save the letters. I’m okay with that if it doesn’t get excessive because ERASING is a great skill to learn too!
Check out how your kids are erasing. Bet some of them are inefficient. Show them the proper method to use that power (ie close to the tip, small movements, etc)
I digress again. The point is, thank you for coming over, thank you for following Teach123 because she has amazing ideas, and please check out www.therapyfunzone.com because she made the paper a reality and also has TONS of great ideas! I love her pencil obstacle courses!
You can also find me at pinterest at
www.pinterest.com/funkist/ot-ideas which have a lot of great ideas for things you could potentially do in the classroom as crafts. 🙂
Category: Occupational Therapy | Comments: none
8
Dec
2012
Does music help attention? Does white noise help attention?
Something I saw in I think Smithsonian magazine about using music to help your brain. I liked what they noted about people with attention deficits and how they may calm down in a paradoxical way – ie how taking the equivalent of speed calms them while it “speeds” the rest of us up. Very interesting neurologically.
Anyway, the thing about anxiety – that USED to be the case for me, that when I was frequently (severely) anxious, I listened to Enya while lying in a dark room and practicing diagraphagmatic breathing. But eventually when I thought of Enya it made me anxious because the two became so linked. So then I could no longer listen to Enya without that association of being panicked. So sometimes it turns on you! My new favorite is Native American Indian flutes, the Canyon Trilogy, by R. Carlos Nakai. Many of my kids in special ed also really enoy it.
This reminds me that I want to do a post soon about white noise. Some studies have come out showing that white noise or classical music can be very helpful for concentration for SOME PEOPLE – especially those with ADD. But for those with “regular” concentration, it can actually be harmful to our attention. When I was in 7th grade, we had a history teacher who was big on playing classical music during our tests. He had good intentions and I know there were/are studies showing classical music helps. But it was a novel stimulus and I know for me it actually made it much harder to concentrate. Try white noise apps for your OT kiddos with ADHD to use while working, and see if it seems to help them out. (In our district our 3rd graders and higher have individual iPads so it would be easy for us to implement but maybe not so easy in most districts). But be careful of using classical music/white noise with ALL children. Better to use as a case by case basis.
Oh. Guess I don’t need to write a new post about white noise, I just wrote it. 😉
Category: Occupational Therapy | Comments: none | Tags: alert, anxiety, arousal, attention, calm, focus, music, white noise
8
Dec
2012
hit my sensory limit…
hit my sensory limit for the week. Having a very quiet Friday night at home…..but going to write down some children book ideas before bed. Have been saving pictures and stuff to post to the blog.
The most recent post about OT Niche from a contributor….I don’t know how to fix those headers and stuff. 🙁
And I’m back to 280 new mails on gmail whoopsiedoodles…..
Hope I get some blog mojo back soon!
Category: Occupational Therapy | Comments: none
6
Dec
2012
Heavy clothes, calm bodies? Blast from the past
One more picture from the Marie Curie article in Smithsonian 🙂 Look at how heavy their clothes were. I wonder how scratchy they were. I’m guessing that perhaps, if nothing else, the heaviness was calming, even if uncomfortable texture wise! No seamless undies back then!! 🙂
I was recently reading Songs of the Gorilla Nation and she was talking about how she always wore leather and dark sunglasses, because the leather was so weighted and calming, and the sunglasses reduced input, etc. I thought that was fascinating because I know we all have seen people in um, unusual or interesting get-ups, and made assumptions. But we all know what they say, when you “assume” you make an “ass” out of “u” and “me”….lol
I want to write more soon about sensory profiles….we all have them!!
Category: Occupational Therapy | Comments: none
6
Dec
2012
Finding and Marketing Your OT Niche
Guest post! Starting…now!
Finding and Marketing Your OT Niche
The second rule in marketing any professional service is to know your audience; the first is know yourself, but as an occupational therapist, you have this part covered—for the most part. You know you want to provide exceptional service, but to whom and how may still be challenging questions. A common mistake in business is the “we’ll-fit-anyone” approach, which results in a jack-of-all-trades master-of-none phenomenon. While you may catch a few flitting minnows, you certainly won’t attract the loyal marlins that can make your business a true success.
So how do you avoid the one-size-fits-all trap? Narrow your focus to find your niche, and thus better position yourself and your profession to grow. This way, your marketing is targeted, specific, and tailored to attract the audience you truly want.
Finding Your Niche
The AOTA explains that “to meet society’s occupational needs, occupational therapy practitioners need to respond to how society is changing and evolving.” To support that, they “researched trends in the six broad areas of practice defined through the Centennial Vision process.” They then go on to list those emerging niches, but which niche do you choose?
While written for PTs, Jeff Worrell’s whitepaper entitled “Build Your Practice by Finding Your Physical Therapy Niche” is packed full of niche finding advice that all rehab therapists can consider. Worrell suggests, “Take some time to jot down your experiences on a piece of paper…be as specific as possible. Look for similarities and highlight the experiences that are similar.” For example, Monster.com shares several stories of OTswho happened to find employment in assisted-living facilities who went on to not only specialize in this arena, but used their knowledge to provide consulting services.
Worrell also offers a questionnaire as a guide to finding your niche:
· What type of occupational therapy work do you enjoy doing?
· What is the market potential for the area you’re interested in focusing on?
· What type of patients do you enjoy working with?
· What experience do you have that can help you be successful in your chosen niche?
· Are there other occupational therapists who have built a successful practice in this niche?
Still in school or considering dipping your toes in a different OT pool? Try immersing yourself in several different specialties to find where your heart truly lies. Reference the AOTA’s list of emerging niches, which links to supporting topics, conditions, populations, and other helpful info, to aid with your search.
Marketing Your Niche
Got the “to whom” question answered? Now it’s time to tackle the how.
Go Where Your Prospects Are
This might sound simple, but the best way to reach your potential market may very well be to go where they go. Have a marketing budget—even just a small one? Spend it to promote with publications and websites and attend events and trade shows where the people you wish to reach are already active. Instead of recreating the wheel, use the resources and tap into the communities that already exist to reach your prospective customers.
Immerse Yourself in the Community
Want to help children and youth? Check out your local school district for opportunities to g
et involved with—and thus promote your services to—programs helping children fight obesity; teaching disabled children to drive; or creating awareness about autism. Hoping to work with the elderly? Scout out community mobility associations and groups dedicated to finding a cure for Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. Don’t have the time to devote to every group you come across? Identify the ones you are most passionate about and focus there; then consider sponsorship, advertising, and participation.
et involved with—and thus promote your services to—programs helping children fight obesity; teaching disabled children to drive; or creating awareness about autism. Hoping to work with the elderly? Scout out community mobility associations and groups dedicated to finding a cure for Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. Don’t have the time to devote to every group you come across? Identify the ones you are most passionate about and focus there; then consider sponsorship, advertising, and participation.
Be a Thought Leader
At the point that you’ve promoted and immersed yourself in the community, you’ve basically become a thought leader for your OT specialty. As a thought leader, you can apply your knowledge online through social and blogging as well as in your community. For example, if you focus on worker rehabilitation, you could provide educational seminars and blog posts on ergonomics and workplace injury prevention.
At the point that you’ve promoted and immersed yourself in the community, you’ve basically become a thought leader for your OT specialty. As a thought leader, you can apply your knowledge online through social and blogging as well as in your community. For example, if you focus on worker rehabilitation, you could provide educational seminars and blog posts on ergonomics and workplace injury prevention.
Reaping the Benefit
Let’s talk increased referrals and references. Once you get your name out there as a specialist in a particular occupational therapy area, local physicians and professionals in your industry will send—and continue to send—patients your way for the specific issues in which your expertise shines. That’ll garner you—and the profession in general—some serious kudos.
What advice do you have for other therapists seeking a niche? How do you market your niche? Do you think having a niche specialty helps you better promote the OT field?
About the Authors
Charlotte Bohnett and Erica Cohen are both Senior Copywriters at WebPT, the leading cloud-based EMR software designed specifically for the rehab community. For follow-up questions or additional information about WebPT, please contact them at copy@webpt.com.
Charlotte Bohnett and Erica Cohen are both Senior Copywriters at WebPT, the leading cloud-based EMR software designed specifically for the rehab community. For follow-up questions or additional information about WebPT, please contact them at copy@webpt.com.
Category: Occupational Therapy | Comments: none
5
Dec
2012
Norwegian alphabet…bet that AE combo is hard to teach
The Norwegian alphabet has three more letters. An AE combo, an O with a diagonal, and an A with a circle over it. Can you imagine teaching three more letters than we already do? For that matter, teaching special ed with much more challenging alphabets than ours…..aughhh
Category: Occupational Therapy | Comments: none
3
Dec
2012
holding sick babies :)
My facebook status tonight:
Just got back from my Sunday shift holding NICU babies. I was holding babies that had been born at just a pound, so even many months later they were the size of a newborn! Whenever I hold my babies the song that always comes to mind and I hum to them is Edelweiss…”…may you bloom and grow…bloom and grow forever.”
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Every Sunday for 3 hours I hold babies in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at a downtown hospital. Some have drugs in their system (so they are being weaned, and are quite irritable, not to mention other problems), others were born at 23 or 24 weeks at only a pound in size….I don't hold them until the babies are more stable and a little bigger (ie more than a few pounds and able to tolerate and benefit from touch). The official volunteer title is “Cuddler”..even our badges say it 🙂 I love it. But my arms/back get sore because of the positions I end up in!
I need to remember to cut the buttons off my shirt. Volunteers wear a uniform polo that have three buttons that are quite high up so I never button them anyway, and sometimes the baby is pressing against them which can't be comfortable. But the buttons are sewed on sooo tightly I can't use normal scissors. First world problems, right? 🙂
I have been holding babies only since around August here in San Diego, but I held them over a year when I lived in Memphis. Even though the song “Edelweiss” (which I first heard in Sound of Music) is normally never in my head, it ALWAYS comes to me when I am rocking my babies. I find the idea of wishing for them to “bloom and grow forever” to be so applicable. 🙂
Category: Occupational Therapy | Comments: 3
2
Dec
2012
Beautiful nesting puzzles
While reading a “birth story” from some mom in Australia that I found while playing on Reddit (playing on the Internet is like one big ADHD skit), I found this website with stunning toys. Unfortunately this store is located in Australia but I'm guessing with some basic sleuthery (ie, you know, a google search), they may be available here.
I really liked the nesting puzzles! Some would take quite a bit of fine motor AND focus.
Today was a very non productive day as I was exhausted, but it ended with a six hour pozole (a soup) making marathon from start to finish, and tomorrow I hope to do some more resting, a little work, hold babies at the hospital, and see a friend.
Maybe within the spectrum of work and rest there can be some blog time. If “relaxation” is a zero, and “work” (meaning my actual paying job) is a 12, I think blogging and Miss Awesomeness related pursuits are about a 3 through 7 depending on what it is!
That last paragraph was completely and utterly useless information, and I apologize to your eyeballs and neurons for that.
Category: Occupational Therapy | Comments: none