Occupational Therapy

Therapy to live your best life

Why occupational therapy?

Occupational therapy (OT) is about helping you do the things you care about, so you can live the life you want.

It’s problem-solving what’s holding you back, and what we can adjust to get closer to where you want to be.

It’s caring for who you are on your own and in community - paying attention to your identity, your priorities, your habits, and your activities.

It’s therapy for your whole self - body, mind, and spirit.

But wait - isn’t your occupation your job?

OT isn’t about jobs, or at least not only about jobs.

Our profession uses the less common definition of occupation - it’s the things we do to occupy ourselves, and the activities that are meaningful to us.

You’re most likely to find an OT working in schools, rehab, sensory gyms, and hospitals - specializing in somatic therapy is rare among OTs. However, all of us have a certain way of thinking in common.

We want to know whether you’re able to live the life you want - and if you’re not, what can be changed, compensated for, or adapted to so you can live better.

See my professional association’s page for more on OT in mental health.

I don’t love the name, but I do love the profession.

Let’s get you living better.

Somatic therapy is a way I do OT that works on healing your whole self, beginning with your body.

Interested? Schedule a free 30 minute call to see if somatic therapy with an occupational therapist is for you.

Executive Function and Occupational Therapy

OT is particularly useful for folks who have trouble with executive function. Neurodivergent people, especially autistic people and ADHDer’s, are particularly likely to have a hard time with executive function. Challenges are also common for people with brain injuries, concussions, and brain fog from chemotherapy, long COVID, fatigue, or chronic pain.

What’s executive function?

Executive function is what helps us actually do the things we want to be doing. It includes

  • Working memory - keeping track of what we’re doing

  • Task initiation - actually getting going

  • Sustained attention - staying on track

  • Planning/prioritizing - figuring out what’s important and/or urgent

  • Organization - putting things in the right order

  • Time management - keeping track of time

  • Flexibility - coping with the unexpected

  • Metacognition - thinking about what we’re doing

How does occupational therapy help?

Finding the right systems to give the right support is key.

  • This might look like planners, alarms, and apps - but individualized to your specific needs instead of following the latest trend.

  • It may look like coaching, where we support you in making changes and sticking to them.

  • We may help you figure out specific goals and plan out how you can achieve them

  • We figure out exactly what’s getting in your way so we can problem-solve what might help you most.

  • We may get into healing shame, trauma, and self-image from a lifetime of living in an unsupportive world.

Neurodiversity is awesome, and we’re not here to change your neurotype.

Instead, we work with your brain to help you be your best self.

If you want executive function support from an experienced occupational therapist, schedule a “Somatic Therapy” appointment or free curiosity call.