Mental Health, Latinx, and LGBTQ+ Care with Ricky Ramirez — OT Dude Podcast

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My special guest in this episode is Ricky Ramirez, OTD, OTR/L, an instructor at the RUSH University Department of Occupational Therapy. We discussed his published research with Latinx cancer survivors, the implications of this research, and how to provide OT to underserved populations such as the LGBTQ+ community. You will also learn about some useful … Read more

Sensory Room vs Seclusion Rooms for Occupational Therapy

A sensory room is a specially designed space that is used to provide a variety of sensory experiences to individuals who may benefit from their use. The purpose of a sensory room is to promote relaxation, self-regulation and overall well-being for anyone, not just those who may be agitated or dysregulated. These rooms typically includes … Read more

School-Based OT: Past, Present, Future…and a Conference! — OT Dude Podcast

Are you interested in school-based OT as a therapist? In this episode, Alicia Stufoso and Lisa Nye join us as we discuss how school-based OT has changed, what it is currently like, and how we may need to rethink our approach to this setting. Alicia and Lisa maintain private practices as co-owners of Careerfull LLC, an … Read more

Why I Think ACT is Useful for Occupational Therapy

ACT Background ACT stands for Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and is an approach used in psychotherapy. It is considered to be a third-wave type of therapy compared to second-wave therapies such as Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT). CBT is widely used for various mental health conditions, substance abuse, and alcoholism. CBT has also been extensively studied and … Read more

Occupational Therapist’s Thoughts on Bill to Expand Access to Occupational Therapy for Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders

Senators Hassan and Scott Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Expand Access to Occupational Therapy for Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders 8-17-2022 WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Tim Scott (R-SC) introduced a bipartisan bill to expand access to occupational therapy for patients being treated for mental health and substance misuse disorders. “Occupational therapists … Read more

Is School-Based Mindfulness Not As Effective As We Thought? | Occupational Therapist Evidence Based Review

About Mindfulness Mindfulness has seen some promising results in research for conditions such as stress and PTSD. I took a short course on mindfulness in OT school and learned about the research in different areas and its benefits. I have noticed an increase in school-based mindfulness interventions and practice (SBMI; SBMP). “Mindfulness is a type … Read more