Amy OT

Shedding Light On Mental Illness Follow this link to a 13 question quiz on mental illness. See how well you do. :) (I didn't do so well).  https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/T38Y8ZM Some of the answers shocked me. And even after taking it I was like hmm, I'm taking this at a training by a facility that's all about mental health.. aren't they a little biased? Maybe the numbers are off? (just sharing my own process with you to show that I'm resistant & skeptical at times) By the People, For the People I had the privilege of attending a training on mental illness by people with mental illness. They shared their stories. Their trials. Their victories. Obstacles. Stigma. Shame. Frustrations. Ted Talks.. It was powerful.  Some things that stuck with me: 1. We give them a bed, pill, and rest. They want a home, job, and friend. Wow! This sunk deep into me. A home is a safe place, rather than a bed in a facility where there is lack of consistency and pre...

Learn with Me? As my fieldwork setting has changed, so has the feel of this blog. Previously, I was working with babies, who are cute, warm, and cuddly. They are fun to talk about and lots of people love children. Or feel no hard feelings about children. Any poor behaviors can be pointed back to the adults in a child's life.  But now I am working in a mental health setting. And you may no longer feel comfortable reading this blog. It may get heavy. It may be uncomfortable to read. You may not have any desire to learn from those with mental illness. I can relate to that. I would not have voluntarily put myself in this position. But I'm learning so much now that I'm here and grateful I've been forced to face this population.  Young adults with mental health disorders. This does not sound as warm and fuzzy. They are not as inviting as the toddlers were. And there are layers and layers of stigma surrounding mental illness. As I am being educated at various trainings...

Goodbye, early intervention! Ok, so forgive me for the delay!... I promised you some cheap toy ideas we did and I will deliver! :) But before I get into that, just want to say my 12 weeks are up. They were really fulfilling and I learned so much - the kiddos were my teachers! As were my supervisors - so grateful for their patience, support, and belief in me. It meant the world. So, if you're considering being an early intervention OT, things I'd tell you... Be flexible! - the scheduling, the weather, the commute between clients (if you're doing your job, you'll be late to things - it's ok!), the activities changing up 1,000 times within a 1 hour treatment session..  Don't take it too seriously.. what I mean is kids are resilient and you can't change the world in a day, but by being a consistent source of love and kindness to these families, you are making a difference.. even on the days it doesn't feel like it!   You gotta love kids...

Hello again! So my old 12 week placement is over, I had a week off in between, and a new placement has begun! I am not longer working with young children. Currently working in a transitional program for young adults who require mental health support. They are learning life skills, social skills, and job skills in hopes to prepare them for greater independence when their time ends in this program.  It's taboo, but it's all around us. I'm not just talking about the "major" disorders such as schizophrenia, bipolar, PTSD, personality disorders. What about anxiety? Depression. A miscarriage can bring a time of grief and depression from dashed hopes of a new life. A birth can bring postpartum depression. Many people have phobias - fears of spiders, crowed spaces, fear of heights or flying - but have found ways to cope and function pretty normally in their daily lives. Others, for whatever reason, may not be able to cope, and their fear of crowded places may ke...