The OT Schoolhouse Podcast for School-Based OT Practitioners
Episodes
210 episodes
Using the OT Lens to expand School-Wide Mental Health and Behavioral Supports
What if occupational therapy wasn't confined to pullout sessions and IEP goals? Nicole Pfirman, M.Ed., OTR/L, shares how she brought an OT lens to every role—designing multi sensory environments for behavioral regulation, creating prevention an...
What Hundreds of School-Based OTPs Revealed About Their Actual Practice
What's really happening in school-based OT practice across the country? In this episode, Jayson sits down with Hannah Smiles, OTD, OTR/L, to unpack findings from a national survey of 331 school-based occupational therapists across 41 states, pu...
Moving Beyond “Sensory vs. Behavior” in School Based OT
What if we've been asking the wrong question all along?For years, school-based occupational therapy practitioners have debated whether challenging student behaviors are driven by sensory processing differences or behavior. But what if th...
A School OTP'S Guide to Dysgraphia and Written Expression
In this episode, Jayson Davies sits down with Kelli Fetter, founder of Handwriting Solutions, to explore the world of dysgraphia — from the challenges of diagnosis and assessment to evidence-based, school-based intervention strategies. Kelli sh...
Sensory Wellness for Overwhelmed School-Based OTs
If you're a school-based occupational therapy practitioner feeling burnt out, dysregulated, or overwhelmed by your caseload, this episode is for you. Robyn Chu, MOT, OTR/L, author of Sensory Wellness: The Art and Science of Thriving, j...
What MTSS Interventions Produce the Best Results for Sensory Processing?
Struggling to figure out how occupational therapy fits within your school's MTSS framework?In this episode, Dr. Courtney Boitano shares findings from two groundbreaking studies on sensory processing interventions for kindergarten and fif...
Why Every School-Based OT Needs an Occupational Profile
Are you still relying on the Peabody or BOT as your go-to assessment? You're not alone, but you might be missing something critical. In this episode, we dive deep into occupation-based assessment with Dr. Alysha Skuthan and Dr. Erin Gaby, who r...
School Lunch Struggles and Sensory Processing in School-Based OT
When a student refuses to eat at school, it affects everything—academic performance, regulation, social interactions, and the afternoon meltdown that follows.In this episode, @Jayson Davies sits down with Alisha Grogan, MOT, OTR/L, found...
School-Aged Mental Health in a Post-COVID World
This course explores the evolving landscape of school-aged mental health in a post-COVID world and the expanding role of occupational therapy in supporting students’ emotional, behavioral, and functional participation.Dr. Monica Keen exa...
From NBCOT Struggles to School-Based OT
Transitioning from OT student to practicing clinician isn’t always a straight path—and in this episode, Chandler Sarkozi shares her real, unfiltered journey into school-based practice. From taking the NBCOT multiple times to navigating job opti...
Advocacy Wins Every School-Based OT Should Know
In this episode, Jayson discusses the often-overlooked but critical role that state and national occupational therapy associations play in protecting and advancing the profession. He highlights major advocacy wins from the past year, including ...
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Bridging Sensory Integration and Academic Standards in School-Based OT
In this episode of the OT Schoolhouse Podcast, host Jayson Davies is joined by Aimee Piller and Dr. Sultan Alfawaz to explore a powerful shift in school-based occupational therapy practice. Together, they break down how aligning OT services wit...
AI and Clinical Reasoning in School-Based Occupational Therapy
Artificial intelligence is quickly entering healthcare and education, and occupational therapists are asking an important question: How can we use AI responsibly without losing the clinical reasoning that defines our profession? In this ...
Understanding the Why in School-Based OT From a Parent's Perspective
Join us in this episode where Nicole Dahl shares her powerful journey as a parent navigating occupational therapy services for her son on the autism spectrum. She opens up about the challenges of understanding the "why" behind therapy activitie...
Supporting Teachers First and How Coaching Creates Lasting Impact for Students
Supporting teachers can be one of the most powerful ways to create lasting change for students—but it requires a shift in how we view our role as school-based OTs. In this episode, Dr. Ellen Cullen shares her groundbreaking doctoral capstone wo...
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How the C-SEA Can Help You Transform Classroom Environments
Walking into a classroom filled with visual clutter, constant noise, and lingering smells from an air fryer might leave you wondering how any student can focus—let alone those with sensory processing challenges. In this episode, Dr. Heather Kuh...
Applying your Sensory Knowledge to MTSS Tiers 1 & 2
Dr. Aimee Piller joins the OT Schoolhouse Podcast to explore how school-based occupational therapists can apply their sensory expertise within a Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS). She shares practical strategies for moving beyon...
Turning Grant Funding Into Mental Health Advocacy in Schools
In this Episode of the OT Schoolhouse Podcast, Jayson Davies welcomes Dr. Jaime Hunter and Dr. Kaisa Syväoja from The College of St. Scholastica to discuss how OT practitioners can utilize grants to advocate for mental health services in school...
From Behavior to Regulation: How the Good Sense Rocketship Framework Transforms OT Practice
Get ready to blast off into a powerful new way of understanding sensory processing in schools. In this episode, Danielle Pluth and Ruth Isaac—Canadian occupational therapists and creators of the Good Sense OT Rocket Ship—share the innova...
How switching to a workload model can transform your school-based OT practice
Dive into groundbreaking research on the transition from caseload to workload models in school-based OT with Stanbridge University MOT students Jalen, Michelle, Jared, and Ari. Their nationwide survey revealed striking results: practitioners us...
Everyday Ethics in School-Based OT"
Everyday Ethics in School-Based OT: Navigating Challenges with Clarity & Confidence equips school-based occupational therapists with the tools to confidently address real-world ethical dilemmas that arise in educational settings. Through ca...
Realistic Strategies to Build Work Skills for High School and Transition-Aged Students
Matthew Husband, OTD, OTR/L shares his innovative "Get to Work" program, an after-school initiative providing realistic work experiences for high school students who could succeed in employment with the right supports. The program follows a mon...
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The Hidden Advantage: Why OTs Hold the Key to School Success Through Self-Regulation
OTs hold the key to school-wide success by grounding self-regulation in sensory-motor regulation—not just in emotions. In this episode, Sherry Shellenberger and Jennie Largent show how the Alert Program provides a foundational layer many SEL...
Bridging the Gap in Occupational Therapy's Role in the Homeschooling Journey
In this exciting episode, we're thrilled to welcome back Sarah Collins, a pioneer in the world of homeschooling and occupational therapy. It’s been over five years since Sarah first joined us, right at the onset of the pandemic, and so much has...
