The Passion Occupational Therapy Podcast

Why I Love Being a Community OT: The Highs, Lows, and Everything in Between

The Passion Occupational Therapy Podcast

Show Notes

Follow us on Instagram: @passion.ot.podcast

In this episode, the host shares her love for being a community occupational therapist and highlights the unique aspects of working in the community. She emphasises the privilege of getting to know individuals on a personal level, supporting them in their home environment, and collaborating with them to meet their goals. The host also discusses the creativity and flexibility that comes with being an occupational therapist and the wide range of specialised roles within the profession. She acknowledges the challenges of explaining occupational therapy to others, navigating different funding bodies, managing personal emotions, and maintaining work-life balance. The host encourages OTs to prioritise self-care and self-confidence and to be their own biggest cheerleader.

Takeaways

Working as a community occupational therapist allows for a deeper understanding of individuals and their needs in their home environment.

Occupational therapists support individuals to live their best lives and empower them to meet their goals.

The profession offers opportunities for collaboration, creativity, and specialisation in various areas of practice.

Challenges in occupational therapy include explaining the profession to others, navigating different funding bodies, managing personal emotions, and maintaining work-life balance.

Prioritising self-care and self-confidence is essential for occupational therapists to provide the best care for their clients.

Chapters

00:00 The Privilege of Being a Community Occupational Therapist

00:59 Supporting Individuals to Live Their Best Lives

02:17 Collaboration and Creativity in Occupational Therapy

03:14 Making the Role Your Own

07:07 Raising Awareness of Occupational Therapy

09:55 Challenges Faced by Occupational Therapists

13:25 Prioritising Self-Care and Self-Confidence

More from The Passion Occupational Therapy Podcast

Nov 9, 2025

In this episode of the Passion Occupational Therapy Podcast, Parish sits down with Chris Antartis from Rebel Recruitment, a specialist in allied health recruitment across Australia.

Oct 26, 2025

When Storm Menzies broke her dominant hand, she quickly discovered just how inaccessible the beauty world can be. That moment sparked an idea and eventually, ByStorm, a brand reimagining beauty tools through an inclusive and adaptive lens. In this episode, we dive into Storm’s inspiring journey from a background in health sciences to becoming a founder and innovator. She opens up about the challenges of designing adaptive beauty tools, the stigma surrounding assistive products, and her mission to make inclusivity the norm, not the niche. We also explore how occupational therapists can play a powerful role in shaping accessibility, not just in clinical settings, but in industries like beauty, design, and product development.

Aug 31, 2025

Ever had a client ask, “Why are we doing this?” and you froze? Or maybe your supervisor challenged a recommendation, and you stumbled over your explanation? You’re not alone. In this episode, I’m diving deep into what clinical reasoning really is, why so many struggle with it, and how to build the confidence to explain your decisions with clarity and conviction. We’ll unpack: Why clinical reasoning feels so hard (and what it’s NOT).

Aug 10, 2025

For over two years, I’ve been living through a journey I never expected, one that has tested me mentally, emotionally, and physically, and transformed my life in ways I’m still processing.

Jul 27, 2025

🧠 Episode Summary: In this episode, Parish is joined by Justin from WheelieWorx as they bust common myths about wheelchairs, from the idea that “all wheelchairs are basically the same” to whether power assist makes users “lazy.” Together, they explore the clinical, functional, and human elements of wheelchair prescription, and how important it is for OTs to develop genuine confidence and clarity in their clinical reasoning. You’ll hear real talk from two OTs with different perspectives and lived experience in the wheelchair space, and why it’s so important we move away from the “tick-a-box” approach to scripting.

See all episodes →