welcome.
Mind. Body. soul. - whole.
Welcome to my ePortfolio. Here I share my experiences pursuing my doctoral degree while working as a pediatric occupational therapist. This portfolio details my journey to develop advanced competence in pediatric neuromotor practices, emphasizing a holistic approach to care.
Working in pediatric neurorehabilitation, my early experiences reflected a heavy concentration on physical development. Over time, my goal shifted toward supporting children and families in establishing optimal health and wellbeing. To do this, I recognized a need to broaden my knowledge and focus beyond physical abilities. I became passionate about discovering the methods and tools that would not only support the development of a child's body, but also their minds, soul and whole self.
While pediatric neuromotor development remained my passion, I began to shift my practice towards how I could best treat the whole child. Through the past three years in this program and my own clinical work, I began to further explore and acquire knowledge in complementary and integrative health practices. I draw upon interdisciplinary perspectives which complement my own, to inform a more holistic approach to care. This portfolio details an integrative approach to pediatric neuromotor development.
Link to read more about my background:
"It takes a village"
It’s been said to raise a child, it takes a village. Working with children with disabilities, I’ve been privileged to become a part of many "villages". Building a village, is not something that happens overnight. It requires much time, effort and thoughtful selection of each piece included. One part layered upon the next, to create the whole. Individually, each piece holds a distinct purpose and value. But for the home to stand and the village to function, each part must be cared for it to all work in unison. I equate the metaphor of building a village, to parallel my philosophy to practice – treating the whole child: mind, body, and soul. The Blueprint – the mind that drives the vision and learning of the village. The Foundation – the body and physical bones that hold up the village. The Framework – the soul and spirit that define the unique spaces within the village. And The Roof - the apex to the whole village and protector of all that is housed inside.
Professional Goals
GOAL 1: (MIND) Explore and implement supports to enable interdisciplinary learning and participation in children with cortical visual impairment (CVI).
AOTA (2015) Standards for Continuing Competence:
Standard 1. Knowledge ; Standard 3. Interpersonal Skills; Standard 4 Performance Skills
Goal 2: (BODY) Acquire and integrate advanced knowledge in assessment and comprehensive treatment of motor control and function in children with neuromotor conditions.
AOTA (2015) Standards for Continuing Competence:
Standard 1. Knowledge; Standard 2. Critical Reasoning; Standard 4. Performance Skills
Goal 3: (SOUL) Examine role delineation and identify interdisciplinary practices for collaborative care in the efficient treatment of children with complex feeding, eating and swallowing disorders in an outpatient setting.
AOTA (2015) Standards for Continuing Competence:
Standard 1 Knowledge; Standard 2. Critical reasoning; Standard 3. Interpersonal Skills; Standard 5. Ethical Practice
Goal 4: (WHOLE) Demonstrate knowledge in primary care and holistic intervention to promote family-centered preventative occupational therapy practices.
AOTA (2015) Standards for Continuing Competence:
Standard 1. Knowledge; Standard 3. Interpersonal Skills