Embedded Files
"Becoming adds to the idea of being a sense of future and holds the notions of transformation and self-actualization" (Wilcock, 1999, p.1)
How I, as a Future OT, Can
How I, as a Future OT, Can
Serve a Population in Need
Serve a Population in Need
My interest in helping pioneer a realm of occupational therapy to
My interest in helping pioneer a realm of occupational therapy to
advocate for, support, and serve pregnant peoples' occupations
advocate for, support, and serve pregnant peoples' occupations
"Reiterated in my pre-occupational therapy (OT) seminars, upper-division special topics such as Psychology of Pregnancy and Behavioral Health, and beyond, I have seen how dangerously underserved pregnant people are within the American healthcare system."
"I was drawn to research the social and health issues surrounding pregnancy because I am an empathetic, driven leader with a fiery passion for making the world around me a kinder, more equitable place for everyone, and I also find pregnancy and childbearing to be incredibly interesting and personally meaningful. This combination has allowed me to piece together the sparse but ever-recurring themes that pregnancy in America is dangerous, and there is a gaping absence of advocacy and support on behalf of pregnant people. The research articles and peer-reviewed academic journals that I have analyzed reiterate that this is a growing issue, and that OT not only has the capacity to combat it, but has a truly ideal platform to help combat the institutional discrimination faced by people during pregnancy. As the manual that has been central to my OT studies thus far states, OT services are provided to clients “using a collaborative approach or indirectly on behalf of clients through advocacy or consultation processes” (AOTA, 2014, p. S3)."
"Amidst the sources, I have deciphered two dominant recurring themes, the first of which is that institutional and naturalized discrimination continues to harm pregnant Americans at an increasing rate and significantly more than other developed countries. [...] The second critical message I interpreted from my research is that OT is not involved enough, but it can and should be. It became apparent to me that being pregnant and giving birth are often occupations of immense personal, cultural, and spiritual meaning, but that being in the hospital for an extended period of time can make the ins and outs of life in the hospital occupationally significant. For women hospitalized for high-risk pregnancy, or women hospitalized postpartum for recovery, living in the hospital becomes their reality, albeit temporary. That being said, this reality furthers the notion that OT is appropriate and relevant to the lives and wellbeing of pregnant women in the hospital."
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