Sarah Smith Occupational Therapy

27/04/2026

It’s easy to assume OT recommendations are about equipment.

Often, they’re not.

A good recommendation starts with understanding what someone is actually trying to do, what’s getting in the way, and what matters most to them.

From there, it becomes about fit.

Fit between the person, the task, the environment, and the supports around them.

Sometimes that leads to equipment.
Sometimes it doesn’t.

The goal is always the same — something that is practical, usable, and actually works in everyday life.

That’s what good OT recommendations aim to do.

If you’re working through a tricky situation or not sure what the right next step looks like, feel free to reach out.

24/04/2026

If you’ve ever tried to call and we’ve missed each other — this is for you.

I’ve added a free 15-minute OT Quick Chat that you can book online.

It’s a set time for a quick conversation about referrals, assessments, or how OT might help in a situation.

No back and forth. Just book a time that works.

Booking link here -->https://sarah-smith-occupational-therapy-1.splose.com/online-booking/c2e7fa2b-2ec3-434c-8b1b-fdb8f7f2993f

20/04/2026

An OT assessment can include forms, questions, background information, observation, discussion, and clinical judgement. All of that has a place.

What matters is how that information is used.
For me, the goal is to build a clear picture of how a person is managing in everyday life, what is making things harder, and what support or recommendations may actually be useful.

That might involve looking at routines, function, safety, environment, equipment needs, or broader participation in daily life.
No two assessments look exactly the same, because the process is shaped by the person, the reason for referral, and the decisions that need to be made.

This post gives a simple look at what an OT assessment with me may involve.
Enquiries via DM or website link in bio.

15/04/2026

A behind-the-scenes look at OT Supervision with Sarah Smith ✨

OT Sparks offers small‑group supervision for occupational therapists seeking dedicated time to reflect, build clinical reasoning skills, and walk away with clear, practical actions.

Sessions are available either in person at Alike Health in The Junction or online to suit your needs.

Each session includes discussion of real clinical cases, shared learning with peers, and counts for 1.5 CPD hours.

Sarah’s next session takes place on Friday 17th April, with the focus on case studies about assistive technology decisions.

13/04/2026

Reminder: Come and join me this Friday! In person or online

13/04/2026

Knowing when to refer to OT isn’t always obvious.

A lot of people assume it’s only needed when things become quite severe, but often it’s those early changes in function, safety or independence that matter most.

If everyday tasks are becoming harder, routines are falling apart, or someone is starting to withdraw from activities — that’s usually a good time to start the conversation.

OT is about making daily life more manageable, practical and sustainable.

If you’re unsure, it’s always okay to ask.

Enquiries via DM or website link in bio.

08/04/2026

OT Sparks | Session 4 ✨
Assistive Technology Case Clinic: Clarity before prescription

A structured case clinic for assistive technology decisions.

Refine problem definition, analyse equipment fit, and strengthen justification before prescription. Bring along your tricky cases and receive support and guidance from the group!

📅 Session details
🗓 Friday 17th April 2026
⏰ 10:00–11:30am
📍 Alike Specialist Medical & Healthcare Hub, The Junction
💻 Online attendance available

🎟 Tickets available via Humanitix:
👉 https://events.humanitix.com/ot-sparks-2026

📘 Program information:
👉 https://ssoccupationaltherapy.com/ot-sparks

08/04/2026

08/04/2026

Come and join me to talk decision making in AT prescription!!!

06/04/2026

Group supervision can be such a valuable part of OT practice.

It creates space to step back from the rush of everyday work, reflect on what you are seeing, think through complexity and learn from the perspectives of other OTs.

I currently offer two group supervision streams:
OT Sparks, for OTs across different stages of practice, and Foundations for Practice, a 12-month stream for early career OTs.

Both are designed to support reflective practice, stronger clinical reasoning and connection with peers.

If group supervision is something you have been curious about, feel free to get in touch via DM or through the website.

02/04/2026

My next OT Sparks group supervision session in on AT decision-making.

This topic feels important to me, as AT decisions can get messy quite quickly. Sometimes there are multiple options that could work. Sometimes the equipment conversation starts before the actual problem is clear. Sometimes you can feel yourself getting pulled towards solving the wrong thing.

For this session, I wanted to take the time to slow things down a bit.

We'll use a case clinic format, so OTs can bring real clinical questions to work through together. We will focus on the reasoning behind the decisions and how we work out whether an option is actually the right fit.

If you work in AT, home mods, vehicle mods, or in other areas where equipment decisions carry a lot of weight, please join us!

📅 Friday 17/04/2026 10-11:30am AEDT
🗺️ Alike Health, The Junction NSW or online
🎟️ Bookings available here: https://events.humanitix.com/ot-sparks-2026

31/03/2026

Home modification decision-making isn’t always straightforward.

In practice, it can be easy to move quickly toward more complex solutions, especially when you’re trying to solve a real problem.

Something that came up in a recent group supervision session was how helpful it can be to step back and work through intervention options in a more structured way.

The Intervention Hierarchy is a framework I’ve been using in practice to support this.

It provides a way to:

start with simpler, lower-cost options
work through intervention choices in a logical progression
support clearer clinical reasoning and justification

I’ve put it together into a free resource that includes:

the framework
guiding prompts
a case study activity

If you’d like a copy, you can access it here --> https://ssoccupationaltherapy.com/intervention-hierarchy

Sarah