05/26/2026
I left the CAOT conference feeling deeply grateful for the conversations that challenged, expanded, and grounded me.
I have been marinating it in for a couple of weeks in order to collect my thoughts.
One theme that stayed with me throughout the week was this idea that we cannot confuse unfamiliarity of the OT role in certain spaces with unsuitability.
This theme came through in Lauren Schenk’s presentation:
“Grief Interrupted: Occupational disruption following perinatal loss and grief.”
It is where my brain went to also when I stood up with my crew to present “Occupation-Based Pelvic Health: Expanding reach, improving access.”
So many OTs can already see opportunities for where our lens could deepen care, reduce harm, support participation, and create more human-centered healthcare experiences. But stepping outside the boxes our profession has historically occupied can feel incredibly vulnerable.
Some of the most meaningful learning for me came through authentic conversations about:
• reflecting on biases and engrained practices
• recognizing where healthcare unintentionally causes harm
• expanding where OT can meaningfully contribute
• and allowing our profession to evolve alongside the needs of the people we serve
A beautiful reminder that OT belongs in more spaces than we sometimes allow ourselves to imagine.
