WashU Medicine Occupational Therapy Services

11/12/2025

A peek inside a pediatric OT session! 👀💪
Playtime with purpose — helping little ones grow stronger mentally and physically, gain more confident, and ready for life’s adventures.

Come see our amazing pediatric OT specialist bringing fun and growth together every day! 🌟

10/31/2025

Our clinics were dressed to impress today with costumes, creativity, and plenty of Halloween spirit! 🎭
Wishing all the little ghosts, goblins, and ghouls a safe and fang-tastic night of trick-or-treating! 🍬🎃

10/31/2025

In recognition of Disability Employment Awareness Month, our very own Deb Turley participated on a panel alongside faculty and staff to discuss how disability and chronic conditions can impact one’s employment journey.

Deb specializes in helping individuals stay employed or return to work after a disability, collaborating closely with physicians and employers to support successful transitions back into the workplace.

We’re incredibly proud of the impactful work Deb does every day and grateful for the opportunity to share the Occupational Therapy perspective in such an important conversation! 💙👏

10/30/2025

🌟 Employee Spotlight: Kathy Dolan, OT/L 🌟

This month, we’re proud to highlight our very own Kathy Dolan! Kathy specializes in Neurorehabilitation, working with individuals recovering from stroke, brain injury, cerebral palsy (adult), concussion, functional neurological disorder, long COVID, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, and those participating in our pre-driving program.
Her dedication, compassion, and expertise make a lasting impact on her patients’ recovery journeys every day. We’re so grateful to have Kathy as part of our team! 💙

✨ Fun Facts About Kathy:
🍝 Favorite Restaurant: Trattoria Marcella
🎬 Favorite Movies: Moonstruck & August Rush
🌊 Never Again: Trying to swim in Hawaii-sized waves!
🏕️ Barbie Vibe: Outdoor Barbie — happiest when hiking or out on the water
🕸️ Favorite Marvel Hero: Spiderman

Thanks for all you do, Kathy — we’re lucky to have you! 💪💙

10/23/2025

🎃 Pumpkin Carving Safety Tips 🎃

Carving pumpkins is a fall favorite—but it comes with risks! Hand injuries from pumpkin carving are all too common. Here are some key safety tips to keep your carving fun and safe from the American Society of Hand Therapists (ASHT):

✅ Choose a well-lit, dry spot for carving — moisture makes tools slip and accidents happen.
asht.org

✅ Adults should handle the sharp tools. Let kids draw the design or remove seeds.
asht.org

✅ Use a pumpkin carving kit rather than a long kitchen knife—tools designed for pumpkins are safer.
asht.org

✅ Always cut away from yourself and keep your hand that holds the pumpkin out of the path of the blade. Small, controlled strokes are better.
asht.org

For more detailed tips and checklists, check out the full guide here: ASHT “Avoiding Pumpkin Carving Injuries” PDF
https://asht.org/sites/asht/files/docs/2016/Avoiding%20Pumpkin%20Carving%20Injuries%202016.pdf

Stay safe and have fun carving your masterpiece! 🕯️👻

10/21/2025

🌟 Proud Employee Moment! 🌟

We are so proud of our very own Macy Stonner, OTD, OTR/L, CHT, who recently traveled to Vancouver, BC, Canada to present at the 2025 ASSH Annual Meeting! 🙌

Macy presented on “Rehabilitation Following Nerve Reconstructions: Pearls and Pitfalls” and participated in an international panel discussion alongside surgeons from the U.S., Mexico, and Taiwan. She shared the therapist’s perspective on strategies for brachial plexus injury rehabilitation, contributing valuable insights to the global conversation.

Way to go, Macy — your expertise and dedication continue to inspire our entire team! 👏💪

10/17/2025

🌸 Honoring Ellen King 🌸
We take this time to honor our beloved colleague Ellen King, BSOT, OTR/L, CHT, who passed away on April 13, 2024, at the age of 62 after a courageous battle with breast cancer.

Ellen dedicated 16 years as a Certified Hand Therapist at WashU Medicine’s Milliken Hand Rehabilitation Center, making everyone she met feel seen, valued, and cared for.

It was a gap in breast cancer services that inspired Ellen to co-develop a program that became her lasting legacy. In 2017, she co-founded our Breast Cancer Program to help women prepare for and recover from breast reconstruction, chemotherapy, and radiation.

A spiritual person, Ellen often shared that her own cancer diagnosis came when it did so she could walk that journey alongside her patients.

Ellen trained several Milliken therapists in what we now call The King Method, ensuring her compassionate approach to care lives on. She was not only a therapist but also an advocate and voice for her patients—fighting for access, resources, and support.

As we continue to celebrate Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we remember and celebrate Ellen’s remarkable spirit, her healing hands, and the lives she touched. 💕

To read more of her story follow the link below
https://www.ot.wustl.edu/news/strength-for-the-journey-1541

WashU Medicine Program in Occupational Therapy is ranked as a top three occupational therapy program in the nation by U.S. News & World Report.

10/01/2025

🌸 "Wednesdays We Wear PINK!" 🌸
This Wednesday is especially important as it marks the beginning of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
Today, we celebrate, respect, and honor all our patients on their breast cancer journeys—whether they are newly diagnosed, currently undergoing treatment, or are survivors. We are deeply committed to supporting the breast cancer community with our expertise in upper extremity rehabilitation and specialized rehabilitative breast cancer services.
This Wednesday, we also wear pink in memory of Ellen King OTR/L , CHT, a cherished colleague who played a vital role in establishing our breast cancer program and who sadly passed away from breast cancer in 2024. We will honor her profound contributions with a dedicated post in the near future.
Join us in celebrating and supporting this incredible community. 💕
Visit our website to learn more about our services: Breast Cancer Services

09/25/2025

👋 Ever wondered how Occupational Therapists (OTs) can assist you? In the Hand and Upper Extremity area, OTs play a crucial role in protecting your hand, restoring function, offering bracing or support for injuries, and guiding you through rehabilitation to get you back to your everyday life. 🖐️
If you're experiencing issues, come see an OT and let us help you get back on track! 💪

09/16/2025

✨ Movement disorders like Parkinson’s and Huntington’s can impact movement, thinking, emotions, and daily routines.

👩‍⚕️ Our Occupational Therapy team helps you stay safe, independent, and active by teaching strategies to make everyday tasks easier and improve quality of life.

We can help with:
✔️ Daily routines & self-care
✔️ Fatigue & fall prevention
✔️ Home exercise programs
✔️ Caregiver training & support

💡 Starting therapy early makes a big difference—learn strategies now to stay active and prepared for the future.

🌟 You don’t have to face this journey alone—we’re here for you and your family every step of the way.



https://otservices.wustl.edu/items/movement-disorders/

08/28/2025

Employee Spotlight: Carley Yanuck
Meet Carley Yanuck, an extraordinary Occupational Therapist at Milliken Hand Rehabilitation Center. Carley's dedication to her craft is evident in her passion for helping musicians recover from overuse injuries and reignite their passion for music after an injury. Her expertise, however, extends well beyond these specialized areas.

We had the opportunity to ask Carley a couple of questions, and here are her answers:

What is your favorite restaurant? "I have many favorite restaurants, but my current favorite is PizzaTwist, which serves American food with Indian flavors."

What is your favorite line from any movie? "'It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.' This is the famous opening line from a very well-known book. It has been delivered so well in the multiple movie and stage adaptations. “

📕 Do you know the book that Carley is referring to? Gives us you best guess in the comments!📕

Here you see Carley playing timpani with the St. Louis Philharmonic. We are so proud to have Carley as one of our amazing clinicians.