The goal of mentoring is to support you and your work as an OT practitioner. Before we meet, I will send you a few questions to help better understand where you are in your OT journey. When we meet, we'll explore more about:
​
-
what your needs are,
-
where you may be feeling uncertain,
-
skills you want to develop,
-
specific patients you would like guidance with, and
-
your learning style.
​​
If you have specific neuro patients in mind, we will use the STAR Mentoring Method to problem solve through their case together and talk through assessment and intervention ideas.
​
What is the STAR Mentoring Method?
It's the process we use to apply strategies and interventions to your specific patients. It stands for:
​
SHARE about your patient: diagnoses, challenges, abilities, goals, things you've tried already
TALK through strategies & interventions - specific next steps to help your patients progress
APPLY the strategies & interventions in your next treatment sessions
REVIEW what successes and challenges you experienced, adjust, and repeat!
​
And if there's an area you want to learn more about in general - like how to help someone improve their left neglect or painful hemi shoulder - we'll talk through interventions for those problems step-by-step to help build your tool box.
Don't worry - wherever you are is exactly where you should be. Together we can help you get where you want to be.
You might share that you have no idea what to do when you get a new CVA patient on your caseload. Or maybe you need strategies for patients with ataxia...or folks who are impulsive and unsafe...or how to transfer someone with hemiparesis...or how to document during sessions...Then that's what we'll dive into.
Mentoring Goals
One common goal is to help you gain skills you need to feel confident and capable treating the neuro patients on your caseload. Mentoring works really well when we talk through your current patients. This means you can immediately apply the skills you're learning.
​
Some common mentoring goals include learning how to:​
-
decrease hemiparetic shoulder pain,
-
progress a hemiparetic arm (one of my faves!)
-
pick a splint or sling and use e-stim functionally,
-
apply cog rehab strategies,
-
have difficult conversations like when therapy is not helping a patient make progress,
-
help patients and find your boundaries when they are impulsive, hyperverbose (talks a lot!), or sexually inappropriate
-
tell the difference between left neglect and a visual field cut (and interventions for both)
-
document micro-goals to show progress
-
remember to take care of yourself along the way
-
...and so much more.​
I totally get that it's really hard to tell another therapist, "I need help - I'm not sure what else to do." For some reason, we OTPs have this (not-so-nice) voice that tells us we should know how to treat every single patient that comes our way. That's simply impossible - that's why in healthcare it's called a practice. I am well-versed at treating folks with neuro diagnoses, but get me out of my comfort zone with, say, a radial fracture, and I'm going to be calling for some ortho support!
​
I honor the discomfort it takes to reach out for help. I believe we all deserve support in our careers.
Another common goal of mentoring helping new therapists find their path.
Graduation and passing your boards is SUCH an exciting time - (CONGRATS!!!)...and loved ones might not realize how daunting the next steps in your OT journey are and how overwhelming their advice can be. I love helping OTs find their own voice when they're starting their career.
​
In this OT Career-Starter Package, some common mentoring goals are:
-
building your resume to showcase your real OT experiences,
-
steps to obtaining your state license,
-
figuring out what OT jobs fit you well (and which don't)
-
hunting and applying for jobs
-
preparing for interviews (often includes a mock interview if helpful)
-
negotiating your first OT position - remember you're also interviewing them
-
STARTING YOUR LITERAL OT CAREER!!!
​​
I believe you have the answers as to what path is good for you, sometimes we just need an empathetic person to help us hear ourselves clearly. Good mentoring can help untangle the thoughts and the steps to get there.
​
And maybe you are an OT entrepreneur looking for support?
This is another path many OT practitioners choose, and it can be incredibly rewarding...and daunting!
​
I've been there (currently still on this path!) and have received a ton of amazing support along the way. Depending on your goals, I may be able to offer the guidance, mentoring, and support you need. And if your path is wildly different from mine, I'm happy to refer you to other wonderful coaches. You can schedule a clarity call to explore your options here.