Practical ACT for OTs - Carlyn Neek, Balance Works

An 8 module course on using ACT in practice. Easy to follow lessons with useful graphics and tools to continue using. Carlyn’s presentation style is supportive and engaging. It got me thinking about ACT in practice and how the model fits well with how I naturally practice and gave me some additional tools.

The Becoming Collective - Bradley Bird Williams

The Becoming Collective is a space for occupational therapists who want to do things more authentically. There are different themes each month with guest speakers. It’s a great community to be part of.

• Models and Frameworks: CanMOP with Mary Egan - Good overview of the CanMOP model, evolution of Canadian models and why we’ve got to this one, how it improves on others. I like how it centres occupational participation, occupational possibilities depend on context; the language of this model feels so affirming and useful.

• Let’s Chat Assessments with Winnie Dunn - Assessments a vital part of quality practice, need to look at what we’re doing and why; framework: whose life will you be addressing? What do you want to know? Why do you need to know? Who do you need to involve? How will you find out? Where will you discover your answers? Pick 1 or 2 things that will make the biggest difference and start there, “our job is life”, people, context, settings, being proud of what we do, being agents of change and making things better. This was a really affirming and validating talk hearing someone who has created as assessment talk about when and why we use assessments and reminding us to not over assess. It’s easy to fall into the over assessing trap, thinking we need to be doing ‘proper’ OT, but assessment isn’t always standardised, the information and supporting the occupation are the important piece. I found the questions to ask ourselves really useful.

OT Exchange 2024 Conference in Perth

• Highlights: Seeing OTs in person that I’ve been connected with for a while, but only met online, especially Bronwyn Paynter (Nature OT) and Bradley Bird-Williams (The Becoming Collective).  Making some new connections and being recognised from my Facebook page!  Meeting Senator Jordon Steele-John, a greens senator who is a wheelchair user, after listening to his amazing keynote talk.  Making a journey stick out of natural materials in Prue Spry’s (Play Naturally OT) wonderful workshop.

• Full blog post here. My reflection was more on the overall experience. Summaries of individual talks are in the blog. Really for me it was about the connection to the profession and to other OTs.

OTBNZ National Hui 2024

• Update on the OTBNZ projects, board structure, strategic plan, upcoming consultations, numbers of OTs, allied health report, updating code of ethics in writing phase

• Good to get an overview of what the OTBNZ is doing, clarity that they are the regulatory body and OTNZ-WNA do more of the advocacy. Will keep an eye out for updates and potential consultations.