The Working Therapist: Providing Helpful Ideas for Pediatric Speech, Occupational and Physical Therapy

In this edition of the Working Therapist, Haden and Kjirsti give tips on how to pair the right medical equipment to pediatric patients. They share their experiences working with families and the child so the equipment gets used as part of the home program.

Whether you're snowed in at the airport, or have spinning tires in the mud, no one likes the feeling of being stuck. It's even worse when you feel stuck in a therapy session. You want to so desperately help your patient, but what you planned for the day doesn't seem to be working and you're going nowhere. In today's podcast, Haden and Kjirsti will walk you through the steps to take to get unstuck.

Where do children spend most of their time? How does therapy look in these different places? Today Haden and Kjirsti examine the Top 5 work environments where Pediatric Physical, Occupational and Speech Therapists can work. They review how working in various environments helps you to grow as a professional.

Where do children spend most of their time? How does therapy look in these different places? Today Haden and Kjirsti examine the Top 5 work environments where Pediatric Physical, Occupational and Speech Therapists can work. They review how working in various environments helps you to grow as a professional.

November is the month that reminds us to be thankful! As a therapist, there are many things for which to be thankful. First and foremost, is the fact that we have a career that enables us to make a difference in other people's lives everyday! In order to make that happen, there are many tools that we use in our trade. For the Pediatric therapist, toys are a big part of our toolbox. For the month of November, Haden and Kjirsti will focus on toys that will enhance your therapy sessions and make you more productive as a therapist.

November is the month that reminds us to be thankful! As a therapist, there are many things for which to be thankful. First and foremost, is the fact that we have a career that enables us to make a difference in other people's lives everyday! In order to make that happen, there are many tools that we use in our trade. For the Pediatric therapist, toys are a big part of our toolbox. For the month of November, Haden and Kjirsti will focus on toys that will enhance your therapy sessions and make you more productive as a therapist.

A shovel, not a saw or hammer, is the first tool to grab if you are going to build anything you want to last. Digging a proper foundation is crucial to the success of the project. For the therapist, the evaluation is the foundation on which you build your client's success. While you have been taught many assessment strategies to use in the therapy room, today Haden and Kjirsti will share tools that will give you a head start - and possibly information that might not be shared later - in the waiting room.

"Time is On My Side" was the first Top Ten hit in the U.S. by The Rolling Stones. While the line makes a cool lyric, the reality is that for most of us, time IS NOT on our side. It often seems our To-Do list is jam packed (if it even exists at all) with more that we can possibly get ever get done in a week - and that's just today's list! In this podcast, Haden and Kjirsti are joined by Dr. Jeff Burkhardt, a Counselor, to share a conversation they recently had about a task prioritizing hack using a simple grid (included in the show notes). It may just help you focus on the most important things and ignore the urgent time-stealing demands that try to force their way into your daily schedule.

"Time is On My Side" was the first Top Ten hit in the U.S. by The Rolling Stones. While the line makes a cool lyric, the reality is that for most of us, time IS NOT on our side. It often seems our To-Do list is jam packed (if it even exists at all) with more that we can possibly get ever get done in a week - and that's just today's list! In this podcast, Haden and Kjirsti are joined by Dr. Jeff Burkhardt, a Counselor, to share a conversation they recently had about a task prioritizing hack using a simple grid (included in the show notes). It may just help you focus on the most important things and ignore the urgent time-stealing demands that try to force their way into your daily schedule.

You've heard it a thousand times: "Teamwork makes the dream work!" For many it's a mantra applied only on rare occasions when a group of people actually come together around one purpose. For those of us in therapy, it's an every day occurrence. Therapists from all disciplines are regularly called upon to work together for the betterment of those entrusted to our care. Today Haden and Kjirsti are joined by Dr. Bill Ogletree, Head of the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at Western Carolina University, to talk about interdisciplinary collaboration in pediatric therapy.

You've heard it a thousand times: "Teamwork makes the dream work!" For many it's a mantra applied only on rare occasions when a group of people actually come together around one purpose. For those of us in therapy, it's an every day occurrence. Therapists from all disciplines are regularly called upon to work together for the betterment of those entrusted to our care. Today Haden and Kjirsti are joined by Dr. Bill Ogletree, Head of the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at Western Carolina University, to talk about interdisciplinary collaboration in pediatric therapy.

The goal of every pediatric therapist is to get their kiddos to go higher. At PDT, that is sometimes just as literal as it is symbolic. Through the use of our Everlast Climbing Adaptive Climbing Wall, PT, OT, and Speech therapists use challenge, motion and fun to take therapy to a whole new level! Today, Lyle Helke of Everlast Climbing joins Haden and Kjirsti to talk about Climbing in Therapy and Education.

The goal of every pediatric therapist is to get their kiddos to go higher. At PDT, that is sometimes just as literal as it is symbolic. Through the use of our Everlast Climbing Adaptive Climbing Wall, PT, OT, and Speech therapists use challenge, motion and fun to take therapy to a whole new level! Today, Lyle Helke of Everlast Climbing joins Haden and Kjirsti to talk about Climbing in Therapy and Education.

We've all heard of the accountant who never balances his own checkbook, and we've met the health professionals who are in bad health. The reason is, seeing one more checkbook or thinking about health for one more minute at the end of the day is just unbearable. Fortunately for you as a therapist, you don't have to go home at the end of the day and practice your profession. However, burnout is just as real for the therapist as anyone else. Today, Haden and Kjirsti will introduce you to five ways that will lead you quickly to burn out. In order to prevent it, simply avoid these.

In January 1983, in the middle of winter, the twangy southern voice of John Anderson hit the airwaves with a song about sitting on the front porch with his girl, "Just a' swangin'." It would become the song on the year in spite of the fact that is was released in the dead of winter. There's just something about the enjoyment of swinging with which everyone can identify. Employing that universal love for a swing into therapy can break down barriers and open up new possibilities. Today's podcast examines six swing types that are useful in therapy and how to maximize their effectiveness in your therapy sessions.The Swings Covered in this Podcast: Platform swings Web swing Adventure swing Bolster/Horse swing Pogo swing Surf board swing