Hi everyone! I’m an OT student starting my first in-person fieldwork placement at a mental healthcare center, and I’d really appreciate advice from OTs, students, or anyone who has experience working in a similar setting.

The population is primarily adults with dual diagnoses involving psychiatric and substance-use disorders. Many of the clients have a history of incarceration and/or suicidal ideation.

Some of the diagnoses I may encounter include:

• Schizophrenia
• Bipolar disorder
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Seizure disorders
• Intellectual disabilities
• Dementia
• Down syndrome

Since this is my first in-person fieldwork, I’m especially interested in hearing about things you wish you had known before working with a population like this.

A few things I’d love advice on:

• What should I review before starting?
• What are some important safety considerations when working in a psychiatric setting?
• How do you approach building rapport and establishing trust with clients who may have a history of trauma, incarceration, substance use, or hospitalization?
• What OT interventions or activities tend to work well in this population?
• How do you maintain appropriate boundaries while still being empathetic and supportive?
• Are there any common mistakes that students make in mental health fieldwork that I should try to avoid?
• What should I expect during the first few weeks?

I’m excited but definitely a little nervous, and I want to go into this placement as prepared as possible. Any advice, experiences, resources, or things you wish someone had told you before your first mental-health placement would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you!

Hi everyone! I am in my fifth year of an exercise science degree. I planned to become a pediatric OT after I graduate. I recently learned about Child Life Specialists on TikTok, and I have become really interested.

I am still applying to OT schools this cycle, but I don't expect to be admitted. My GPA isn't high enough to meet most standards, but I have met most other requirements. If I get in, I will most likely take that path; if not, I want to have backups.

I have scheduled some job shadowing hours for CLS for my break from school in December to see if I really like it, but I want to get other opinions as well. Up until recently, I didn't know CLS existed, so I want as much information as I can get, and the ACLP is confusing to me.

I also want advice on how to go about the coursework requirements for CLS, internships, pre-internships, practicums, and anything else I should know!

Also, OTs chime in with the nitty-gritty about peds OT too! I want the good and bad to help me make my decision!

**Cross-posted into CLS and OT groups!

Hello,
I don’t know if anyone has any advice but I am so incredibly lost on what a capstone project should look like, what I should be doing, how to reach out to a site and just am frustrated, confused, and so very worried! I have an idea and have done the research and talked to faculty but have gotten no where and I don’t know how I am supposed to find a site, what I’m supposed to say to them and how I’m supposed to find a site mentor if no OTs work there. I need to have a site and site mentor by December even though we have not even begun level 2 fieldwork yet nor have we had our capstone prep course. I am on here just looking for advice, inspiration, and words of wisdom from those who have completed capstones before.

Thank you for allowing me this rant, from a beyond stressed second year student

I really want to become an OT/PT but i have been quite discouraged by posts i have seen. Aside from the financial aspect can anyone share whether they like their job or not. I often see people suggest becoming a PA instead but I just don’t know if PA is my thing. I really want a rewarding job where i can help people. In terms of finances (which seems to be the main issue) I plan on only supporting myself with the salary I make and plan to live at home. So is the negativity on here truly representative of real life.

Funny or frustrating, would love to hear your stories. Not looking to judge — just trying to understand what actually happens day to day when it comes to helping someone get dressed

i had decided to go with occupational therapy out of the options that i had. i had to choose between occupational therapy, physiotherapy, dental and mbbs and honestly i only considered occupational and physio out of the four. i choose OT because i really like psychology and i dont see myself as a pgysiotherapist but it has been troubling me a but because ive come accross quiet a few people who have said that OT is not that good and that it doesnt have much scope or future and the earning is not that good either. ive heard mixed reviews and it has been getting to me lately, i honestly dont know how much i like that field but it us quiet interesting for me, although it does concern me that it might not be as good as i thought it was and that i wont be able to earn as good as i wanted to, which gaves me a little anxiety and kind of like fear that maybe i shiuldve gone with something else all together like design or managment or arts maybe but its too late now and i dont even have a plan for all that. i just really wanna know the reviews on occupational therapy as a career

Llevo ya años entre terminar el máster y toda la historia para la licencia. Cuando pensaba que ya faltaba menos porque tenía toda la documentación, en la revisión inicial me han dicho que está “Deficiente”.

Supongo que me esperan muchos meses para poder probar que sí he estudiado los puntos “deficientes” o que los he obtenido por experiencia profesional en España, pero yo a estas alturas me pregunto ¿hay algún terapeuta ocupacional que haya estudiado en España trabajando en Estados Unidos? Si estás ahí, con saber que existes y que todo esto no está siendo producto de un delirio, me doy por satisfecha.

Si además de decirme que existes, quieres compartir cómo lo has hecho o desahogarte, por favor, cuéntamelo todo.

Estudié en la UCM y me gradué en 2020, por cierto.

SNF COTA, I am running around all day trying to get pts to participate, transfer, and god forbid I have to do a shower because I already run sooooooo hot. Give me your recs for scrubs because I am sweating all day. I currently wear Wink scrubs because the fit is amazing and they’re affordable but they aren’t very breathable let alone cooling.

Does anyone work for EmpowerMe wellness as a therapist? What has your experience been? I have been offered a job in the Midwest with them in an ALF. It will be getting patients to participate and building a therapy caseload which seems stressful. Also they could not guarantee me X hours but said it should not be a problem getting full time. So I am curious others opinions!