Saturday Schedule – 2023

Session Details:

• Content Level: Beginner
• Practice Settings: Pediatrics
• Downloads:

Session Description:

More to come

Learning Objectives:

• More to come

Speaker:

Genie Charvet, OTD, OTR/L

Session Details:

• Content Level: Beginner
• Practice Settings: Mental Health
• Downloads:

Session Description:

More to come

Learning Objectives:

• More to come

Speaker:

TBD

Session Details:

• Content Level: Beginner
• Practice Settings: Hands/Industrial/Rehab

Session Description:

More to come

Learning Objectives:

More to come

Speakers:

Emily Nugen, Graduated from Eastern Washington University in 2016. Since then she has been work in Industrial Rehab, where she finds her passion. Emily now calls Olympic Sport & Spine her professional playground. Her journey with the WOTA community began in 2014, where she was instantly in love. From wide-eyed student volunteer to the brain behind the Conference Committee and Continuing Education, Emily has scaled heights.

Networking is Emily’s secret sauce – WOTA’s opportunities have been a treasure trove for her! When she’s not masterfully navigating the world of OT, you’ll find Emily in her element, whether it’s whipping up culinary delights, crafting something whimsical, or soaking in precious moments with her doting husband and adorable son. And did we mention she moonlights as a graphic design aficionado? This lady’s talents know no bounds!

Session Details:

• Content Level: Beginner
• Practice Settings: All
• Downloads:

Session Description:

SB 5228: Funding for OT in Behavioral Health Agencies grew out of the sucess of individual and professional advocacy for the power of Occucpational Therapy.  What began when Abbigail Cooper, a single OT at the DESC,  advocated for the needs and opportunities in her workplace,  was amplified by her leaders, Senator Dingrah in the 45th district and  WOTA legislative efforts. Come learn the story of this success, and be introduced to positive individual and legislative advocacy strategies you can use in your workplace and in the upcoming 2024 legislative session.

Learning Objectives:

• Attendees will be able to list the steps an idea must progress through in order to become legislation that is signed into law.
• Attendees will be able to list 2 positive strategies they can use when advocating for needs and opportinities in their own workplaces
• Attendees will be able to find and contact their own elected officials and will do so during the presentation. 
• Attendees will identify and share an advocacy opportunity present in their own workplace with the group.

Speaker:

Patricia Toole, OTR/L, MsOT, MAT, ATP,

Trish is an Occupational Therapist with over 20 years of experience in seating and wheeled mobility and assistive technology solutions with complex clients. Since 2015 she has been practicing, teaching, and advocating for 24-7 Postural Care Managment as essential care and empowerment for people with mobility disabilities. Trish owns Clear Path Occupational Therapy, and works with Rehab Without Walls. Since 2022, she has served as the Legislative Chair for WOTA, and particpated in the passage of the OT compact act in 2022 and 5228: Funding for OT in BHA’s in 2023.

Abigail Cooper, OTR/L

Abigail Cooper received her Masters in Occupational Therapy from UNC–Chapel Hill in 2011. She has devoted her career to working with underserved populations in a variety of settings including hospitals, home health, the federal prison, and Central America. She joined the Downtown Emergency Service Center (DESC) in February 2022. In January 2023 she testified to State Congress on behalf of DESC in support of Senate Bill 5228, a bill written as a direct result of collaboration between State Senator Dhingra and DESC, and for which Abigail served as the subject matter expert.

Session Details:

• Content Level: Beginner
• Practice Settings: All/Academia
• Downloads:

Session Description:

This presentation will focus on basic information on how to organize TEDx events about justice-equity-diversity-inclusion (JEDI) in participants’ local or university communities. It is critical for OT community to master this in order to establish OT as a community pillar in public conversations that matter about JEDI.

Learning Objectives:

• Attendees will be able to describe necessary steps in organizing an in-person or virtual TEDx event.
• Attendees will be able to describe critical rules in organizing TEDx events.
• Attendees will be able to develop strategies to organize TEDx events focusing on JEDI in their local or university communities.

Speaker:

Bill Wong, OTD, OTR/L

Bill is an occupational therapist from California since 2012. He currently is transitioning to home health after spending more than 8 years in skilled nursing facility setting. He is also an adjunct instructor at Stanbridge University’s MSOT program. Bill is also an active member in the AOTA, having served in the Representative Assembly, Volunteer Leadership Development Committee, and Autism Community of Practice since 2017. Finally, aside from being the only OT student or practitioner to speak at more than 1 TEDx event, Bill is also the only OT student or practitioner to have active TEDx event licenses.

Session Details:

• Content Level: Beginner
• Practice Settings: All
• Downloads:

Session Description:

Coming Soon

Learning Objectives:

• Coming Soon

Speaker:

Coming Soon

Session Details:

• Content Level: Beginner
• Practice Settings: All
• Downloads:

Session Description:

Irlen Syndrome is a problem with the brain’s ability to process visual information. This disorder affects approximately 15% of the general population, 50% of individuals with reading and learning difficulties, 30% of individuals with ADHD and autism, and a significant portion of individuals with brain injury, chronic headaches, and migraines. These are the individuals seeking our support as Occupational Therapists! This presentation will cover what Irlen Syndrome is, how symptoms may manifest in patients seen in Occupational Therapy, Schools or places of work and how to help if the syndrome is suspected.

Learning Objectives:

• Understand What Irlen Syndrome is
• Understand Functional impact of Irlen Syndrome
• Learn how to help if Irlen Syndrome is suspected

Speaker:

Lucia Lara, OTR/,

Lucia has over 30 years’ experience as an Occupational Therapist. Her career spans many different practice areas, with specialized focus in Pediatrics and Sensory Health in Wellness for all ages. Lucia has advanced training in multiple therapeutic approaches that address the sensory processing basis to self-regulation and development. She completed an intensive mentorship with Dr. Lucy Miller at the STAR Center in CO in 2018 and participated in the standardization of the SP3D assessment with WPS Publishing in 2019.

Lucia earned Certification as an Irlen Screener in April 2017, after hearing about Irlen Syndrome while completing a course in Reflex Integration. She values Irlen as a tool to address challenges with the visual sensory system, and its role in supporting overall Sensory Processing for individuals with a variety of diagnoses.

Lucia is based in Kitsap County, WA. She is the owner of LPL Consultation, LLC, offering consultative services, in addition to Irlen Screening.  Lucia has prsented virtually on topics including Irlen Syndrome, Sensory Tools to access Virtual Schooling (during the Covid pandemic) and Sensory Informed Care.

Terry Carlson, M.Ed; Irlen Diagnostician

Terry Carlson, owner of Irlen® Services Northwest, has a master’s in special education/endorsement in reading and had been teaching in the public-school systems; in secondary Special Education Literacy Programs; for over 20 years. Terry was introduced to Irlen® overlays by the literacy coach while searching for specific interventions when student’s progress had stalled. She noticed an immediate improvement with reading comprehension. Students often told her, “The words don’t move anymore, I can see the words clearly now.” Encouraged by the results with her students and realizing their potential once this visual barrier was removed, Terry elected to be trained as an Irlen® Screener in 2008. In 2011, she trained as an Irlen® Diagnostician, which enabled her to administer Irlen® Spectral Filters, as well as train other educators and professionals who support this population, as Irlen® Screeners. Terry has since retired from the public school system to dedicate her work to identifying and supporting clients who will benefit from the Irlen® Method.

Session Details:

• Content Level: Intermediate
• Practice Settings: All
• Downloads:

Session Description:

It is often difficult for OTP’s to break into a setting that has had no historical exposure to, or very limited understanding of, the range of benefits occupational therapy can bring to a particular population.  Office managers speak in terms of billable hours.  Prescribers speak in terms of diagnoses and situation management. Case managers speak in term of resources and access. Busy people tend to look for the theme of what is being said, rather than the details.  OT IS ABOUT THE DETAILS.  This session will explore effective ways OTPs can get their message heard when talking to gatekeepers of emerging practice areas.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify key factors involved in marketing one’s skills to a prospective ‘buyer’
• Develop at least one successful transactional strategy for communicating with busy professionals

Speaker:

Karla Gray, OTR/L; LICSW

During the course of her professional life, Karla has been involved in several OT start-ups that intersected with other fields of practice and governing entities. In those roles, she has had the opportunity to educate administrators and other health care providers on the roles and functions of OT in a variety of settings. In addition to authoring several professional articles and chapters in edited AOTA publications, Karla has presented at behavioral health seminars and state and national conferences. 

Session Details:

• Content Level: Intermediate
• Practice Settings: Psychosocial Rehab, Acute Care, Inpatient Rehab, SNF
• Downloads:

Session Description:

As the number of people experiencing homelessness in our state rises, OT practitioners in all settings–but especially acute and psychosocial rehabilitation settings–are increasingly likely to find themselves working with unhoused individuals. Occupational Therapy can play a key role in addressing the social determinants of health in shelters, transitional housing, and permanent housing. This presentation will describe the unique role that OT plays within the multidisciplinary VA Supported Housing team, and how approaches and principles can be applied both to more common OT settings and to volunteerism by OTs within their own communities. 

Learning Objectives:

• Identify at least three approaches that are unique to OT within multidisciplinary supported housing programs. 
• Recognize the systemic and attitudinal barriers to health and wellness for individuals with experience of homelessness, and the impact this has on lifespan. 
• Understand the value of the OT practitioner’s holistic approach in addressing social determinants of health for unsheltered and newly housed individuals. 
• Explain how OT practitioners’ skills can be applied to support nonprofits’ and agencies’ work to shelter and house individuals with complex medical and mental health needs. 
• State at least two ways that OT practitioners in hospitals or other traditional healthcare settings can support their unsheltered clients.

Speaker:

Wynne Scherf, OTR/L

Wynne works in the VA Puget Sound Community Housing and Outreach Services, where she has provided occupational therapy to Veterans who are unhoused, transitionally housed, or within supported housing for the last two years. In 2022, she was assigned to a special project with the National Center on Homelessness Among Veterans to support the standardization of OT practice within VA Supported Housing programs. Wynne completed a year-long, AOTA accredited fieldwork in Recovery Oriented Psychosocial Rehabilitation at the Durham VA Medical Center and worked from 2016 to 2021 in psychosocial rehabilitation settings prior to her current role. She is a 2006 graduate of the University of Puget Sound’s Master of Occupational Therapy’s Policy, Advocacy, and Leadership track.

Certifications:

 – 2023, 2020: Wellness Recovery Action Planning certified facilitator

 – 2006-present: Registered Occupational Therapist (#214391), National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy

Previous Speaking Engagements:

 – 2023, August: VHA National Homeless Programs Office Clinical Call, co-presenter for “Overview of Occupational Therapy in Housing and Urban Development – VA Supported Housing (HUD-VASH)”

 – 2023, July: VHA National Homeless Programs Office HUD-VASH and Geriatrics and Extended Care (GEC) Collaboration Community of Practice Call, co-presenter for “OT’s Role in Assessment of Aging and Disabled Veterans”

 – 2023, May: National Center on Homelessness Among Veterans Financial Health Workshop Series, panelist for “Spending Wisely” 

 – 2023, April: National Center on Homelessness Among Veterans Webinar Series, primary presenter for “Standardizing and Optimizing OT Practice in Homeless Programs and Community Based Settings”

 – 2022, October: Washington OT Association Conference, co-presenter for “Mental Health Approaches for Everyday Practice”

 – 2022, January: Arizona OT Association Mental Health Special Interest Section, primary presenter for “What is Recovery”

 – 2020, June: Southern Arizona VA Medical Center Occupational Therapy Department, primary presenter for “OT Strategies from the World of Psychosocial Rehabilitation”

 – 2017, August: Durham VA Medical Center Occupational Therapy Department, primary presenter for “6 OT Strategies from the World of Psychosocial Rehabilitation”

 – 2017, August: Durham VA Psychosocial Rehabilitation and Recovery Center, primary presenter for “From the Clinic to the Community: Promoting Integration via a Multi-Staged Group Intervention”

 – 2017, June: Psychiatric Rehabilitation Association National Conference, primary presenter for poster titled “From the Clinic to the Community: Promoting Integration via a Multi-Staged Group Intervention”

 – 2004: University of Puget Sound OT Evidence-Based Symposium, primary presenter for poster titled “Occupational Therapy Intervention for the Hygiene Needs of People who are Homeless”

Kayla Estes, OTS

More to come